Mundus

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'''Mundus patet'''
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A '''''lapis manalis''''' ([[Latin]]: "stone of the [[Manes]]" was either of two sacred stones used in the [[Religion in ancient Rome|Roman religion]].  One covered a gate to [[Hades]], abode of the dead; Festus called it ''ostium Orci'', "the gate of [[Orcus]]".  The other was used to make rain; this one may have no direct relationship with the ''Manes'', but is instead derived from the verb ''manare'', "to flow". 
  
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As part of the ritual by which Romulus founded Roma antiqua, he set the quadrata atop the Palatine as the center of his City. At its center was dug the ''mundus'' that was a concave pit that Cato said represented the counterpart to the concave vault of the Heavens above.<ref>Festus 1.c</ref> Popular belief was that this pit was covered for most of the year by the ''lapis manalis''.<ref>Festus s. v.</ref> When opened the entrance way to the infernal regions lay opened as well: "Mundus cum patet, Deorum tristium atque inferum ianua patet".<ref>Macrobius, ''Saturnalia'' 1.16.18</ref> Offerings were therefore placed in the ''mundus'' for Maiores nostrum. Three times a year - 24 August, 5 October, and 5 November, the ''mundus'' was uncovered.  It was a night when it was believed that the dead emerged to commune with the living.
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The two stones had the same name.  However, the grammarian [[Sextus Pompeius Festus|Festus]] held the cover to the gate of the underworld and the rainmaking stone to be two distinct stones.<ref>Sextus Pompeius Festus, ''[http://remacle.org/bloodwolf/erudits/Festus/m.htm De verborum significatione]'', sub. tit. ''manalis'' (Latin and French text)</ref>
  
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==Sources==
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==Gate to the underworld==
  
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Macrobius, ''Saturnalia'' 1.16.18; Fowler, W. W. (1899) ''The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Roman Republic'', London.
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One such stone covered the '''''[[Glossary of ancient Roman religion#mundus|mundus]] [[Ceres (mythology)|Cereris]]''''', a pit thought to contain an entrance to the [[underworld]].  Most cities of [[Latium]] and [[Etruria]] contained a similar pit or ditch; [[Plutarch]] describes the custom of a ''mundus'' as being of [[Etruscans|Etruscan]] origin, and states that it was used as a place where first-fruits were deposited.<ref>Plutarch, ''[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Romulus*.html#11 Life of Romulus]'' ch. 11.</ref>  The Latin word ''mundus'' simply meant "[[world]]".  Festus, quoting [[Cato the Elder|Cato]] this time, explains that:
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:''Mundo nomen impositum est ab eo mundo qui supra nos est.''
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::(The ''mundus'' gets its name from that world which is above us.)<ref>W. Warde Fowler, "[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/journals/JRS/2/Mundus*.html Mundus Patet]", ''Journal of Roman Studies'', Vol. 2 (1912), pp 25‑33.</ref>
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The Roman ''mundus'' was located in the [[Comitium]]<ref>Plutarch, supra.</ref>, on the [[Palatine Hill]].  This stone was ceremonially opened three times a year, during which  spirits of the blessed dead (the ''Manes'') were able to commune with the living.  The three days upon which the ''mundus'' was opened were August 24, October 5, and November 8.  Fruits of the harvest were offered to the dead at this time.<ref>Lesley Adkins and Roy A. Adkins, ''Dictionary of Roman Religion'' (Facts on File, 1996) ISBN 0-8160-3005-7</ref><ref>Fowler, above</ref> [[Macrobius]], quoting [[Marcus Terentius Varro|Varro]], says of these days that:
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:''Mundus cum patet, deorum tristium atque inferum quasi ianua patet.''
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::("When the ''mundus'' is open, it is as if a door stands open for the sorrowful gods of the underworld.")
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Accordingly, he reports that military and public matters were not transacted upon them, even though they were not ''[[fasti|dies nefasti]]''.<ref>Macrobius, ''[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/L/Roman/Texts/Macrobius/Saturnalia/1*.html#16.18 Saturnalia]'' I 16.18</ref>
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==Charm to make rain==
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The other was used as part of a ceremony called the '''''aquaelicium''''' (Latin: "calling the waters") which sought to produce [[rain]] in times of [[drought]].<ref>Sir [[James Frazer]], ''[[The Golden Bough]]'' ch. 5, "[[s:The Golden Bough/The Magical Control of the Weather|Magical Control of the Weather]]" (Abridged edition, MacMillan, 1922)</ref> During the ceremony, the ''[[pontifex|pontifices]]'' had the stone brought from its usual resting place, a temple of [[Mars (mythology)|Mars]] near the [[Porta Capena]], into the [[Roman Senate|Senate]].  Offerings were made to [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]] petitioning for rain, and water was ceremonially poured over the stone.<ref>Cyril Bailey, ''[http://www.gutenberg.org/files/18564/18564-8.txt The Religion of Ancient Rome]'', ch. 2 (Archibald, Constable & Co., London, 1907)</ref>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
 
