21.06.2013 Views

Final Draft - Preview Matter - Florida State University

Final Draft - Preview Matter - Florida State University

Final Draft - Preview Matter - Florida State University

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

Period in Rome as can be seen in art and in literature such as the Odes of Horace and much of<br />

Ovid’s work. 309<br />

The name of the god may also have been derived from the verb to speak, fari. 310 This<br />

etymology offered by Varro, relates to the prophetic powers of the god and the great noises he<br />

makes. In the Aeneid Book VII, Latinus seeks oracular advice from his father, Faunus,<br />

concerning the wedding of his daughter Lavinia. 311 According to Cicero in the De Divinatione,<br />

the fauni were also often heard making noise in the woods, particularly during battles. 312 Varro,<br />

Vergil, and Cicero all point to the prophetic power of Faunus and the Fauni. 313 It may be that the<br />

howls of wolves heard in the night were the strange noises that partly inspired this etymology.<br />

Wolves are quite vocal at different times of the year and would, no doubt, have left more of an<br />

impression on a listener than the bleating of goats. 314<br />

This last reference is important for demonstrating the link between Faunus and Silvanus.<br />

Livy’s account of the battle near the Arsian forest between the Etruscans and Romans records the<br />

prodigy of a voice heard from the forest announcing that the Etruscans had lost one more man<br />

than the Romans, who should be declared the victors. 315 Livy records this voice as belonging to<br />

Silvanus, but here Silvanus is performing a function ascribed to the fauni by Cicero in the De<br />

Divinatione. 316 These two pieces of evidence would not be enough to identify Faunus with<br />

Silvanus by themselves, but there are other literary sources to support the identification. For<br />

example, the Origo gentis Romanae of Pseudo-Aurelius Victor states, “The majority have said<br />

that Faunus is the same as Silvanus from the woods, also the god Inuus, who is certainly Pan.” 317<br />

309<br />

The Odes of Horace that contain references to Faunus as the patron of shepherds are I.4, I.17, I.22, III.18. In<br />

these poems, Faunus is mentioned as warding away wolves and sending the omen of the peaceful wolf. Noonan<br />

(1993, 113) takes these references to mean that the god was inherently lupine in nature. Perhaps we can interpret the<br />

peaceful wolf as an epiphany of the god.<br />

310<br />

Varro Ling. VII.36.<br />

311<br />

Verg. Aen. VII.80-6.<br />

312<br />

Cic. Div. I.101.<br />

313<br />

Palmer (1974, 79-83) notes that Faunus may also have granted his worshippers prophecies through the practice of<br />

incubation, which was tied to chthonic powers.<br />

314 For the details of wolf communication see Harrington and Asa 2003, 66-103.<br />

315 Livy Peri. II.VII.2.<br />

316 Cic. Div. I.XLV.101.<br />

317 Pseudo-Aurelius Victor Origo Gentis Romanae III.6. Latin Text taken from Pseudo-Aurelius Victor, Les<br />

Origines du Peuple Romain, edited by Jean-Claude Richard, Paris: Budé/Belles Lettres, 1983. (Translation by<br />

Author.)<br />

“Hunc Faunum plerique eundem Silvanum a silvis, Inuum deum, quidam etiam Pana esse dixerunt.” The name<br />

Inuus presents its own complications. Holleman (1974, 96) notes that nightmares are characterized as hairy demons<br />

that strangle their victims in their sleep.<br />

64

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!