Editing Summanus (section)

{{Short description|Roman god of nocturnal thunder}}
{{About|the Roman god|the fictional god|Cthulhu Mythos deities}}
{{Ancient Roman religion}}

'''Summanus''' ({{langx|la|Summānus}}) was the god of nocturnal [[thunder]] in [[Religion in ancient Rome|ancient Roman religion]], as counterposed to [[Jupiter (god)|Jupiter]], the god of diurnal (daylight) thunder.<ref>Paulus ''Festi epitome'' 284L (=229M)</ref> His precise nature was unclear even to [[Ovid]].<ref>"The temple is said to have been dedicated to Summanus, whoever he may be" (''quisquis is est, Summano templa feruntur''): Ovid, ''[[Fasti (Ovid)|Fasti]]'' 6, 731. Translation by [[James G. Frazer]], [[Loeb Classical Library]]. [[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]] mentie temple at ''Natural History'' 29.57 (= 29.14).</ref>

[[Pliny the Elder|Pliny]] thought that he was of [[Etruscan religion|Etruscan origin]], and one of the [[Novensiles#Council on lightning|nine gods of thunder]].<ref>''Natural History'' 2.53 (alternative numbering 52 or 138): "The Tuscan books inform us, that there are nine Gods who discharge thunder-storms, that there are eleven different kinds of them, and that three of them are darted out by Jupiter. Of these the Romans retained only two, ascribing the diurnal kind to Jupiter, and the nocturnal to Summanus; this latter kind being more rare, in consequence of the heavens being colder" ''(Tuscorum litterae novem deos emittere fulmina existimant, eaque esse undecim generum; Iovem enim trina iaculari. Romani duo tantum ex iis servavere, diurna attribuentes Iovi, nocturna Summano, rariora sane eadem de causa frigidioris caeli)''. English translation by [[John Bostock (physician)|John Bostock]], via [[Perseus Digital Library]].</ref> [[Varro]] lists Summanus among gods to whom Sabine king [[Titus Tatius]] dedicated altars ''([[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#ara|arae]])'' in consequence of a [[votum]].<ref>Varro ''Lingua Latina'' V 74.</ref> [[Paulus Diaconus]] considers him a god of lightning.<ref>Entry on ''Dium'' above.</ref>

The name ''Summanus'' is thought to be from ''Summus Manium'' "the greatest of the [[Manes]]",<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle=Summanus |volume=26 |pages=77–78}}</ref> or ''sub-'', "under" + ''manus'', "hand".

According to [[Martianus Capella]],<ref>[[Martianus Capella]], ''De nuptiis'' 2.164.</ref> Summanus is another name for [[Pluto (mythology)|Pluto]] as the "highest" ''(summus)'' of the [[Manes]]. This identification is taken up by later writers such as [[Camões]] ("If in Summanus' gloomy realm / Severest punishment you now endure ...")<ref>[[Os Lusíadas]], IV, 33, translated as ''The Lusiad'' by Thomas Moore Musgrave (1826).</ref> and [[John Milton|Milton]], in a [[simile]] to describe [[Satan]] visiting [[Rome]]: "Just so Summanus, wrapped in a smoking whirlwind of blue flame, falls upon people and cities".<ref>In the Latin poem "In Quintum Novembris" (lines 23–24): ''Talibus infestat populos Summanus et urbes / cinctus caeruleae fumanti turbine flammae.''</ref>

[[Georges Dumézil]]<ref>''Myth et epopée'' vol. III part 2 chapt. 3; ''Mitra-Varuna: essai sur deux representations indoeuropeennes de la souverainetè '' Paris 1948 2nd; ''La religion romaine archaïque'' Paris 1974; It. tr. Milano 1977 p. 184</ref> has argued that Summanus would represent the uncanny, violent and awe-inspiring  element of the gods of the [[Trifunctional hypothesis|first function]], connected to heavenly sovereignty. The double aspect of heavenly sovereign power would be reflected in the dichotomy [[Varuna]]-[[Mitra]] in [[Historical Vedic religion|Vedic religion]] and in Rome in the dichotomy Summanus-[[Dius Fidius]]. The first gods of these pairs would incarnate the violent, nocturnal, mysterious aspect of sovereignty while the second ones would reflect its reassuring, daylight and legalistic aspect.