FESTUS, SextusPompeius, a Latin grammarian of uncertain date, but who probably flourished in the 2d century of the Christian era. He wrote an epitome of the celebrated work He Verborum Significatione. This was a valuable treatise on many obscure points of grammar, mythology, and antiquities, written by M. Verrius Flaccus, a grammarian who flourished in the reign of Augustus. The abridgment of Festus has been done rather mechanically, and without sufficient discrimination. He has also made a few alterations, and inserted some critical remarks of his own, besides omitting altogether such ancient Latin words as had long been obsolete. These he discussed in a separate work now lost, entitled Priscorum Verborum Libri cum Exemplis. Of Flaccus’s work only a few fragments have come down to us, and of Festus’s epitome only one original copy is known to be in existence, and that in a very imperfect form. After passing through very many vicissitudes, it found a temporary shelter in the Farnese library at Parma, whence in 1736 it was taken to Naples. At the close of the 8th century Paulus, commonly called Diaconus, who happened to possess a copy of Festus’s work, epitomized it; but, being an imperfect scholar, he allowed countless errors to creep into his abridgment, although he abstained from making any additions of his own. From this work of h13, and the solitary mutilated copy of the original which still survives, some of the most distinguished scholars of modem Europe have attempted to reconstruct the important treatise of Festus. Of the early editions the best is that of Scaliger, published in 1565, and with supplements by Fulvius Orsinus in 1581. By both these editors many of the blanks are filled up by conjecture. But by far the best of existing editions is that of K. ...

Portius Festus succeeded Felix in the government of Judea, A. D. 60. Felix his predecessor, to oblige the Jews, when he resigned his government, left St. Paul in bonds at Cæsarea, in Palestine, Acts xxiv, 27. Festus, at his first coming to Jerusalem, was entreated by the principal Jews to condemn St. Paul, or to order him up to Jerusalem, they having conspired to assassinate him in the way. Festus answered, that it was not customary with the Romans to condemn any man without hearing him; but said that he would hear their accusations against St. Paul at Cæsarea. From these accusations St. Paul appealed to Cæsar, and by this means secured himself from the prosecution of the Jews, and the wicked intentions of Festus, whom they had corrupted.