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Portunus

To honor Portunus, the God of Ports and Keys, Romans hold the Portunalia on August 17. Because He first protected gates, Portunus is shown holding keys. During the Portunalia, people throw their keys into fires to safeguard their homes.

Venus and Jupiter

On August 19, Venus is celebrated as the Goddess of Fertility in the Fields and Gardens. (She is also the Patroness of Farmers.) For the Vinalia Rustia, Venus is honored with Jupiter Pluvius, the Bringer of Rain. This festival focusses on the coming grape harvest. During the festival, the priests break off unripe grapes from vines. This is to symbolically to protect the vines for the coming harvest. (In April, the Vinalia Priora is the celebration of the wine from the harvested grapes.)

Volcanus (Vulcan)

On August 23, the Volcanalia is held to ask Volcanus, the God of Raging Fires, to stay at rest. To honor Volcanus, herds are driven over fires, and fish are offered. Also, people ask Him to protect their homes from fire.

Sacrifices are also made to Stata Mater, the Goddess of Quenching the Fire and Juturna, the Goddess of Streams as well. Moreover, Ops Opifera receives offerings to protect the newly harvested grain. As the Consort of Volcanus, Maia, Goddess of Internal Warmth, is also given offerings.

Consus and Ops

The first sets of two festivals for Consus and Ops is held on August 21, the Consualia, and August 25, the Opiconsivia. The second sets of festivals is held in December. The first set celebrates the end of the harvest, and the second the autumn sowing. Between the August festivals, the Mundus Patet (the Door to the Underworld) is opened on August 24 for the first time in the year.

The Consualia, a public festival, featured horse racing. The God of the Granary, Consus is also associated with mules and horses. He also received offerings of first fruits of the harvest.

Meanwhile the Opiconsivia for Ops, the Goddess of Plenty, is a private affair attended by the Vestal Virgins and the Sacerdos Publica (head priest). Ops in her role of Consiva (the Sower) is celebrated. Therefore during this festival to Ops, one hand touches the earth while invoking this Goddess.

Volturnus

Finally on August 27, the Volturnalia is held to ask Volturnus not to bring the drying winds. Originally an Etruscan God, Volturnus raises clouds of dust thereby causing much devastation. For the Ancient Romans, the drying winds came from the southeast, therefore Volturnus is also the God of the Southeast Wind.

Venus of the Romans is a complex Goddess, who is often equated with the Greek Aphrodite. But Venus is more than the Goddess of Love, She is also the Patron of Gardeners and the Protector of the Graves of Girls. Venus Genetrix (the Mother of Rome) is the Ancestor of the Romans. Meanwhile, Venus Victrix (Venus Victorious) carries a spear into battle, and rides alongside her favorite generals.

No official festival exists for Venus in the Roman calendar. However, April, as the beginning of spring, became associated with this Goddess. Although the Vinalia in April concerns wine, Roman prostitutes regarded this festival on April 23 to be a holiday of Venus.

Like many Gods, Venus has multiple attributes.

Venus Alma: Mother Venus, the Nurturing Mother

Venus Amica: Venus, the Friend

Venus Aurea: Golden Venus

Venus Caelestis: Venus, the Heavenly Goddess

Venus Calca: Venus, the Bald One. (Note 1.)

Venus Erycina: Venus from Eryx. Goddess of Prostitutes

Venus Felix: Favorable Venus (with Roma Aeterna) (Note 2.)

Venus Genetrix: Venus, the Universal Mother

Venus Libertina: Venus, the Freedwoman

Venus Libitina: Passionate Venus

Venus Murcia: Venus of the Myrtle (Note 3.)

Venus Obsequens: Indulgent Venus

Venus Physica: Venus of the Creative Force

Venus Verticordia: Venus, the Changer of Hearts

Venus Victrix: Venus, Victorious

Notes:

Note 1. The Romans have several stories to explain this. One is that Roman matrons gave their hair for bow strings during a siege of Rome. Another is that a Roman bride offers a lock of her hair to Venus.

Note 2. Hadrian built a temple to Venus Felix and Roma Aeterna (Eternal Rome) as the Protectors of Rome.

Note 3. A myrtle tree grew in front of her sanctuary in Rome.

Current Mood: artistic

April for Romans is the time of opening buds. Flowers appear, trees come into leaf, and new crops are coming up. At this time, most of the festivals are centered on honoring the fertility of the land and protecting the crops. The Gods honored are either female or ambiguous. Of the various festivals that I follow are:

VENUS VERTICORDIA and FORTUNA VIRILIS

On April 1, the Veneralia is held. During this festival, women would go where the men are. While they would pray to Venus Verticordia (Venus, the Changer of Hearts) and Fortuna Virilis (Fortune the Bold) for support in their love lives. Later the festival included everyone, married and single, male and female asking these two Goddesses for help in matters of the heart. (Venus is considered the tutelary God of April.)

