Mefitis

  • Citations for source (s) of myth

Mefitis (or mephitis ) is the Italic goddess of sulfurous and other foul-smelling vapors.

According to Pliny the Elder ( HN 2, 208), her cult was mainly found in volcanic areas in the Oscans. But even in Rome there was a sacred grove of the goddess and a Mefitisheiligtum on the Esquiline, testified such as Varro ( Ling 5.49). The Esquiline served a long time as a burial ground; maybe that's why the air was there actually unhealthy before Maecenas had to create its gardens there. Towards the end of the 1st century BC became the deity into oblivion. Only her name was still, as Virgil ( Aen. 7, 84) testifies used as an appellative.

Only negative may be a deity of sulfurous vapors do not see, since sulfur has been viewed both as a remedy for skin diseases and as a fertility -promoting. In the times in which Venus was regarded not only as the goddess of beauty, but also of health - which should have been the case for example in the fourth and third century BC - a connection between Venus and Mefitis probably was seen; perhaps Mefitis can be regarded as the predecessor of " Health goddess " Venus.

561509
de