DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0054
liv
THE GODS OF ETRURIA.
[introduction.
the goddess of the dawn, Eos-Aurora ;5 and Losna, or Lala—
the Etruscan Luna, or Diana.6 Nethtjns, or Neptune, also
appears on monuments,7 and Janus and Silvanus are mentioned
as Etruscan gods,8 but they may have been of foreign introduc-
tion. Then there were four gods called Penates—Ceres, Pales,
Fortuna, and the Genius Jovialis;9 and the two Penates of
Latium,—the Dioscuri,—Castur and Pultuke—were much
worshipped in Etruria, as we learn from monuments.1 The wor-
ship of the mysterious Cabiri testified to the Pelasgic origin
of a portion of the Etruscan population.2
All these deities are more or less akin to those of other
ancient mythological systems, and what were of native origin
and what of foreign introduction, it is not always easy to deter-
mine. But there were others more peculiarly Etruscan. At
least if their counterparts are to be found in the Greek and
Roman Pantheons, they had a wider influence in Etruria, and
5 " Thesan" occurs on two mirrors in
the Gregorian Museum (Vol. II. p. 520).
Gerhard suggests a relation, and in one
case an identity, between Thesan and the
Themis of the Greeks. Gotth. p. 39 ;
Etrusk. Spieg. taf. LXXVI.
6 " Losna" is attached to the figure of
Diana on a mirror. Etrusk. Spieg. taf.
CLXXI; Lanzi, II. tav. VIII. 6. It is
doubtless a form of Luna. " Lala" is
found on another mirror. Gerhard,
Gottheit. taf. II. 7.
7 Neptune is of rare occurrence in
Etruscan monuments, which is singular,
considering the maritime character of
the people. The name "Nethuns" occurs
on a mirror in the Gregorian Museum
(Vol. II. p. 520). Gerhard (Gottheit.
pp. 2, 19) regards this as the Latin
name, and doubts if Neptune were an
Etruscan deity, though he is said to
have been one of the Penates (Arnob.
adv. Nat. III. 40; Serv. ad Ma. II. 325),
but Miiller (III. 3, 4) says justly, if the
name be not Etruscan, that people must
have had a god of the sea.
8 A four-faced Janns was worshipped
at Falerii (Serv. ad Ma. VII. 608 ;
Macrob. Sat. I. 9) ; and a double head
of the same deity is a common device on
the Etruscan coins of Volaterrse and
Telamon. Silvanus was a Pelasgic god,
who had a celebrated shrine at Csere.
Virg. Ma. VIII. 600 ; cf. Liv. II. 7.
9 Arnob. loc. cit.; Serv. loc. cit.
1 As the Dioscuri are not recorded as
Etruscan by ancient writers, Miiller did
not regard them as such, but they are
so frequently and distinctly represented
on the mirrors, that it is impossible not
to recognise them as Etruscan ; indeed,
they are often mentioned by name.
Gerhard, Gottheit. pp. 2, 22,46.
2 The Cabiri were the great gods of
the Pelasgic Samothrace, and certain
passages (Dion. Hal. I. p. 19 ; Macrob.
Sat. III. 8.) which ascribe their worship
to the Tyrrhenes, or Etruscans, may
refer to the Pelasgi. See Miiller, III.
3, 10. Gerhard, however, sees in the
three heads on the Gate of Volterra,
and in certain scenes on mirrors, the
three mysterious deities of Lemnos.
Gottheit. p. 13.
THE GODS OF ETRURIA.
[introduction.
the goddess of the dawn, Eos-Aurora ;5 and Losna, or Lala—
the Etruscan Luna, or Diana.6 Nethtjns, or Neptune, also
appears on monuments,7 and Janus and Silvanus are mentioned
as Etruscan gods,8 but they may have been of foreign introduc-
tion. Then there were four gods called Penates—Ceres, Pales,
Fortuna, and the Genius Jovialis;9 and the two Penates of
Latium,—the Dioscuri,—Castur and Pultuke—were much
worshipped in Etruria, as we learn from monuments.1 The wor-
ship of the mysterious Cabiri testified to the Pelasgic origin
of a portion of the Etruscan population.2
All these deities are more or less akin to those of other
ancient mythological systems, and what were of native origin
and what of foreign introduction, it is not always easy to deter-
mine. But there were others more peculiarly Etruscan. At
least if their counterparts are to be found in the Greek and
Roman Pantheons, they had a wider influence in Etruria, and
5 " Thesan" occurs on two mirrors in
the Gregorian Museum (Vol. II. p. 520).
Gerhard suggests a relation, and in one
case an identity, between Thesan and the
Themis of the Greeks. Gotth. p. 39 ;
Etrusk. Spieg. taf. LXXVI.
6 " Losna" is attached to the figure of
Diana on a mirror. Etrusk. Spieg. taf.
CLXXI; Lanzi, II. tav. VIII. 6. It is
doubtless a form of Luna. " Lala" is
found on another mirror. Gerhard,
Gottheit. taf. II. 7.
7 Neptune is of rare occurrence in
Etruscan monuments, which is singular,
considering the maritime character of
the people. The name "Nethuns" occurs
on a mirror in the Gregorian Museum
(Vol. II. p. 520). Gerhard (Gottheit.
pp. 2, 19) regards this as the Latin
name, and doubts if Neptune were an
Etruscan deity, though he is said to
have been one of the Penates (Arnob.
adv. Nat. III. 40; Serv. ad Ma. II. 325),
but Miiller (III. 3, 4) says justly, if the
name be not Etruscan, that people must
have had a god of the sea.
8 A four-faced Janns was worshipped
at Falerii (Serv. ad Ma. VII. 608 ;
Macrob. Sat. I. 9) ; and a double head
of the same deity is a common device on
the Etruscan coins of Volaterrse and
Telamon. Silvanus was a Pelasgic god,
who had a celebrated shrine at Csere.
Virg. Ma. VIII. 600 ; cf. Liv. II. 7.
9 Arnob. loc. cit.; Serv. loc. cit.
1 As the Dioscuri are not recorded as
Etruscan by ancient writers, Miiller did
not regard them as such, but they are
so frequently and distinctly represented
on the mirrors, that it is impossible not
to recognise them as Etruscan ; indeed,
they are often mentioned by name.
Gerhard, Gottheit. pp. 2, 22,46.
2 The Cabiri were the great gods of
the Pelasgic Samothrace, and certain
passages (Dion. Hal. I. p. 19 ; Macrob.
Sat. III. 8.) which ascribe their worship
to the Tyrrhenes, or Etruscans, may
refer to the Pelasgi. See Miiller, III.
3, 10. Gerhard, however, sees in the
three heads on the Gate of Volterra,
and in certain scenes on mirrors, the
three mysterious deities of Lemnos.
Gottheit. p. 13.