DII CONSENTES
JUPITER
Jupiter, god of the sky and light, is the supreme king of the Roman gods. He is referred to as the "shining father" because he is known as the patron and protector of all Rome. Jupiter symbol is the lightning bolt and eagle because those are the two things he always kept with him. His personality was said to be very bold, noble, and proud. He is the son of Saturn, the god of time, and Opis, the goddess of fertility, and brother of Neptune, Pluto and Juno, who also is his wife. He had several affairs which resulted in about eleven kids from seven different women, one of them including Juno which he had four of the ten kids with.
Greek counterpart: Zues
Greek counterpart: Zues
JUNO
Juno is the daughter of Saturn and Rea. She is the goddess of marriage which is ironic because of how much infidelity occurred in her own marriage. She is the mother of Mars, Lucina, Juventas, and Vulcan. The queen of the gods was also in charge of the finances of all the empire and the protector of women. She was sometimes depicted with a peacock. The story behind the peacock is that he came up to her and complained because he didn't have the nightingales beautiful song. Juno then consoled the peacock and said told him that everyone is special in their own way.
Greek counterpart: Hera
Greek counterpart: Hera
NEPTUNE
Neptune is the god of the sea and the patron of horse racing, which in most sculptures and paintings he is on a chariot. He also carried around a trident which was used for controlling and creating water and earthquakes. He was eatan by his father as a child and he also ate his children to avoid uprising in the ruling status. Neptune was resuced by his brother Jupiter who escaped being eaten and over threw Saturn. Salacia is his unwilling goddess of the sea which he had three children with.
Greek counterpart: Posiden
Greek counterpart: Posiden
MINERVA
Minerva is the goddess of wisdom; medicine, science, art and also war. She is the daughter of Jupiter and Juno and they three form an almighty triad of gods that are worshiped on the Capitoline Hill. she was born fully grown and armed form the head of Jupiter. Quinquatria is a festival held ever year March 19 in honor of Minerva. She was thought to be the one who created numbers and musical instruments.
Greek counterpart: Athena
Greek counterpart: Athena
APOLLO
Apollo is the god of the sun and his twin sister, Diana, is the goddess of the moon. He was also said to be the god of music and is often with a golden lyre. He is the product of one of the many love affairs Jupiter had. Latona, his mother was the goddess of motherhood. An event held in his honor are the Ludi Apollinares July 6-13. He doesn't have a wife but he had 4 children. it is said that the seven strings on his lyre represent the seven planets.
Greek counterpart: Apollo
Greek counterpart: Apollo
DIANA
Diana, Apollo's twin sister, is the goddess of the moon and hunt and was often accompanied by a deer. Her name comes from the word "diviana" ("the shining one"). She was mainly worshiped by the lower class and peasants in her temple on the Aventine Hill and her festival is on August 13th and is call Nemorali. Nemorali is the festival of torches and worshipers of Diana circle around Lacus Nemorensis, a lake buried in forest, and is called Diana's mirror. The light of the candles reflecting of the dark waters of the lake join the light of the moon and it is not allowed to hunt on this day.
Greek counterpart: Artemis
Greek counterpart: Artemis
MARS
Mars, the god of war and patron of warriors, was originally the earth god and is the most worshiped god, aside from Jupiter. He has countless temples in his honor. Mars is bad tempered and always had his ancile, and shield that fell from the heavens, and a spear. He protects the cities and repells invading armies. In many paintings he is seen naked surronded by several women or on a battle field. Eros,Cupid, Anteros, Phobos, Deimos, Harmonia, and Adrestia are his seven children whose mothers were bellona, his wife, and lover Venus.
Greek counterpart: Ares
Greek counterpart: Ares
VENUS
The goddess of love and beauty, Venus, name comes from the Latin word "vanati" which means "desires, love". Vulcan, god of fire, is her husband and mars and Adonis are her lovers.Boticelli's "Birth of Venus" shows Venus emerging from a shell fully grown. That is why the scalloped shell, dove and dolphin sympoblize her.
Greek counterpart: Aphrodite
Greek counterpart: Aphrodite
VULCAN
The god of fire and blacksmith for the gods is Vulcan. Not only did he make weapons, he created grand palaces and furnished with gold thrones. He also made gold and silver dogs to gaurd doors. Vulcan also had children with other women that wasn't his wife. Vulcan and Venus never had children toghether. The word "volcano" came from his name.
Greek counterpart: Hephaestus
Greek counterpart: Hephaestus
VESTA
Vesta, goddess of the hearth and the home, is one of the first to be worshiped in a personal cult. When Jupiter, her brother, over threw the Titans he said he would give her anything and she asked for conservation of her virginity. Both, Apollo and Neptune, asked for her hand in marriage and she turned down both offers. The Vestal Virgins is a fire that was supposed to be kept eternal, symbolizing her virginity. The fire being put out, due to the forbidding of pagan worship, was one of the most devastating events to the Roman Empire. Every Roman New Years Day, March 1st, the fire is renewed and the Vestalia festival is celebrated June 7-15.
Greek counterpart: Hestia
Greek counterpart: Hestia
MERCURY
Mercury is the god of trade and profit and wore gold sandals and a helmet, both with wings on them, and carried a staff entwined with snakes. The wings on his helmet and sandals gave him the ability to fly and this ability made him the messenger of the gods. He was also in charge of leading souls to the underworld. Larunda, the mother of his two children, was being guiding to the underworld for betraying her husband when her and Mercury made love. Lares, invisible household ghost, is what his two children are and they protect home and ensure that the family line doesn't die. He invited the lyre out of a tourtiose shell and gave it to Apollo who in exchange gave him the caduceus, ''Herald's staff of office".
Greek counterpart: Hermes
Greek counterpart: Hermes
CERES
Ceres, the goddess of agriculture and abundance, is the daughter of Saturn and Opis. With her lover Jupiter they had a daughter named Proserpina, who was abducted by Ceres's brother Pluto. Pluto didn't want to be alone so he took Proserpina. During April 19 Cerealia, Ceres's festival, women walk around holding candles which symbolize the search for Ceres's lost daughter. The poppy is one of her symbols because Jupiter gave it to her to put her to sleep when she was grieving.
Greek counterpart: Demeter
Greek counterpart: Demeter