Roman Gods of May

[neptunesdolphins]

 For Romans, May (Maius) is sacred to Maia, the Goddess of the Growth of Living Things. As the Mother of Mercury, She is also honored with Him at the Mercuralia on May 15. On May 1st, Maia’s festival day and on the 15th, a priest of Vulcan (God of Fire) will sacrifice a pregnant sow to Her. Maia is his consort since Vulcan (Volcanus) is also the God who ripens the earth with his inner warmth. Modern Roman Polytheists will offer burnt pork to Maia.

 

May is also a gloomy month since the Dead roam freely at this time. The Lemuria is to ensure that the Dead are placated and do not trouble the living. Meanwhile, the Rosalia focused on placing roses and violets on graves.

 

The Days of the Dead

The major focus of this month is the Lemuria, the Roman Days of the Dead (May 9, 11, and 13). On these days, the Lemures (Larvae) seek out the living to have them give the Larvae proper burials. The Lemures also want people to make offerings in their memory to the Gods of the Dead. Meanwhile, the living do certain rites to ensure that Larvae not harm them or their families. (The Larvae could be considered the “Undead.”)

 

Until the 8th Century, May 13 was All Saints’ Day for Christians. During the 730s, Pope Gregory III changed the feast date to November 1. He wanted to accommodate the Celtic Christians, who had grown in numbers. Meanwhile, Roman Lemuria can be considered the Roman equivalent of Halloween, All Saints’ Day, and All Souls’ Day.

 

From Ovid’s “Fasti,” Book V, a ritual for Lemuria

When midnight comes, lending silence to sleep,

And all the dogs and hedgerow birds are quiet,

He who remembers ancient rites, and fears the gods,

Rises (no fetters binding his two feet)

And makes the sign with thumb and closed fingers,

Lest an insubstantial shade meets him in the silence.

 

After cleansing his hands in spring water,

He turns and first taking some black beans,

Throws them with averted face: saying, while throwing:

‘With these beans I throw I redeem me and mine.’

 

He says this nine times without looking back: the shade

Is thought to gather the beans, and follow behind, unseen.

Again he touches water, and sounds the Temesan bronze,

And asks the spirit to leave his house.

When nine times he’s cried: ‘Ancestral spirit, depart,’

He looks back, and believes the sacred rite’s fulfilled.

 

Mercury (Mercurius)

For Romans, Mercury is the God of Commerce, Merchants, and Thieves. On May 15, merchants would bless themselves and their wares from his sacred well, which was located outside of the Sacred Boundary (Pomerium) of Rome. Modern Roman Polytheists will use water from local streams to bless their local banks and stores.

 

Julius Caesar noted that Mercury was the most popular God in the Celtic and Germanic regions closest to Roman territories. These peoples regarded Mercury to be the inventor of the arts. In Celtic areas, He was frequently accompanied by Rosmerta, Celtic Goddess of Abundance and Prosperity.

 

From Ovid’s “Fasti,” Book V.

A ritual to Mercury by merchants:

All those who make a living trading their wares,

Offer you incense, and beg you to swell their profits.

There’s Mercury’s fountain close to the Capene Gate:

It’s potent, if you believe those who’ve tried it.

 

Here the merchant, cleansed, with his tunic girt,

Draws water and carries it off, in a purified jar.

With it he wets some laurel, sprinkles his goods

With damp laurel: those soon to have new owners.

And he sprinkles his hair with dripping laurel too,

And with that voice, that often deceives, utters prayers:

 

‘Wash away all the lies of the past,’ he says,

‘Wash away all the perjured words of a day that’s gone.

If I’ve called on you as witness, and falsely invoked

Jove’s great power, hoping he wouldn’t hear:

If I’ve knowingly taken the names of gods and goddesses,

In vain: let the swift southerlies steal my sinful words,

 

And leave the day clear for me, for further perjuries,

And let the gods above fail to notice I’ve uttered any.

Just grant me my profit, give me joy of the profit I’ve made:

And make sure I’ll have the pleasure of cheating a buyer.’

 

Flora

On May 23, the Rosalia (dies rosationis (the day of the rose adornment)) is held. This was originally a military rite to honor the fallen. It later became a ritual to honor all the dead, with roses placed on graves. For the Rosalia, I would suggest going to a battlefield or military cemetery, if possible.

 

The Ambarvalia

At the end of May, people would walk the perimeters of their fields bringing offerings of milk, honey and wine. They drove their animals along the boundaries, beating the ground to stave off baneful influences. The ancient Romans would herd a boar, ram, and a bull around the boundaries, and then sacrifice them. Modern Roman Polytheists offer meats from the store and ask for the blessings of Mars and Ceres on the crops.

 

Notes:

Note 1. Ovid, “Fasti,” Book V. Translator: A.S. Kline, 2004.