Flora, A notable hatlotte, which with the abuse of hir bodie, hauing gotten exceeding great riches at hir death lefte the people of Rome hir heire, and appointed a greate summe of money to lie in a slocke, with the vsurie whereof yearely to hir remembrauuce shoulde bee kepte certaiue playes called Floralia. This bicause in processe of time it seemed to the Senate a foule matter, they cloked it with this deuise, fapning that Flora was a Goddesse that had the ruition of flowers, and that the with such games must be worshipped, for the better proofe of flowers, fruites and hearbes. Theie playes were set foorth with all tokens of dishonestie both in wordes and gestures by common harlottes goyng in the streete, in such sort as they might worthilie see to be kept in remembrannce of hir that they had their first beginning of.
Lewis and Short: Latin dictionary
Flōra, ae, f. [flos, v. flo], the goddess of flowers, whose festival was celebrated on the 28th of April, often with unbridled license, Ov. F. 5, 195 sq.; Lact. 1, 20, 6; Varr. R. R. 1, 1, 6; id. L. L. 5, 45, 74; Lucr. 5, 739; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 14, 36; Tac. A. 2, 49; Mart. 1, 1, 1: omnia Florae aulaea, Juv. 14, 262 al.—II. Derivv. A. Flōrĭus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to Flora: apud M. Catonem in re Floria ita scriptum,
respecting the festival of Flora
, Gell. 9, 12, 7.— More freq., B. Flōrālis, e, adj.1.Of or belonging to Flora, Floral: flamen, Varr. L. L. 7, 45: joci, Lact. 1, 20, 6; Sen. Ep. 97, p. 80 Bip.—2.Of or belonging to the festival of Flora, of the Floralia: sacrum, Ov. F. 4, 947: dignissima tuba Florali matrona, Juv. 6, 250: ludi, Inscr. Orell. 2545.— In plur. subst.: Flōrālĭa, ium and ōrum, n., the festival of Flora: Florae ludi Floralia instituti, Varr. R. R. 1, 1, 6; Quint. 1, 5, 52: (prisci) Floralia IIII. Kal. Mai. instituerunt urbis anno DXIII. ex oraculis Sibyllae, ut omnia bene deflorescerent, Plin. 18, 29, 69, 286: Varro Floralium, non Floraliorum ait, cum non ludos Florales illic, sed ipsum festum, Floralia, significaret, Macr. S. 1, 4, 14; Pers. 5, 178: solenni Floraliorum die, Just. 43, 4, 6.—Hence, 2. Flō-rālĭcĭus or -tĭus, a, um, of or belonging to the feast of Flora: et Floralicias lasset arena feras, i. e.
designed for the combats exhibited during the festival of Flora
, Mart. 8, 67, 4.1. flōrālĭa, ium, n. [flos], a flowergarden, Varr. R. R. 1, 23, 4.