February; Juga, because she is the goddess of marriage; Socigena, because she helps to couple the bride and the bridegroom; Lacinia, because it was Lacinius who built and dedicated a temple to her; Lucina, or Lucilia, either because her temple was in a grove, or because she brought infants into the tracts of light; Nuptialis, because married people praised her when they were happy; Parthenos, because she annually bathed herself in order to recover the youth and beauty of a virgin; Regina, because she was the queen of heaven; Perfecta, because marriage improves human life; Pronuba, because marriages were accounted illegal, unless she was invoked; Sospita, because woman kind were under her peculiar protection; Unxia, because she annointed the posts of the door on account of a recent marriage, when the wife was called Uxor.

Juno is represented in a long robe, seated on a throne, holding in one hand a golden sceptre, and in the other, a spindle; her head is sometimes covered with a radiant crown, and at other times, is encircled with a rainbow. Sometimes she traverses the heavens in a chariot, drawn by peacocks.-See Fig. 8.

"The goddess then to Argus straight convey'd
Her gift, and him the watchful keeper made.
Argus' head a hundred eyes possess'd,
And only two at once reclin'à to rest:
The others watch'd, and, in a constant round,
Refreshment in alternate courses found.
Where'er he turn'd he always Io view'd;
Io he saw, though she behind him stood.
There Argus lies; and all that wond'rous light,
Which gave his hundred eyes their useful sight,
Lies buried now in one eternal night.

But Juno, that she might his eyes retain,

Soon fix'd them in her gaudy peacock's train."-Ovid.
"Then Juno, grieving that she (Dido) should sustain
A death so ling'ring, and so full of pain,

Sent Iris down to free her from the strife
Of lab'ring nature, and dissolve her life.
Downward the various goddess took her flight,
And drew a thousand colours from the light;
Then stood about the dying lover's head,
And said, 'I thus devote thee to the dead;

HYMEN.

This off'ring to th' infernal gods I bear.'

Thus, while she spoke, she cut the fatal hair:
The struggling soul was loos'd, and life dissolv'd in air."

VIRGIL.

"At her command rush forth the steeds divine;
Rich with immortal gold their trappings shine:
Bright Hebe waits: Hebe, ever young,
The whirling wheels are to the chariot hung.
On the bright axle turns the bidden wheel
Of sounding brass; the polish'd axle, steel:
Eight brazen spokes in radiant order flame;
Such as the heavens produce: and round the gold
Two brazen rings of work divine were roll'd.
The bossy naves, of solid silver, shone;
Braces of gold suspend the moving throne;
The car, behind an arching figure bore;
The bending concave form'd an arch before;
Silver the beam, th' extended yoke was gold,
And golden reins th' immortal coursers hold."-HOMER.

Who was Juno?

QUESTIONS.

To whom was Juno married?

Did she experience matrimonial happiness?

Did she persecute Hercules?

Did this punishment correct Juno?

Had Juno any children?

Who was Hebe?

How is Hebe usually represented?

Who was the usual attendant of Juno?

Was Juno held in great veneration?
What sacrifices were offered to her?

What were the different names of Juno?
How is Juno represented?

41

CHAPTER IX.

Hymen, Nuptial Gods, &c.

HYMEN, the god of marriage, and special protector of virgins, was either the son of Bacchus and Venus, or of Apollo and one of the Muses. His presence at the nuptial rites was deemed so indispensable to the future happiness of the married pair, that his name was loudly invoked during their celebration.

Hymen was represented as a handsome youth, crowned with marjoram and roses, dressed in a saffron-coloured vest, and holding a burning torch in his hand.

Symbolically, the youthfulness of Hymen represents the importance of early marriage, his rosy crown, the rational pleasures of matrimony, and his torch, a chaste and perpetual flame of love.

Jupiter Perfectus or Adultus, Juno Perfecta or Adulta, Venus, Suada, and Diana, were legally solicited to preside at the nuptial rites.