CERES and TELLUS

From the 12th to the 19th, the Cerialia is held to honor Ceres, Goddess of Agriculture and Gain. The festival is to thank Ceres for the earth’s fertility. Many of the ceremonies of the Cerialia are held in private with the participants wearing white. An Ancient Roman tradition was to set loose foxes with burning torches tied to their tails. (It was believed to drive out diseases of the land.) For Ceres, I usually walk the nearby field three times and offer milk, a traditional offering.

During the Cerialia, the Fordicidia is held on April 15. In Ancient Rome, pregnant cows were sacrificed to Tellus, the Goddess of Productive Power of the Earth, for the fertility of the cattle and fields. The ashes of the unborn calves were burnt and use in the Parilia later in the month. Modern Romans will burn meat and mix it with soil as an offering to Tellus.

PALES

On April 21, the Parilia is held. Similar to the Celtic Beltane Festival, the Parilia focuses on the purification of sheep and shepherds. Bonfires are lit and sheep are driven through them. Grain and milk are offered to Pales of Shepherds and Sheep. For this festival, I pray for healthy livestock and put a stuffed sheep between two candles.

Pales is a mystery as to what They are – male or female, plural or singular. This/these ancient Roman God/s are from the time before the Romans were shepherds, which adds to the confusion of who Pales is/are. I prefer to regard Pales as the entirety of all the concepts about Them.

(The Parilia is also considered the Founding Day of Rome.)

ROBIGUS (ROBIGO)

To save crops from wheat rust, the Romans sacrificed dogs to Robigus, the God of Wheat Rust during the Robigalia on April 25. Traditionally, red animals were offered at the boundary of Roman territory to ensure protection of the crops from mildew and blight. Today, people offer red wine requesting that Robigus leave the crops alone.

FLORA

The Floralia, honoring Flora, the Goddess of Flowering Plants, is held from April 27 to May 1. (Fauna, the Goddess of Wildlife, is her Sister.) Coming after the Robigalia, the Floralia affirms the safety of the growing plants from harm. During this time, people adorn themselves and their homes with flowers. They also wear colorful clothing to reflect the emerging flowers. Traditionally, goats and rabbits were set loose in the crowds, while priests threw lupines, bean flowers and vetch about. This was to ensure fertility of everyone and everything.

OTHER GODS

April 5: The Anniversary of the Temple for Fortuna Publica (Fortune of the State)

April 13: The Anniversary of the Temple for Jupiter Victor (Jupiter Victorious)

Current Mood: cheerful

MARS

Denning and Phillips, in the “Rite of Approach in Mars” presents the proclamation of the adoration of the Divine Force of this Planet. They write “All powerful defender of justice and truth, thou noble inspirer of courage and endurance and of bold resolve! …Thou mighty adversary of the powers adverse, hail to thee!” (Note 1.)

This invocation describes Robin Hood of English legends. Living in Sherwood Forest, this bold outlaw, with his band of Merry Men, steals from the rich and gives to the poor. In “The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938),” Prince John (Robin’s antagonist) tells him, “By my faith, but you’re a bold rascal. Robin, I like you.” Meanwhile, Maid Marian observes that that he is strange for risking his life for helpless people. He replies, “Norman or Saxon, what that matter? It’s injustice, I hate.” Robin Hood best exemplifies the character of Mars as regarded by Denning and Phillips.

VENUS

Dykes and Gibson for the “First Advancement: Invocation of Venus,” write “You who are divinely robed in Light and possessed of perfect beauty, I call you forth. Flawless harmony and symmetry are your perfumes, for you are the lady of the house of jubilation and the one who fills the sanctuary with joy.” (Note 2.)

Long associated with Robin Hood, Maid Marian is Venus to his Mars. They act as a dyad strengthening each other, thereby ensuring the best qualities of both. In the various ballads and legends, Maid Marian choses to love Robin Hood, after losing in combat to him. Instead of being a damsel-in-distress, she graces the noble court of King Richard and Prince John as an equal of Robin Hood.

A paradox, she is both Robin Hood’s lover and always the Maid. In the May Festivities in the 16th Century, she was celebrated along with Robin Hood. These festivities focused on Maid Marian encouraging fertility and sexual activity for all.

Notes:

Note 1. Melita Denning and Osborne Phillips, “Planetary Magick.” Page 163.

Note 2. Benjamin Dykes and Jayne Gibson, “Astrological Magic.” Page 193.

Works Used:

“The Adventures of Robin Hood,” Directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, Warner Brothers, 1938.

Denning, Melita and Osborne Phillips, “Planetary Magick.” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 1989.

Dykes, Benjamin and Jayne Gibson, “Astrological Magic.” Cazimi Press: Minneapolis. 2012.

NicEilidh, Hester, “The Legend of Robin Hood,” 2002. Web. https://hesternic.tripod.com/robinhood.htm.

Storynory, “Robin Hood Archives – Storynory,” 2021, Web. https://www.storynory.com/category/educational-and-entertaining-stories/robin-hood/.

Wright, Allen, “Robin Hood: Bold Outlaw of Barnsdale and Sherwood,” 2020. Web. https://www.boldoutlaw.com/.

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THE MANY NAMES OF VENUS

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