cArmentA
Publié le 22/02/2012
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(CarmenTis) Roman Originally, a
goddess of childbirth, particularly of the position of
the child, who could be born head first, prorsa, or feet
first, postversa. Romans celebrated a festival to Carmenta
on January 11 and 15, during the first month of
the year, a symbol, perhaps of the beginning of life.
As Roman religion changed under the influence of
Greek mythology, Carmenta's stories shifted. From a
goddess, she became a Nymph of fresh waters, one
of the Camenae of Roman mythology. In this role,
Carmenta was known as the mother (perhaps the
wife) of the hero Evander, which would have made
her a Greek nymph. She and her son fled Arcadia, a
region of Greece, and sailed for Italy. Through her
powers of prophecy, Carmenta advised her son to
settle on the Palatine Hill, one of Rome's seven hills.
She was also known for giving the gift of writing to
the people of Central Italy.
While the events of Carmenta's story were
believed to have taken place long before Aeneas
arrived in Italy after the Trojan War, some scholars
suggest that Roman writers developed this story to
explain the connection between Greek and Roman
religions.