 Public business was suspended for the performance of religious rites on the "feriae".Cicero says that people who were free should not engage in lawsuits and quarrels, and slaves should get a break from their labors.On calendars of the Republic and early Empire, the religious status of days were marked by letters such as "F" (for "fastus", when it was religiously permissible to conduct legal business), "C" (for "comitialis)", a day on which the Roman people could hold assemblies), and "N" (for "nefastus", when political activities and the administration of justice were prohibited).