Message about the Roman god Jupiter. Jupiter, supreme god of the Romans, king of the gods. The abode of Jupiter and the expression of his will

Jupiter

Jupiter, in Roman mythology, the almighty god of the sky, the king of the gods. Jupiter was revered as the supreme deity, the lord of thunder and lightning. One of his nicknames - Lucetius ("light-giver") - suggests that he was also considered the god of light.
The image of Jupiter combined the features of many ancient Italian deities. He was credited with the patronage of agriculture, the protection of borders; God monitored the observance of oaths and granted the generals victory in battle. Roman military leaders, returning in triumph from campaigns, brought thanksgiving sacrifices to Jupiter and carried laurel wreaths to his temple.

During the period of the Empire, Jupiter was considered the patron of imperial power; sometimes statues depicting a deity were given the appearance of a Roman ruler. The peoples conquered by Rome identified with Jupiter their supreme deities, for example, Amon, Baal. Jupiter was analogous to the Greek thunderer Zeus, and all the myths about Zeus were attributed to the Roman god.

Legend of Jupiter

Jupiter (Zeus)younger son the titans Krona and Rhea, the brother of Juno, Neptune, Ceres, Vesta and Pluto, in the myths of ancient Rome, the king of the gods, the supreme ruler of the universe, a special deity of mankind, the personification of the sky and all air phenomena, the guardian of political order and peace, was the most important of the Olympic gods - all the rest had to obey his will and trembled from one nod of his head. Only the goddesses of fate parka dared to violate the will of Jupiter and passed their merciless sentences even after he overthrew his father and began to rule the world.

The calm and strong golden visible brilliance gives the planet JUPITER majesty and grandiosity, especially when good conditions for observation. Therefore, apparently, she received the name Jupiter - as the Romans called the ancient Greek god Zeus - the ruler of Heaven and Earth, gods and mortals. With his lightning, he destroyed anyone who violated the order and law established by him in the world. Therefore, the ancient Greeks called him the Thunderer Zeus.

Jupiter is married to Hera, but often had affairs with other goddesses and even with mortal girls. Ancient people lived in a monogamous marriage, but believed that the gods could indulge in passions without any restraint. As the personification of the air element, Jupiter chose as his companion either Juno, or the titanide Themis (Justice), and so on. People treated this with understanding, since these marriages, in their opinion, were purely symbolic.


Jupiter and Juno (James Barry, 1790)

Like all other Greek and Roman deities, the immortal Jupiter loved to indulge in pleasure, was subject to pain, anger and rage, and often became a victim of passions that rule the hearts and people.

He always presided over the councils that were held on the top of the many-headed Olympus, and summoned the gods to himself when he wanted to discuss some important matter with them or arrange a luxurious feast at which they ate heavenly ambrosia and drank fragrant nectar.

Jupiter was widely revered by the ancients, and his main temples - the Capitol in Rome and the sanctuary of Jupiter Ammon in Libya - were known throughout the world. He was also dedicated famous temple in Dodona, where the mysterious predictions, which, as the Greeks believed, came from Jupiter himself, spoke an oak. This long-abandoned sanctuary was only recently discovered.

The grandiose temple at Olympia, in the Peloponnese, was also dedicated to Zeus, and here every five years the inhabitants of Greece held famous games in honor of his great victory over the titans. These festivals are known as Olympic Games, and the Greeks counted the time according to these Olympiads, or, better to say, according to the intervals between them.

Jupiter was usually depicted as a majestic figure, with long curly hair and a beard, dressed in flowing folds of clothing, with fiery arrows or a scepter in one hand and a statue of Nike in the other. He tramples the world underfoot, and next to him sits an eagle, a symbol of strength and power.

The era of telescopes in astronomy began on that clear and frosty night on January 7, 1610, when Galileo Galilei pointed his small spotting scope at the heavenly bodies. Near the planet Jupiter, he noticed four faint "stars", which after some time he confidently identified as satellites of the planet.

