Camenae

A 16th-century drawing of Egeria by Guillaume Rouille

In Roman mythology, the Camenae (also Casmenae, Camoenae) were originally goddesses of childbirth, wells and fountains, and also prophetic deities.

There were four Camenae:

• Carmenta
• Egeria
• Antevorta, or Porrima
• Postverta, or Postvorta, or Prorsa

The latter two were sometimes specifically referred to as the Carmentae, and in ancient times might have been two aspects of Carmenta rather than separate figures; in later times, however, they are distinct beings believed to protect women in labour.

Carmenta or Carmentis was the chief among the nymphs. The spring and grove outside the Porta Capena was dedicated to Egeria. On her festival day, the Carmentalia, which fell on January the 11 and 15, Vestal Virgins drew water from that spring for the rites.

The Camenae were later identified with the Greek Muses; in his translation of Homer's Odyssey, Livius Andronicus rendered the Greek word Mousa as Camena.

See also

• Crinaeae
• Naiad
• Nymph

External links

• Myth Index - Camenae

This article relating to an Ancient Roman myth or legend is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.v · Categories: Nature goddesses Oracular goddesses Roman goddesses Sea and river goddesses Time and fate goddesses Ancient Roman mythology stubs Wikimedia Foundation. 2010. Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу Caieta Camilla Look at other dictionaries: Camēnae — Camēnae, s. Kamenen …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon Camenae — Camēnae (Kamenen, Kamönen), altital. Quellgöttinnen, bei röm. Dichtern den Musen gleichgesetzt …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon Camenae — Camenae, Camoenae Camenen, myth., altitalische Nymphen (was Carmenta, von Carmen, Gesang), von denen Egeria (s. d. A.) die bekannteste ist. Bei der Verschmelzung der griech. und röm. Mythen wurden die Camenen mit den Musen gleichbedeutend …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon Camenae — CAMENAE, arum, ein gemeiner Beynamen der Musen, welchen sie von Cano, ich singe, haben; oder auch von Castus, und mens, weil sie keuscher Sinnen oder Gemüther Vorsteherinnen sind, Festus lib. III. p. 1138. wiewohl letztere Ableitung etwas hart… …   Gründliches mythologisches Lexikon Camenae — Camenae,   Kamenen, altrömische Quellgöttinnen, die seit Livius Andronicus als Göttinnen der italischen Dichtung den griechischen Musen gleichgesetzt wurden …   Universal-Lexikon Camenae — [kə mē′nē] pl.n. Rom. Myth. nymphs with prophetic powers who inhabit springs and fountains: later identified with the Greek Muses …   English World dictionary Camenae — /keuh mee nee/, n.pl., sing. Camena / neuh/. Rom. Relig. four wise and prophetic deities or fountain nymphs: Carmenta, Egeria, Antevorta, and Postvorta; later identified with the Greek Muses. * * * ▪ Roman deity       in Roman religion, goddesses …   Universalium Camenae — /kəˈmini/ (say kuh meenee) plural noun (in early Roman religion) prophetic nymphs of the springs and fountains, later identified with the Greek Muses …   Camenae — /keuh mee nee/, n.pl., sing. Camena / neuh/. Rom. Relig. four wise and prophetic deities or fountain nymphs: Carmenta, Egeria, Antevorta, and Postvorta; later identified with the Greek Muses …   Useful english dictionary Камены — (Camenae, древн. форма casmenae) древнеиталийские божества, обитавшие в источниках и родниках. Название, которое допускает связь лишь со словом carmen песня, заговор, изречение, как и имя богини Карменты указывает на веру в прорицательную силу… …   Энциклопедический словарь Ф.А. Брокгауза и И.А. Ефрона 18+ © Academic, 2000-2024 Contact us: Technical Support, Advertising Dictionaries export, created on PHP, Joomla, Drupal, WordPress, MODx. Mark and share Search through all dictionaries Translate… Search Internet Share the article and excerpts Direct link … Do a right-click on the link above and select “Copy Link”