Organ,  as  a  mufical  inftru-
irei.t,  is  of  confiderabie  antiquity,
though  little  ufed  till  the  eighth
Century.  It  f^ems  to  have  been
borrowed  from  the  Greeks,  and  is
defcribed  by  Vitruvius  in  his  tenth
book.
Orgia,  feafls  and  facrifices  in
honour  of  Bacchus,  held  every  third
year,  and  chiefly  celebrated  by
wild  diltraded  women,  called  Bac-
ch/e.  The  chief  folemniiies  were
performed  in  the  night,  to  conceal,
perhaps,  their  £hock.ir.g  impuri-
ties ;  and  a  mountain  was  gene-
rally chofen  as  the  place  ot  cele-
bration. They  were  inilituted  by
Orpheus,  and  from  him  are  fonie-
times  called  Orphica.  Authors  are
DOt  agreed  as  to  the  derivation  ot
the  word;  but  if  we  conHder  the


frantic  proceedings  of  the  Baccha-
nalians, opyo,  furor,  bids  fair  for
the  true  et)mology.  See  Bucha-
ttalia,  DioKjfia,  &;c.
Orgia,  according  to  Seri/ius,
was  a  common  name  for  all  kinds
of  f;-:crifices  amongft  the  Greeks,  a$
CertmcHia  was  among  the  Ry-
ot am.
Orgyia,  0^vi»,  was  a  Grecian
meafure  of  length,  containing  four
lirr/if,:,,  or  fix  Grecian  feet,  and
a  Grecian  foot  w- as  one  foot,  Enflifh,
and  0875  decimal  parts.  See  Mea-
fure.
