Page:Greek and Roman Mythology.djvu/168

 154 GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY calia, which was celebrated there on the 15th of February, at which the Luperci, i.e. the priests of Faunus Lupercus (' little wolf), girded with goatskins, but otherwise naked, tried to secure fruitfulness for man, beast, and field by running round the ancient limits of the town's territory. In harmony with this custom Faunus himself was rep- resented naked, with goatskin, garland, cornucopia, and drinking horn. 200. Very closely related to Faunus was Silvlnus, the spirit of the forest ; but his activity, as his name indi- cates, was confined exclusively to the forest, and there- fore in his representations in art he wears a pine wreath, and carries a pine branch on his arm. He, as well as Faunus, frightened the lonesome wanderer by the prophe- sying voices of the forest. Silvanus especially protected boundaries and property in general. In the luxuriant productiveness of the fields and vine- yards the Romans thought they saw the particular activ- ity of Liber and his wife Libera, who, like Juppiter Liber, being designated by their names bountiful dispensers of plenty, were afterwards regularly identified with Diony- sus and Persephone. The name of the latter was changed in Italy to the form Proserpina. Similarly, gardens and their fruit trees were under the special protection of Vertumnus, who was supposed to change his form as the gardens themselves changed their appearance in the varying seasons, and of Pomona, the beautiful dispenser of fruits, either of whom could be recognized by the ever present pruning knife. 201. Among the goddesses of fruitfulness Fauna (Bona Dea) took precedence. Her most noted sanctuary at Rome was situated at the foot of the Aventine hill. The anni-