In the course of 282 years, only four satellites of Jupiter, discovered by Galileo, were known. The fifth moon of Jupiter was discovered by the American astronomer Edward Barnard in 1892. Charles Perrine in 1904 and 1905. discovered the sixth and seventh satellites, F. J. Mellot in 1908 - the eighth satellite of Jupiter. The next four satellites of this planet were discovered by S. B. Nicholson in 1914, in 1938 (two satellites) and in 1951. In September 1974, the American astronomer Charles Cowell discovered the thirteenth satellite, and about a year later (in October 1975) the fourteenth satellite of Jupiter.

Fourteen satellites revolve around this planet. They are numbered with Roman numerals in the order in which they were discovered. Only the first five satellites have names. Perrine, Mellot and Nicholson, who increased the number of discovered satellites from 5 to 12, did not use the right of discoverers and did not give names to their finds.

According to tradition, in astronomy, the names of the planets, with a few exceptions, are taken from Roman mythology, and the names of the satellites from Greek mythology (also with a few exceptions). According to this tradition, the names of the first five moons of Jupiter (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto and Amalthea) are associated with Zeus (or Jupiter in Roman mythology).
The first satellite of Jupiter was named Io, the daughter of the river god Inach, the first king of Argolis. This is how it is described in ancient Greek myth tragic life and fate.

Young Io was beautiful. Her beauty could only be matched by that of the most beautiful goddess. Once, from the heights of Olympus, Zeus saw Io in the garden of his father's palace. Fascinated by her divine beauty and youthful charm, he immediately turned into a dark cloud and descended to the girl.

But the jealous wife of Zeus Hera found out about it. Blinded by jealousy, she decided to destroy her rival. To save his beloved, Zeus turned her into a snow-white cow with big beautiful eyes. Hera, hiding her anger, asked Zeus to give her this cow, because she supposedly liked her very much. Zeus could not refuse Hera. But as soon as Hera became the mistress of Io, she immediately subjected her to terrible torment. Hera gave the cow under guard to the stout-eyed Argus (the personification of the starry sky) and ordered him to keep Io in one place on the top of a high mountain. Day and night she stood motionless and suffered terribly, but she could not tell anyone about her torment, as she was deprived of the gift of speech and only mooed plaintively.

Zeus saw the suffering of Io. One day he called the messenger of the gods Hermes and ordered him to steal Io. Hermes immediately rushed to carry out the assignment and soon was already on the top of that mountain where the guard Argus guarded Io. Hermes sat down next to Argus, began to tell various fables and put Argus to sleep with them. As soon as he fell asleep and closed his last eye, Hermes cut off his head with one blow of his huge sword. The freed Io was finally able to descend the mountain.

Having freed Io from the ever-vigilant Argus, Zeus could not save her from the malice of his jealous wife. On the contrary, Hera's hatred for Io became even greater. She sent a monstrous gadfly to Io, who, with his long sharp sting, bit her so that she had to run and did not have a moment's rest. Pursued by a gadfly, driven to madness by unbearable torments, covered in sweat and foam, bloodied, Io rushed from country to country.

Frantic running through the plains and valleys, high mountains and the dense forests did not save her from the gadfly, whose pitiless sting drove her further and further. There is almost no country left on Earth through which the unfortunate Io would not rush in her terrible run. Finally, she reached the Far North and found herself at the rock, to which the titan Prometheus, the benefactor of people, was chained. He predicted to Io that the end of her suffering would come after she reached Egypt. He showed Io the path she had to take to reach that distant land. Having listened to the words of Prometheus, Io rushed to the south, but the gadfly did not leave his victim ...

