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Prayers to Carmenta

11 prayers

Carmenta is the clearest case in the collection of a cult known better from its calendar than from its words. Rome kept her festival on 11 and 15 January and remembered her as a prophetess and the mother of Evander; almost no ancient prayer to her survives. Most of the texts gathered here are modern reconstructions, and each is marked as one.

What is asked
Fontes · Sources
  • Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis10
  • Livius Andronicus · Odisia / Equos Troianos1
Orationes · The texts
  1. 001

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · Hail prayer

    Hail, Carmentis, Goddess of song and prophecy. From Your father Sebathus, Telon, king of the Taphonians, took You away from the river shores of Naples to the isle of Capree, there as Bateia, wife of Oebalus, to become mother to Spartans and Sabines alike. From Campania You set sail with Your son Evander up the River Tiber, showing him where to make land, and teaching him the songs by which to found Paletum. In Your sacred grove beneath the Palatine Hill You sang as Nicostrate the rites by which Hercules was to honor His Father Jupiter. There, too, You met with Dardanian Aeneas, singing for him the vision of Rome that his generations would found upon the Septimonium. There in Your sacred grove you sang to the infant twins as they were nurtured by a she-wolf.

    RomanPraiseInvocation
  2. 002

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · childbirth prayer

    Grant her the strength, Carmentis, to whom I ask, to whom I pray; extend your assistance to her. Bring with you every herb for ending pain, and soothing songs to sing over her; from across the ocean, from distant shores, bear such herbs as will cure her most severe ills, or whatever else she may most fear. Rack this girl no longer with pain, nor cruelly delay her birthing.

    RomanPetitionInvocation
  3. 003

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Livius Andronicus · Odisia / Equos Troianos · 1.1

    Carmena, in hot pursuit of virtuous men, come to me. Before wise Minerva invented Roman numerals, before any Greek inscribed the words of Homer, Latin letters You taught to Eulina of Gabii. Maenelian Voice carried from across the sea, inspire us with song that we may address the Gods, bring charms to teach our children their letters, that they may carry on as pious Romans.

    RomanInvocationPetition
  4. 004

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · healing prayer

    Draw near, Carmentis, and expel the illness from this tender girl. Come quickly, Carmentis. Believe me, never shall You regret at having laid Your healing hand upon this comely girl. Do not allow her form to languish pale and thin, nor disfiguring hue to mark her feeble limbs, and whatever ill has come upon her, whatever dread things we fear, may the rushing river-waters carry them away to the sea. Come, Holy Mother, and bring with You soothing herbs and healing songs as will ease her wearied body.

    RomanPetitionInvocation
  5. 005

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · petition prayer

    Mother, on You I call, come, stand by me, stay, and listen to my pleas. Speak to me once again, in Your own words, as You did before. I pray You put an end now to my harsh hardship, declare an end to ruinous fortune, in whose cruel snare so long have I endured, and bestow upon me peace and rest from my labors and perils.

    RomanPetitionInvocation
  6. 006

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · popana offering

    In You, dearest Mother, in Your hands we place our safekeeping. Carmentis, in offering to You this cake of cheese I pray good prayers in order that, pleased with this offering of popana cake, You may be favorable towards our children and to us, towards our homes and our households.

    RomanDedicationPetition
  7. 007

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · matrons' prayer

    Accept, O Carmentis, this offering of incense. Cheerfully have Your daughters come to adorn Your shrine of matrons. Come, most venerable Goddess, appear in flowing robes and nod Your assent to the milk that is poured in your honor and the cakes piled high to await you. Bring with You every soothing song to sing; every charm to bring peace and solace. Across the seas, from distant shores, bear with You the words by which we may praise the Gods. O most merciful Mother, we pray for a blessing from Your generous and temperate right hand.

    RomanInvocationPetition
  8. 008

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · dream prayer

    O Carmenae, may you bring better dreams than this evil vision that has awakened me from a peaceful sleep; let it not be a prophetic vision. Cast far away from me this vain and false vision, and cease plucking my intestines with your zealous inquiries. Carmenae, I pray, turn this cruel dream to good, as night is turned into day, and bid the warm South wind to carry it away.

    RomanPetitionProtection
  9. 009

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · incense offering

    Carmentis, I make this offering of incense to You and pray with good prayers that You will look kindly and favorably upon our children and upon us, on our homes and on our households.

    RomanDedicationPetition
  10. 010

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · milk libation

    Carmentis, may You be strengthened by this libation, may You be honored by this portion of milk.

    RomanDedication
  11. 011

    Prayer to Carmenta

    Anonymous · Ritus Carmentis · ritual opening

    Come, be present, Carmentis. May Your sisters Porrima and Postvorta attend You. With joyful mind come, Mother of Arcadian Evander.

    RomanInvocation
Invoked alongside
Porrima2Postvorta2
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