Bona Dea

[tmt]

Today in the Book of Days

Bona Dea

Festival of Tarentia, for the goddess Bona Dea, ancient Rome (May 3 - 4)

(December 3 was also a festival for this goddess.)

On May 3 - 4 (though as early as May 1), the ancient Romans commemorated the Tarentia festival for the 'Good Goddess': Bona Dea, which is the most popular name by which the goddess Fauna or Fatua (Fate) was known.

She is also an aspect of the goddess Artemis Calliste, the Lily of Heaven. Angitia, a deity of the Marsii might have been the same goddess, and the Good Goddess is also identified with Cybele, Maia, Ge, Ops, Terra, Tellus, Semele, Marica and Hekate, and was thus a fertility and earth goddess.

Her priestesses grew medicinal herbs and the sick were tended to in the gardens outside her temples. She was associated with the cornucopia, snakes and coins and her image frequently occurred on ancient Roman coins.

It was said that her father, Faunus, (known to the Greeks as Pan), had tried to seduce her but failed, despite having got her drunk on wine and having whipped her with a myrtle branch. Eventually, he father turned himself into a serpent and in that form succeeded in penetrating his daughter.

Another legend says that Faunus was her husband and became incensed at Fauna's drunkenness, so he killed her, but then deified her.

*Ø** Wilson's Almanac free daily ezine | Book of Days | Index | In progress: Every day of the year

[sshenry]

wow - can't believe this didn't get any comments! Thank you tmt!

[tmt]

Yes..until Fate brought you here, ss

[sshenry]

the demons of fate are impossible to resist

[tmt]

Indeed

And easy on the eyes as well

[Indigo Dog]

Nice post! I love Terra, now Bona Dea too.

[lilwing1979]

awesome This is such a beautiful time of year....

[tmt]

It is a beautiful time of year

[Clear Blue Sky]

Interestingly enough, today I was pulling down the blacktopped country road back to my 'cottage in the woods' and there, sprawled on the road stretched to exactly the length of the space between my car tires was a whopping huge fox snake. I stopped my Prius (which shuts off the engine), got out, and played with it a bit with my snake hook. Gently, mind you. They do good impersonations of rattlesnakes, the imposters

The whole while, the tune of Peter Paul & Mary's "For the Love of it All" was playing out my car's stereo. A very real, surreal moment.

[tmt]

Fate speaks in song as well. And Fauna brought the snake to your attention.

Since they are each aspects of Bona Dea.

[Clear Blue Sky]

Call me a blasphemer. I don't believe in Bona Dea as a real personification per se. But I suppose that wouldn't stop her from believing in me ;-)

It is fascinating though how diverse cultures and world views can merge to construct such similar symbolism. The energy, the life, the concept, the essence, has such powerful almost universal resonance. Lovely would our world be if people associated nature and healing and respect for the serpents.

Though I suspect the encounter had something to do with the snake basking on the warm blacktop, which happened to be in the path of my car. Ah, but we know how fate can often inter-twine on merging spindles. This was truly a moment I wish I'd had my video camera on hand, would have made a good music video.

[tmt]

Neither do I, as gods, would an angel of God be less of a messenger if called by any other name?

Perhaps the Greek and Roman civilizations saw the messengers as gods. That is my view on the the pagan dieties.

[Clear Blue Sky]

snakes appear to be slithering their way into my theme for this year. Even as early as this winter, I was doing patrol duty on my block and came across a discarded bottle inside a paper bag (along the same road as it happens where I saw this fox snake today). When I peered inside the word "Cobra" leapt out at me. And now we got this rattlesnake stuff going on (the reason for the hook in my car), and this fortuitous encounter with the rattlesnake-simulating fox snake. Of course, now that the snake thing is triggered I expect to be seeing, hearing about it, reading it everywhere -- my eye has been drawn into line of sight, I am captivated (beware the horseman; break the chain). I hope that will serve to quench any cockroach themes that (asp)ire to come along. I would feel very 'rattled' if cockroaches started cropping up everywhere.

[tmt]

I would be rattled by either one creeping around. Right now, we are inudated with misquito hawks. Completely harmless and benifical if they eat all the potential west nile virus hosts. But when they buzz by I can't help cringing away.

They are so loud and seem to enjoy flying toward my ears. Almost flying into my ear, it feels like, from the sound.

[Clear Blue Sky]

Well, good to be honest with yourself. When I first moved into the country I had bitter wars with box elder bugs and ladybugs and adventures with bats and flying squirrels. After a while you learn the value of peace and tolerance (and appreciate the invention of bread boxes, cupboards, feet on beds....) Tonight I lay outside during sunset until the big bumbly June beetles started to buzz around me. A sense of peace and withness prevailed.

You will be gotten by West Nile eventually, just plan it for a time when you have good immunity and health.

Here is the song playing when I 'danced' with the fox snake. My own rendition is more beautiful, with soft chimes and something like a harp and soft drum accompanying the guitar, but this one captures the general feel for it.

Music and Lyrics to the song For The Love Of It All by Peter, Paul and Mary - Rhapsody Online

[tmt]

You really think I will get West Nile?

It hasn't been detected in quite some time, it may have run its course.

If I catch west nile virus, then so be it. One cannot be afraid just prudent. We don't have any standing water about. And my Boyfriend sprayed the back and side yards.

I will ask the angel Fauna, guardian of nature's creatures to keep our misquitos healthy and our misquito hawks well fed. ;D

[Clear Blue Sky]

Was it back in 2002 or so the Wet Nile virus hit in all its crow-destroying strength? I remember getting rather sick that year for a spell. But since then the virus has evolved and only the one that is mild enough not to kill its hosts has persisted, the more virulent viruses having destoryed their resources and died out. Also our birds are more resistant and so the abundance of virus is not so great. We are swamped in germs every day, like it or not. Most likely our body has fought and immunized ourselves against a great many nasties without our even knowing it.

[tmt]

Very true, our bodies work on learning and destroying all sorts of viral infections.

Here, they are worried about a resurge in west nile because all the forclosures, with pools. Pools are not being maintained and are stagnent mossy cement swamps. Banks are the current owners but seems like no one is really taking responsibility for the properties. It is a shame, such lackadaisical care invites problems.

We lost many birds back when it was first discovered. Then all the pesticides were also detrimental to eco sys. There was a huge concern for the Monarch and their migration path. They are protected, and there was a public outcry about potential harm to their sactuaries. I went to the one in Pismo Beach/Grover Beach area. They are such a beautiful butterfly and so big

[Clear Blue Sky]

Back in 2001 or 2002 there were massive migrations of monarchs and painted ladies together around here. It was wonderful to walk through the fields and woods and have so many of them dancing and flitting by.

Humanity is getting there slowly. We dimmly have things like the World Health Organization to track global plagues, and social programs, and ecolgogical sanctuaries and regulations..... but we are about at the level of ecological and whole-living-awareness-and-respect as they were away from social decency back in the day when Moses had to club them over the head with 10 commandments. Still, there are people w ho care enough to set aside sanctuaries and put in the effort to make rules and laws to protect the environment and then try to club the insensitive over the head with them. Change is on the wind :-)

What is your take on the role of so many feminine deities in Ancient Rome where the society was on the whole so male dominated and it seems ruled more by laws than by compassion.

[tmt]

I never thought about that, Rome was very male dominated but weern't women afforded many rights?

I think a lot of the Roman dieties were related to the natural world, Mother Earth.and possibly borrowed from the Greeks? I will have to research it more to give an informed opinion, I really don't know much about their plethora of gods.it seems everything had a god that was assigned to it, doesn't it?