Io had to go through many more countries, cross many seas, until, finally, she reached Egypt. There, on the banks of the blessed Nile, Zeus returned her human form. Again young girl shone with its divine beauty. From Zeus, Io gave birth to a son Epaphus - the first king of Egypt, the founder of a glorious generation of heroes, among whom was the most famous and illustrious hero - Hercules, who freed Prometheus. The second satellite of Jupiter is named after Europe, the daughter of King Agenor, who competed with the immortal goddesses with her beauty. Enchanted by her, Zeus turned into a bull and kidnapped Europa, taking her to the island of Crete,
Jupiter's third moon is named after Ganymede, the son of the Trojan king Laomedon. Beautiful and slender, like the god Apollo, was the young Ganymede. He tended his father's flocks on the evergreen slopes mountain ranges Ides. But Zeus sent his eagle, who kidnapped Ganymede and brought him to the gods on Olympus. Zeus rewarded Ganymede with immortality and made him his butler. During the feasts that the gods often arranged on various occasions, Ganymede, along with the eternally young Hebe - the daughter of the goddess Hera - brought ambrosia and nectar to the gods.
King Laomedont, having learned that his son, on the orders of Zeus, had been kidnapped and taken to Olympus, was greatly saddened. Tears streamed from his eyes day and night. Seeing the suffering of Laomedont, Zeus took pity on him and gave him beautiful horses. The king harnessed his horses to his chariot and, like a whirlwind, rushed through his possessions. He liked these marvelous horses so much that he did not want to part with them for anything in the world. It was because of this strong attachment to the wonderful horses donated by Laomedon that he incurred the hatred of the glorified son of Zeus, Hercules.

By order of Zeus, Poseidon and Apollo were to serve King Laomedon. He entrusted them with the task of building walls around Troy. The builder gods carried out Laomedont's order and demanded that he pay them. And Laomedont kicked them out and further threatened that he would cut off their ears if they insisted on paying. So the gods left empty-handed.

A little time passed, and Apollo sent pestilence to the possessions of Laomedont, and vast areas turned into lifeless deserts. And Poseidon sent from sea ​​depths a terrible monster that daily devastated the neighborhood of Troy. The disaster became more and more unbearable.

According to the oracle, the country will get rid of the misfortune that has befallen it if Laomedont gives his only daughter Hesion to be eaten by the monster.

The unfortunate girl was chained in iron chains and left on a deserted sea ​​shore. At that moment, when the monster was about to crawl out of the sea onto the shore and head for Hesion, drowning in tears, Hercules arrived in Troy. He offered Laomedont to save Hesion if he would give him his handsome horses. Laomedon immediately agreed.

Hercules defeated the monster and took the rescued girl to her father's palace. But when the hero demanded horses, Laomedont drove him out of the palace and threatened that he would severely punish him if he ever appeared in Troy. The hero left with nothing, but in his soul he harbored a burning hatred for the proud Laomedon.

The fourth moon of Jupiter is named Callisto - the name of the daughter of Lycaon, king of Arcadia. And this girl challenged the palm of the goddesses and enchanted the Thunderer Zeus with her beauty.

The fifth moon of Jupiter is named after the goat Amalthea. The milk of this divine goat was fed by Zeus on the island of Crete

Zeus often played with the goat Amalthea in the green meadow. Once he grabbed her by one horn so tightly that he broke it. With his divine power, Zeus immediately relieved the pain of Amalthea and promised her that when he grows up and becomes the ruler of the world, he will endow the broken horn with magical properties - wheat, wine, honey, milk, wealth, fame and all other life blessings that are possible in this world will flow from it like a river. And whoever possesses this cornucopia will become the most happy man in the world.

Since then, people have dreamed of finding this broken horn of the goat Amalthea. If a person has all the benefits that he desired, and he is generously illuminated by the rays of happiness, they say about him that he found the horn of Amalthea.

From Wiki

Jupiter (mythology) Jupiter (mythology)

The image of the temple of Jupiter Capitolinus was minted on a denarius of 75 BC. with M. Volteius.

After the decline of the Roman Empire, the names of Jupiter and Zeus began to be used almost without distinction. Jupiter, like Zeus, was depicted as full of dignity, with a beard, often on a throne, with an eagle, thunderbolt and scepter.

Jupiter, the fifth planet from the Sun, the largest in the solar system, is named after God.

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Notes

Literature

  • Obnorsky N.P.,.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
  • Jupiter // Mythological Dictionary / Ch. ed. E. M. Meletinsky. - M.: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1990. - 672 p.
  • Jupiter // Dictionary of antiquity. Msk., 1989,
  • Jupiter // Myths of the peoples of the world. Encyclopedia./ Ch. ed. S. A. Tokarev. Volume 2. M., 1988.

