Camenae
A Camena (plural Camenae ) is about the Greek nymphs comparable source Roman deity.
Origin and Meaning of the name are disputed. Even in ancient times it was thought due to the older form of the name Carmena or Casmena a connection with the Latin carmen, " song" or " poem" and understood the Camenae as goddesses of poetry and art in general. Therefore, they have been equated with the early Greek Muses, approximately in the Odusia of Livy Andronicus.
In modern research, this etymology was first incorporated, but was the basic word carmen rather in terms of " prophecy ", " oracle song" or " oracle " interpreted and seen in the Camena a prophetic deity. In contrast, other theories assume an Etruscan origin of the word.
Even in the time of Augustus the Camenae were occasionally mentioned in literature, but one has her name apparently understood only as a Latin translation of the Greek term " muse ". Her cult was probably abandoned in the early imperial period.
The Camenae had been consecrated by King Numa Pompilius on the advice of the nymph Egeria toward a grove with a source and a Aedicula bronze, where they were worshiped with water and milk victims. The water from the source, which should have been particularly good, the Vestals served to purify their temple.
The grove was located to the left of the Via Appia outside the Porta Capena. In the year 136 there was a vicus Camenarum in the regions I, the sanctuary was profaned but, since the area had been leased to Jewish merchants. The bronze Aedicula had yet been brought into the Republic in the neighboring temple of Honos and Virtus, after she had been struck by lightning, 189-179 BC, it was then in the built by Marcus Fulvius Nobilior of him Temple of Hercules musarum been transferred.
Swell
- Juvenal Saturae 3.10 f
- Livy Ab urbe condita 1,21,3
- Ovid Fasti 3.275; Metamorphoses 15.482
- Plutarch Numa 13
- Servius Commentarius in Vergilii Aeneida 1.8; Commentarius in Vergilii eclogas 7.21
- Sulpicius Severus 63f