Chap. XX.—Of the Gods Peculiar to the Romans.
I have spoken of the religious rites which are common to all nations. I will now speak of the gods which the Romans have peculiar to themselves. Who does not know that the wife of
Faustulus
, the nurse of
Romulus
and
Remus
, in honour of whom the Larentinalia were instituted, was a harlot? And for this reason she was called
Lupa
, and represented in the form of a wild beast.
Faula
also and
Flora
were harlots, of whom the one was the mistress of
Hercules
, as
Verrius
relates; the other, having acquired great wealth by her person, made the people her heir, and on this account the games called Floralia are celebrated in her honour.
Tatius
consecrated the statue of a woman which had been found in the principal sewer, and called it by the name of the goddess
Cloacina
. The Romans, being besieged by the Gauls, made engines for throwing weapons of the hair of women; and on this account they erected an altar and temple to
Venus Calva
:
1468
also to
Jupiter Pistor
,
1469
because he had advised them in a dream to make all their corn into bread, and to throw it upon the enemy; and when this had been done, the Gauls, despairing of being able to reduce the Romans by famine, had abandoned the siege.
Tullus Hostilius
made Fear and Pallor gods. Mind is also worshipped; but if they had possessed it, they would never, I believe, have thought that it ought to be worshipped.
Marcellus
originated Honour and Virtue.
1468
i.e.,
Venus
the bald.
1469
i.e.,
Jupiter
the baker.