Jugatinus put the yoke of matrimony on man and

woman.

Domiducus introduced the bride into the bridegroom's house.

Domitius was invoked to make the bride a good housewife.

Manturna was invoked to make the wife abide with her husband through life.

Viriplaca, the goddess of family peace, was worshipped, that husbands might be reconciled to their wives. When a married couple quarrelled, they usually repaired to her temple, and there unsealing the sources of confidence in their breasts, they laid aside all bad feelings, and came back happy.

Children were delivered from misfortunes by Pilumnus, so called from the pestle, with which the ancients pounded their corn, before they made their bread.

Intercidona was invoked, because she first taught the art of cutting wood with a hatchet or an axe to make fires.

Deverra invented brooms, with which to brush all things cleanly.

Janus opened the doors of life to infants.

Cunia takes care of infants while they sleep in cradies.

Nundina was invoked by parents, who gave names to their children soon after their birth; and was also called Nona Dies. When a boy entered the ninth

INVENTAS, HORTA, AND QUIES.

43

day of his age, or when a girl reached her eighth day, this was called the day of the purification.

Inventas, or Inventus, takes care of youth. She is the Hebe of the Greeks..

Horta, Hora, or Hersilia, exhorts us to noble actions. Her temple stood open at all times, to admonish those who were entering on that they should "beware of flattery," and strive to the scenes of life, gain the praises of the virtuous and wise, only by good conduct and real excellence.

Quies was the goddess of rest, and was supposed to be the donor of peace and quietness. She had a temple without the walls of Rome.

Meditrina was the goddess of medicines, her festivals were called Meditrinalia, in which the Romans drank new and old wine, which served them for physic.

The Romans gave thanks to Vitula, the goddess of mirth, for mitigating the toils of life.

Sentia was invoked to make a full conviction in children of the obligations of morality and religion. Angerona was worshipped, that anguish of mind might be removed.

The Romans offered up prayers to Stata, or Statua Mater, in the Forum, that she might preserve it from fire at night.

Thieves were patronized by Laverna, from whom they were named Laverniones. They worshipped her, when they put their designs and intrigues into execution. She appears with a head, but no legs, or other limbs.

Volumnus and Volumna presided over the will. They were particularly invoked at the nuptial rites, in order to ensure concord between the husband and the wife, and worshipped by the Etnesians.

An altar was erected to Aius Locutis to give Rome warning of approaching calamities. dier, named Ceditius, informed the tribunes that while A common solhe was one night passing through the streets, he heard a voice, saying, the "Gauls are coming." Nobody

appreciated this information on account of his mean origin. After the Gallic war, Camillus dedicated a temple to Aius Locutius, to remind the Romans of that war, and of the forewarning of Aius Locutius.

Funerals were patronized by Libitina, whom some consider the same as Venus, and others as Proserpine. In her temple every thing for funeral purposes was sold or let. By her name is commonly meant the grave, and the Libitinarii were grave-diggers. Porta Libitina at Rome, was the gate through which the corpses were conveyed to be burnt. By Rationes Libitina we usually understand the "bills of mortality," or the "weekly bills."

Who was Hymen?

QUESTIONS.

How was Hymen represented?

What do these emblems indicate?

What five deities favoured the nuptial rites with their presence? What was the duty of Jugatinus?

What was the province of Domiducus?

What was the office of Domitius?

What was the duty of Manturna?

What goddess reconciled husbands to their wives?

What was the province of Pilumnus?

What is said of Intercidona?

What is known of Deverra?

What was the duty of Janus?

What goddess blesses sleeping infants?

What is said of Nundina?

What goddess blesses youth?

What goddess patronizes noble actions?

What was Quies?

Who was Meditrina?

Who was Vitula?

Who was Sentia?

Who was Angerona?

What is said of Stata or Statua Mater?

Who was the goddess of thieves?

What two deities presided over the will?

What is said of Aius Locutius?

What goddess presided over funerals?