The Baptes ( Greek βάπτης [1]) were priests of the Greek goddess Kotys. The word comes from the Greek verb βάπτω (baptō), meaning "to dip in water". [2] The Baptes practised nocturnal ceremonies, which were associated with rampant obscenity and insobriety. [3]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable