Editing Libitina

'''Libitina''', also '''Libentina''' or '''Lubentina''', is an [[List of Roman deities|ancient Roman goddess]] of [[Roman funerals and burial|funerals and burial]]. Her name was used as a [[metonymy]] for death,<ref>[[Horace]], ''Sermones'' 2.16.19 and Odes 3.30.7; Verity Platt, ''Facing the Gods: Epiphany and Representation in Graeco-Roman Art, Literature '' (Cambridge University Press, 2011), p. 355.</ref> and undertakers were known as ''libitinarii''.<ref>''New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology'' (Hamlyn, 1968), p. 209.</ref> Libitina was associated with [[Venus (mythology)|Venus]], and the name appears in some authors as an [[epithet]] of Venus.<ref>Varro, as preserved by Nonius, p. 64 (Müller); Cicero, ''De natura deorum'' 2.23; [[Dionysius Halicarnassus]] 4.15; [[Plutarch]], ''Roman Questions'' 23.</ref>

The grove ''([[lucus]])'' of Libitina was located on the [[Esquiline Hill]],<ref>Lawrence Richardson, ''A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome'' (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1992), p. 409.</ref> as were several religious sites indicating that the area had "unhealthy and ill-omened" associations.<ref>These sites included the cult of [[Dea Febris]], the goddess of fever; a shrine to the goddess [[Mefitis]], associated with toxic gases emitted from the earth; and an altar of Mala Fortuna ("Bad Luck"); Paul F. Burke, "Malaria in the Graeco-Roman World," ''Aufstieg und Niedergang der römische Welt'' II.37.2 (1995), p. 2268.</ref> A public cemetery was located outside the [[Esquiline Gate]], in the [[Campus Esquilinus]].<ref>Donald G. Kyle, ''Spectacles of Death in Ancient Rome'' (Routledge, 1998, 2001), p. 164.</ref> A temple of Venus in the grove of Libitina celebrated its founding anniversary August 19, the day of the [[Vinalia|Vinalia Rustica]].<ref>[[Sextus Pompeius Festus|Festus]] p. 322 in the edition of Lindsay; Richardson, ''Topographical Dictionary,'' p. 409.</ref> When a person died, the treasury of the temple collected a coin as a "death tax" supposed to have been established by [[Servius Tullius]].<ref>Dionysius Halicarnassus 4.15.5; Plutarch, ''Roman Questions'' 23; Richardson, ''Topographical Dictionary,'' p. 409; Kyle, ''Spectacles of Death,'' p. 166.</ref> During a plague in 65 AD, 30,000 deaths were recorded at the temple.<ref>[[Suetonius]], ''Life of Nero'' [http://penelope.uchicago.edu/thayer/e/roman/texts/suetonius/12caesars/nero*.html#39 39.1]; Kyle, ''Spectacles of Death,'' p. 178.</ref> [[Livy]] notes two occasions when the death toll exceeded Libitina's capacity.<ref>[[Livy]] 40.19.4 and 41.21.6.</ref> A panel ''([[collegium]])'' of funeral directors ''(dissignatores)'' was based in the grove of Libitina.<ref>Horace, ''Epistulae'' 1.7.6f.; [[Seneca the Younger|Seneca]], ''De beneficiis'' 6.38.4; [[Jörg Rüpke]], ''Religion of the Romans'' (Polity Press, 2007, originally published in German 2001), p. 235.</ref>

Libitina is sometimes regarded as [[Etruscan religion|Etruscan]] in origin.<ref>[[Hendrik Wagenvoort]], "The Origin of the Goddess Venus," in ''Pietas: Selected Studies in Roman Religion'' (Brill, 1980), p. 178;  Daniel P. Harmon, "Religion in the Latin Elegists," ''Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt'' II.16.3 (1986), p. 1924.</ref> The name is perhaps derived from [[Etruscan language|Etruscan]] ''lupu-'', "to die."<ref>Harmon, "Religion in the Latin Elegists," p. 1924, citing Paul Kretschmer, "Die protoindogermanische Schicht," ''Glotta'' 14 (1925), p. 307.</ref> [[Varro]], however, offers a [[Latin]] etymology from ''lubere,'' "to be pleasing," related to ''[[libido]]'', that attempts to explain the goddess's connection to Venus.<ref>Varro, ''De lingua latina'' 6.47.</ref> ''Venus Lubentina'' or ''Libitina'' may result from an [[interpretatio romana|identification]] with the Etruscan [[Alpanu]] (also as Alpan or Alpnu) who had characteristics of both a love goddess and an underworld deity. The Etruscan formula ''alpan turce'' is equivalent to ''libens dedit,'' "gave freely or willingly," in Latin.<ref>Harmon, "Religion in the Latin Elegists," p. 1924, citing Robert Schilling, ''La religion romaine de Vénus depuis les origines jusqu'au temps d'Auguste,'' Bibliothèque des Écoles d'Athènes et de Rome 178 (Paris, 1954).</ref>

==References==
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==External links==
*{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Libitina |short=x}}

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[[Category:Death goddesses]]
[[Category:Roman goddesses]]