An excerpt characterizing Jupiter (mythology)

“Would your lordship please come into the rooms,” the general on duty said in a displeased voice, “it is necessary to review the plans and sign some papers. - The adjutant who came out of the door reported that everything was ready in the apartment. But Kutuzov, apparently, wanted to enter the rooms already free. He winced...
“No, tell me to bring it, my dear, here is a table, I’ll look here,” he said. “Don’t go away,” he added, turning to Prince Andrei. Prince Andrei remained on the porch, listening to the general on duty.
During the report for front door Prince Andrei heard a woman's whispering and the crunch of a woman's silk dress. Several times, glancing in that direction, he noticed behind the door, in a pink dress and a purple silk scarf on her head, full, ruddy and beautiful woman with a dish, which, obviously, was waiting for the entry of the commander-in-chief. Adjutant Kutuzov explained to Prince Andrei in a whisper that it was the mistress of the house, the priest, who intended to serve bread and salt to his lordship. Her husband met the most illustrious with a cross in the church, she is at home ... "Very pretty," the adjutant added with a smile. Kutuzov looked back at these words. Kutuzov listened to the report of the general on duty (the main subject of which was criticism of the position under Tsarev Zaimishch) just as he listened to Denisov, just as he listened to the debate of the Austerlitz Military Council seven years ago. He apparently listened only because he had ears which, despite the fact that one of them had a sea rope, could not but hear; but it was obvious that nothing that the general on duty could tell him could not only surprise or interest him, but that he knew in advance everything that would be said to him, and listened to all this only because he had to listen, how to listen to the prayer being sung. Everything that Denisov said was sensible and clever. What the general on duty said was even more detailed and smarter, but it was obvious that Kutuzov despised both knowledge and mind and knew something else that was supposed to solve the matter - something else, independent of mind and knowledge. Prince Andrei closely followed the expression on the commander-in-chief's face, and the only expression that he could notice in it was an expression of boredom, curiosity about what a woman's whisper outside the door meant, and a desire to keep up appearances. It was obvious that Kutuzov despised the mind, and knowledge, and even the patriotic feeling that Denisov showed, but he did not despise the mind, not the feeling, not the knowledge (because he did not try to show them), but he despised them for something else. He despised them with his old age, his experience of life. One order, which Kutuzov made on his own behalf in this report, deviated to the looting of the Russian troops. At the end of the report, the rederal on duty presented the brightest for signature with a paper about the penalties from the army commanders at the request of the landowner for mowed green oats.
Kutuzov smacked his lips and shook his head after hearing this matter.
- Into the stove ... into the fire! And once and for all I tell you, my dear, - he said, - all these things are in the fire. Letting them mow bread and burn firewood for health. I do not order this and do not allow it, but I cannot exact it either. It is impossible without this. Firewood is chopped - chips fly. He glanced again at the paper. - Oh, the accuracy of the German! he said, shaking his head.

“Well, now that’s all,” said Kutuzov, signing the last paper, and, getting up heavily and straightening the folds of his white plump neck, with a cheerful face, he headed for the door.
Popadya, with blood rushing to her face, grabbed the dish, which, despite the fact that she had been preparing for so long, she still did not manage to serve it on time. And with a low bow, she brought it to Kutuzov.
Kutuzov's eyes narrowed; he smiled, took her chin in his hand and said:
- And what a beauty! Thank you dove!
He took a few gold pieces out of his trousers pocket and put them on a dish for her.
- Well, how do you live? - said Kutuzov, heading to the room allotted for him. Popadya, smiling with dimples on her ruddy face, followed him into the upper room. The adjutant went out to Prince Andrei on the porch and invited him to breakfast; half an hour later, Prince Andrei was called again to Kutuzov. Kutuzov was lying on an armchair in the same unbuttoned frock coat. He held a French book in his hand, and at the entrance of Prince Andrei, having laid it with a knife, he rolled it up. It was Les chevaliers du Cygne, the composition of madame de Genlis [The Knights of the Swan, Madame de Genlis], as Prince Andrei saw from the wrapper.
“Well, sit down, sit down here, we’ll talk,” said Kutuzov. - It's sad, very sad. But remember, my friend, that I am your father, another father ... - Prince Andrei told Kutuzov everything he knew about the death of his father, and about what he saw in the Bald Mountains, passing through them.
- To what ... to what they brought! - Kutuzov suddenly said in an excited voice, obviously clearly imagining, from the story of Prince Andrei, the situation in which Russia was. “Give me time, give me time,” he added with an angry expression on his face and, obviously not wanting to continue this conversation that worried him, he said: “I called you in to keep you with me.