[[Category:Roman religion]]
 
[[Category:Roman religion]]

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A lapis manalis (Latin: "stone of the Manes" was either of two sacred stones used in the Roman religion. One covered a gate to Hades, abode of the dead; Festus called it ostium Orci, "the gate of Orcus". The other was used to make rain; this one may have no direct relationship with the Manes, but is instead derived from the verb manare, "to flow".

The two stones had the same name. However, the grammarian Festus held the cover to the gate of the underworld and the rainmaking stone to be two distinct stones.[1]

Gate to the underworld

One such stone covered the mundus Cereris, a pit thought to contain an entrance to the underworld. Most cities of Latium and Etruria contained a similar pit or ditch; Plutarch describes the custom of a mundus as being of Etruscan origin, and states that it was used as a place where first-fruits were deposited.[2] The Latin word mundus simply meant "world". Festus, quoting Cato this time, explains that:

Mundo nomen impositum est ab eo mundo qui supra nos est.
(The mundus gets its name from that world which is above us.)[3]

The Roman mundus was located in the Comitium[4], on the Palatine Hill. This stone was ceremonially opened three times a year, during which spirits of the blessed dead (the Manes) were able to commune with the living. The three days upon which the mundus was opened were August 24, October 5, and November 8. Fruits of the harvest were offered to the dead at this time.[5][6] Macrobius, quoting Varro, says of these days that:

Mundus cum patet, deorum tristium atque inferum quasi ianua patet.
("When the mundus is open, it is as if a door stands open for the sorrowful gods of the underworld.")

Accordingly, he reports that military and public matters were not transacted upon them, even though they were not dies nefasti.[7]

Charm to make rain

The other was used as part of a ceremony called the aquaelicium (Latin: "calling the waters") which sought to produce rain in times of drought.[8] During the ceremony, the pontifices had the stone brought from its usual resting place, a temple of Mars near the Porta Capena, into the Senate. Offerings were made to Jupiter petitioning for rain, and water was ceremonially poured over the stone.[9]

References

  1. ↑ Sextus Pompeius Festus, De verborum significatione, sub. tit. manalis (Latin and French text)
  2. ↑ Plutarch, Life of Romulus ch. 11.
  3. ↑ W. Warde Fowler, "Mundus Patet", Journal of Roman Studies, Vol. 2 (1912), pp 25‑33.
  4. ↑ Plutarch, supra.
  5. ↑ Lesley Adkins and Roy A. Adkins, Dictionary of Roman Religion (Facts on File, 1996) ISBN 0-8160-3005-7
  6. ↑ Fowler, above
  7. ↑ Macrobius, Saturnalia I 16.18
  8. ↑ Sir James Frazer, The Golden Bough ch. 5, "Magical Control of the Weather" (Abridged edition, MacMillan, 1922)
  9. ↑ Cyril Bailey, The Religion of Ancient Rome, ch. 2 (Archibald, Constable & Co., London, 1907)
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