MAY

, Maius, the fifth month in the year, reckoning from our first or January; but the third, counting the year to begin with March, as the Romans did anciently. It was called Maius by Romulus, in respect to the senators and nobles of his city, who were named majores; as the following month was called Junius, in honour of the youth of Rome, in honorem juniorum, who served him in the war. Though some say it has been thus called from Maia, the mother of Mercury, to whom they offered sacrifice on the first day of this month: and Papias derives the name from Madius, eo quod tunc terra madeat.

In this month the sun enters the sign Gemini, and the plants of our hemisphere begin mostly to flower.