Pantheon. He was identified with the supreme god of the ancient Greeks - Zeus. He had two brothers - Neptune and Pluto. Each of them ruled in a certain area of ​​the universe - the sky, water element, underworld. However, there were also some differences. So, Zeus, despite the fact that to some extent controlled the destinies, could be ousted from the supreme position by other gods, if, of course, they managed to do this. He had more power and strength than the rest, but he was not omnipotent and omniscient, unlike Jupiter, who was the king of the gods and all living things, the patron of the state, the protector of its laws and public order.

Its evolution can be traced back to the primeval deity of nature. He was the spirit of oak and, in general, trees. From there, the epithets - fruitful ("frugifer"), beech ("fagutal"), reed ("vimin"), fig tree ("rumin"). The worship of Jupiter had an impact on the entire Western European world. Named after him in solar system. IN English language the word "jovial" comes from his alternate name "Jove".

In general, he had a variety of functions, he combined the features inherent not only in the Greek Zeus, but also in many Italic gods. In accordance with their flattering epithets, Jupiter - (Lucetius), thunder (Tonans) and lightning (Fulgur). It was also associated with vows and contracts. For example, Roman citizens, taking an oath, called him to witness.

Many temples in were dedicated to the supreme deity. The largest of them was on the Capitoline Hill, in which Jupiter, a god who was part of the triad along with Juno and Minerva, was revered as "Optimus Maximus" (omnipotent). The construction of the shrine began under Tarquinius the Ancient (Lucius Tarquinius Priscus), the fifth king in Ancient Rome, and ended under Lucius Tarquinius Proud, the seventh and last king. Officially, the temple opened at the beginning of the Republican era, in 509 BC. The consuls sacrificed a white ox, thanking the deity for protecting the state.

Considering that he is the supreme god, Jupiter widely used his privileged position, started many novels, and thus produced many descendants. He is the father of Vulcan, Apollo and Diana, Mercury, Venus, Proserpina, Minerva.

Throughout the existence of the Roman Republic, the "almighty" is the central figure of the cult. Not only the Capitol Hill, but all the hilltops on the territory of the state were places of worship of the deity. In addition, as the god of the sky, thunder and lightning, Jupiter was considered the owner of those places where lightning fell. These places were limited by a circular sacred wall. Thunder was his main weapon, and he had a shield known as the aegis, which was made by Vulcan.

Its popularity decreased somewhat at the beginning of the reign of Emperor Augustus. Apollo and Mars began to compete with him. However, Augustus went to great lengths to ensure that Optimus Maximus was not deposed from his throne. Under him, Jupiter - the god of the reigning emperor - was, accordingly, the patron of the entire empire, just as Augustus himself was the protector of a free republic.

God of heavenly light. Jupiter, as the Romans thought, is the supreme ruler of gods and people. [The Greeks correspond to Zeus.] At first, he was revered as a deity of heavenly light, and therefore the full moon of each month was dedicated to him. These days, the night on earth is the brightest, because the moon floods the world with its silvery light. The full moon falls approximately in the middle of the month - on the days that the Romans called the ides; the ides were dedicated to Jupiter, and on these days a white sheep was sacrificed to him.

Lord of thunder and storm. In addition, Jupiter was revered as a powerful ruler of the sky, the lord of thunder and storms. Jupiter expressed his will with peals of thunder, a flash of lightning or the flight of an eagle - a bird dedicated to him. In anger, he threw lightning bolts on the heads of those who disobeyed his divine will. The place where lightning struck became sacred from that moment on. The rain that Jupiter sent fertilized the earth and, to the delight of people, delivered good harvests. Therefore, they honored the great god above all else, called him "Glowing", "Lightning", "Rainy". Rains were expected from Jupiter in spring, good weather in summer and autumn. In honor of Jupiter, several festivals were held a year - before sowing, after harvest, at harvest.

