Camenae
In Roman mythology, the Camenae (also Casmenae, Camoenae) were originally goddesses of childbirth, wells and fountains, and also prophetic deities.<ref name=camenae>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Mythology
[edit]Some mythological figures associated with the Camenae include:<ref>Smith, William; Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London (1873). "Camenae".</ref>
- Carmenta, or Carmentis
- Egeria, or Ægeria, or Aegeria
- Antevorta, or Porrima, or Prorsa
- Postverta, or Postvorta
The last two were sometimes specifically referred to as the Carmentae and in ancient times might have been two aspects of Carmenta rather than separate figures; in later times, however, they are distinct beings believed to protect women in labor.<ref>Smith, William; Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London (1873). "Antevorta".</ref>
It is not clear whether these were in fact Camenae themselves, or just closely connected to them.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=camenae />
Relationship with the Muses
[edit]The Camenae were later identified with the Greek Muses. The first instance of this is in Livius Andronicus' translation of Homer's Odyssey, rendering the Greek word Mousa (Μοῦσα) as Camena.<ref name=horatcallid>Template:Cite journal</ref>
Horace refers to poetic inspiration as the "soft breath of the Greek Camena" (spiritum Graiae tenuem Camenae) in Odes II.16. He also mentions the "nine Camenae" (Template:Lang) in the Carmen Saeculare, which denotes the Muses.
In Latin literature
[edit]Latin authors used the Camenae as a Latinized version of the Greek Muses. This began with Livius Andronicus and continued with Gnaeus Naevius' epitaph. However, their use waned afterwards until a resurgence around the time of Horace.<ref name=horatcallid />