Editing Neptune (mythology) (section)

===Paredrae===
''Paredrae'' are entities who accompany a god, representing the fundamental aspects (or powers) of that god. With Hellenic influence, these ''paredrae'' came to be considered separate deities and consorts of their associated god.<ref>William Warde Fowler ''The Religious experience of the Roman People'' London, 1912, p. 346f.</ref> Earlier folk belief might have also identified ''paredrae'' as consorts of their god.<ref>Aulus Gellius ''Noctes Atticae'' XIII 24, 1-18.</ref>

Salacia and [[Venilia]] have been discussed by ancient and modern scholars. Varro connects Salacia to ''salum'' (sea), and Venilia to ''ventus'' (wind).<ref>Varro Lingua Latina V 72.</ref> Festus attributed to Salacia the motion of the sea.<ref>Festus p. L s.v.</ref> Venilia brought waves to the shore, and Salacia caused their retreat out to sea.<ref name="Augustine-p22">Varro apud Augustine ''[[The City of God|De Civitate Dei]]'' VII 22.</ref> They were examined by the Christian philosopher [[Augustine of Hippo|St. Augustine]], who devoted a chapter of ''[[The City of God|De Civitate Dei]]'' to ridiculing inconsistencies in the theological definition of the entities; since Salacia personified the deep sea, Augustine wondered how she could also be the retreating waves (since waves are a surface phenomenon).<ref name="Augustine-p22" /> He wrote elsewhere that Venilia would be the "hope that comes", an aspect (or power) of Jupiter understood as ''[[anima mundi]]''.<ref>Augustine above II 11.</ref>

Servius, in his commentary on the ''[[Aeneid]]'', wrote about Salacia and Venilia in V 724: "''([[Venus (mythology)|Venus]]) dicitur et Salacia, quae proprie meretricum dea appellata est a veteribus''"; "(Venus) is also called Salacia, who was particularly named goddess of prostitutes by the ancient". Elsewhere, he wrote that Salacia and Venilia are the same entity.<ref name="Fowler_appendix">William Warde Fowler ''The Religious Experience of the Roman People'' London, 1912, Appendix II.</ref>

Among modern scholars, Dumézil and his followers Bloch and Schilling centre their interpretation of Neptune on the direct, concrete, limited value and functions of water. Salacia would represent the forceful, violent aspect of gushing and overflowing water and Venilia the tranquil, gentle aspect of still (or slowly-flowing) water. According to Dumézil,<ref>Dumézil accepts and re-proposes the interpretations of Wissowa and von Domaszewski.</ref> Neptune's two ''paredrae'' (Salacia and Venilia) represent the overpowering and  tranquil aspects of water, natural and domesticated: Salacia the gushing, overbearing waters, and Venilia the still (or quietly-flowing) waters.<ref>Dumezil above p.31</ref>

Preller, Fowler, Petersmann and Takács attribute to the theology of Neptune broader significance as a god of universal worldly fertility, particularly relevant to agriculture and human reproduction. They interpret Salacia as personifying lust, and Venilia as related to ''venia'': ingratiating attraction, connected with love and the desire for reproduction. [[Ludwig Preller]] cited a significant aspect of Venilia; she was recorded in the ''[[indigitamenta]]'' as a deity of longing or desire. According to Preller, this would explain a theonym similar to that of Venus.<ref>Ludwig Preller ''Römische Mythologie'' Berlin, 1858 part II, p.121-2; Servius ''Ad Aeneidem'' VIII 9.</ref> Other data seem to agree; Salacia would parallel [[Thetis]] as the mother of Achilles, and Venilia would be the mother of [[Turnus]] and [[Iuturna]] by [[Daunus]] (king of the [[Rutulians]]). According to another source, Venilia would be the partner of [[Janus]], with whom she mothered the nymph [[Canens (mythology)|Canens]] (loved by [[Picus]]).<ref>Ovid ''Metamorphoses'' XIV 334.</ref> These mythical data underline the reproductive function envisaged in the figures of Neptune's ''paredrae'', particularly that of Venilia, in childbirth and motherhood. A legendary king [[Venulus]] was remembered at [[Tibur]] and [[Lavinium]].<ref>Ludwig Preller above, citing Servius; C. J. Mackie "Turnus and his ancestors" in ''The Classical Quarterly'' (New Series) 1991, 41, pp. 261-265.</ref>