The patron saint of the Roman state. But not only natural phenomena Jupiter ruled. He was also the main patron of the Roman state. The Romans believed that Jupiter specifically brought the hero Aeneas, who had fled from the burning Troy, to Italy so that his descendants would found the city of Rome and subjugate the entire inhabited world to his authority. Therefore, Jupiter was considered a god who helped the Romans during the wars with other peoples. He could stop the fleeing army - and then he was called Jupiter Stator ("Stopper"); Roman commanders brought him the armor of enemy leaders defeated in single combat - such Jupiter was called Jupiter Feretrius.

Triumphs. However, the main holiday in honor of Jupiter, who sent the victory, was a triumph, a solemn entry into Rome of the victorious commander. At the time of the highest power of Rome, the triumph could last several days, during which booty was carried through the city and prisoners were led. The commander himself entered the city after the booty and prisoners. He rode on a quadriga - a chariot drawn by four snow-white horses. At this time, he became, as it were, an earthly counterpart of Jupiter - his face was painted red, like that of an ancient statue of this god, he was dressed in purple clothes with golden leaves woven on it, and a slave held a golden wreath over his head. On this day, the commander was so majestic and such honors were given to him that there was fear: as if Jupiter would not envy this man, and, envying him, would not send misfortune on him. Therefore, the soldiers, marching in triumph behind their commander, sang mocking songs about him, reminding them that he was still just a man, and not a real god.

Temple of Jupiter. When the procession reached the foot of the Capitoline Hill, where the temple of Jupiter the Best the Greatest was located, main temple in the state, the commander got off his chariot and walked to the temple. There he sacrificed his prey to Jupiter, took off his festive clothes and left the temple again as a simple person. Such was the triumph, and nowhere except Rome did the Roman general have the right to celebrate his victory - after all, he owes it to Jupiter, and it was not befitting to deprive the god of the celebrations due to him.

"By Jove". Jupiter was not only the god of the Roman state, but also the god of the universe, ensuring order in it. As the deity of the entire universe, Jupiter was omniscient, knowing all the deeds and thoughts of people, even the most secret ones. That is why he was the god who ensured loyalty to the oath. People feared his punishment more than anything else. No one dared to break the word if he said “I swear by Jupiter”, therefore such an oath was given in all important matters.

Auspice. Of course, the deity of the Universe could not but know its fate and future. Therefore, Jupiter was also a god who gives omens in every matter. Not a single important business began without auspices - divination by the flight of birds. If the birds appeared on the left, it means that the business you are starting will be successful; the more birds, the more located the gods, and it’s very good if they are not just birds, but an eagle, the sacred bird of Jupiter.

Priest of a great god. Jupiter was served by one of the priests, who were called flamens. Flamin Jupiter was the most revered among these priests. He led various festivities, the well-being of the Eternal City was associated with him, and therefore his life was surrounded by many prohibitions. So, for example, he, the priest of the great heavenly god, did not have the right to touch any objects that were used in funeral rites - this touch would defile him and deprive him of part of his sacred power, the Romans believed. He could fasten his clothes only with hairpins-brooches, but in no case should knots be tied on it, and a chained person could not be brought into his house - the Romans believed that any knots and shackles could "fetter" his strength. If he needed to shave his beard, only a free Roman should have done it, and not a barber slave - after all, foreign enemies were slaves, and how can you trust them with a person whose life is so important to all the Roman people? Who would prevent such a foreigner from killing a Roman priest with a razor?

This is only a part of the prohibitions that surrounded the flame of Jupiter, in fact there were many more. Not all of them could get any explanation, some seem to us devoid of meaning, but the Romans observed them all, so that the position of the Flamins of Jupiter was not only very honorable, but also quite burdensome for the people who held this position.

Jupiter (lat. Iuppiter) - in ancient Roman mythology, the god of the sky, daylight, thunderstorms, the father of the gods, the supreme deity of the Romans. Husband of the goddess Juno. Corresponds to the Greek Zeus. The god Jupiter was revered on the hills, the tops of the mountains in the form of a stone. The days of the full moon - ides - are dedicated to him.

The temple of Jupiter stood on the Capitol, where Jupiter, along with Juno and Minerva, was one of the three main Roman deities.

Janus


Janus (lat. Ianus, from lat. ianua - "door", Greek Ian) - in Roman mythology - the two-faced god of doors, entrances, exits, various passages, as well as the beginning and end.

One of the oldest Roman Indiget gods, along with Vesta, the goddess of the hearth, occupied a prominent place in Roman ritual. Already in antiquity, various religious performances about him and his nature. So, Cicero associated his name with the verb inire and saw in Janus the deity of entry and exit. Others believed that Janus personifies chaos (Janus = Hianus), air or the vault of heaven. Nigidius Figulus identified Janus with the sun god. Initially, Janus is a divine gatekeeper, in the hymn of the Salii he was called under the name Clusius or Clusivius (closing) and Patulcius (opening). As attributes, Janus had a key with which he unlocked and locked the gates of heaven. A staff served as a gatekeeper's weapon in order to drive away uninvited guests. Later, probably under the influence of Greek religious art, Janus was depicted as two-faced (geminus).


Juno


Juno (lat. Iuno) - the ancient Roman goddess, the wife of Jupiter, the goddess of marriage and birth, motherhood, women and female productive power. First of all, she is the patroness of marriages, the guardian of the family and family decrees. The Romans were the first to introduce monogamy (monogamy). Juno, as the patroness of monogamy, is among the Romans, as it were, the personification of a protest against polygamy.


Minerva


Minerva (lat. Minerva), corresponding to the Greek Athena Pallas - Italian goddess of wisdom. The Etruscans especially revered her as the lightning goddess of mountains and useful discoveries and inventions. And in Rome ancient times Minerva was considered the goddess of lightning and warlike, as indicated by the gladiatorial games during the main festival in honor of her Quinquatrus.

Diana


Diana - goddess of flora and fauna, femininity and fertility, obstetrician, personification of the Moon; corresponds Greek Artemis and Selena.


Later, Diana also began to be identified with Hekate. Diana was also called Trivia - the goddess of three roads (her images were placed at crossroads), this name was interpreted as a sign of triple power: in heaven, on earth and underground. Diana was also identified with the Carthaginian heavenly goddess Celeste. In the Roman provinces, under the name of Diana, local spirits - "mistresses of the forest" were revered.

Venus

Venus - in Roman mythology, originally the goddess of flowering gardens, spring, fertility, growth and flowering of all the fruitful forces of nature. Then Venus began to be identified with Greek Aphrodite, and since Aphrodite was the mother of Aeneas, whose descendants founded Rome, Venus was considered not only the goddess of love and beauty, but also the progenitor of the descendants of Aeneas and the patroness of the Roman people. The symbols of the goddess were a dove and a hare (as a sign of fertility), from plants poppy, rose and myrtle were dedicated to her.

Flora


Flora - an ancient Italian goddess, whose cult was widespread among the Sabines and especially in Central Italy. She was the goddess of flowers, blossoming, spring and field fruits; in honor of her, the Sabines named the month corresponding to April or May (mese Flusare = mensis Floralis).

Ceres

Ceres (lat. Cerēs, genus n. Cereris) - the ancient Roman goddess, the second daughter of Saturn and Rhea (in Greek mythology, she corresponds to Demeter). She was portrayed as a beautiful matron with fruits in her hands, for she was considered the patroness of the harvest and fertility (often together with Annona, the patroness of the harvest). only daughter Ceres - Proserpina, born from Jupiter.

Bacchus


Bacchus - in ancient Roman mythology, the youngest of the Olympians, the god of winemaking, the productive forces of nature, inspiration and religious ecstasy. Mentioned in the Odyssey. In Greek mythology, Dionysus corresponds to him.

Vertumn


Vertumn (lat. Vertumnus, from lat. vertere, turn) - the ancient Italian god of the seasons and their various gifts, so he was depicted in different types, mainly in the form of a gardener with a garden knife and fruits. Every year sacrifices were made to him on August 13 (vertumnalia). Later Roman mythology made him an Etruscan god; but, as the etymology of this name shows, Vertumnus was a real Latin and at the same time common Italic god, akin to Ceres and Pomona, goddesses of cereal plants and fruits.



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