Genius (divinity) – Wikipedia

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In the Roman religion, the Genius (years. Genius , plural Genii ) is a spirit or, more correctly, a tutelary god, considered as the benevolent custodian of the fate of families but also of individuals. In an attempt to clarify its nature, approximate definitions have been given, such as “soul”, “vital principle”, “guardian angel”.

Winged genius, fresco from a Roman villa in Boscoreale

Despite the criticisms of Walter Otto, he generally thought (e.g. Kurt Latte and Georg Wissowa) who associated with each male corresponded to one corresponded Juno associated with each female and that this binomial genius Juno it dates back to the origins of Roman religious thought but according to Georges Dumézil [first] This would be a simple conjecture without foundation and the combination would have appeared much later. In fact, in the comedies of Plautus there are abundant references to the genius but none to Juno And you have to wait until Tibullo [2] Because you start talking about it. Furthermore, in an enrollment of the Republican age [3] Mention is made, as well as the Genius Thursday , also of Genius Victoriae (instead of a hypothetical Juno’s victory ). Originally, therefore, and until the Augustan age, the genius had to concern everyone, men and women.

The genius was defined by censorino [4] ‘ Whose protection to everyone was born alive ». And in fact the genius feast is the individual’s birthday, the Birthday [5] . It was considered a good spirit, a kind of guardian angel that was born with the individual, accompanied him and directs his actions during the entire life.

The part of the body in relation to the genius is the forehead. In fact, Servius says that “the forehead is consecrated to the genius, so when we venerate it we touch our forehead” (” The front of the creation of the Consecrated, wherever God’s teeth touching the front » [6] ).

The genius was usually depicted as a snake (in Cicero [7] , in Obushing Julius [8] , in the Larario of the Casa dei Vetti, in Pompeii).

The genius depicted like a snake, in the Larario of the Casa dei Vetti, in Pompeii.

There was no unique judgment on the fate of the genius after the death of the individual: according to Orazio it disappears [9] , according to Ovid not [ten] .

Over time and by analogy with men, a genius was also attributed to the gods. The oldest attestation is the aforementioned epigraph dating back to 58 BC.

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The attribution of the genius also extended to families (genius of landowner ), at the state, to the provinces, to the colleges, to the military units and the genius of the living emperor became the object of public worship with Augustus. Rome itself had a genius, of which Servius [11] Remember the dedication on a shield guarded on the Capitol: A genio of the city of Rome or mas or female . It is not clear whether the Genius of the Roman [twelfth] , depicted as a young man, whether the same genius of Rome or if he is a distinct divinity even if equivalent. This genius had a temple in the hole, near the temple of Concordia.

The attribution of a genius to every place was perhaps due to the assimilation of the genius with the lari found in censor [13] . In fact, Servio says that “no place is without a genius” (” No room without a genius » [14] ). However, it does not seem to have ever had the conception of a genius associated with inanimate things.

  • Genius 100 (Olegi) 100 (Entonariorum) Albensium Pompeius (Cil, v, 7595)
  • Genius College of Viventaries (Cil, vi, 4211)
  • Genius College of the tibicinum (Cil, vi, 240)
  • Genius centuries (Cil, VI, 207-211; 213-214; 217; 220-221)
  • Genius band (Cil, vi, 233)
  • Genius cohorts Praetorian (Cil, vi, 216)
  • Genius Sanctus Kast (Ras) by (egrinum) and the whole Army (Cil, vi, 36748)
  • Genius N (uppercase) horse singular (CIL, 31181)
  • Genius of the army (Cil, vi, 234)
  • GENIUS CONTRACT CANTON 2 (Cil, vi, 30886)
  • Genius company (Cil, vi, 225)
  • But this is often a solution seems to be asked, who is genius, curve the most of his own birthday. Genius is God, whose protection is that everyone is born. This is whether that we generates whether that one generated with us or even that we are born to receive and protects, at least a genius called. The same thing, the genius and many ancient memory, in one (contain) also Granius in the book, which to Caesar’s needs written left. In fact, we have all the power to be loosed in the maximum. Most of all age each year, although not only here, but also others are many people’s life for their own portion of those who want to know the needent books quite. However, all these people, too, the nature of their God, the whole life of the new religion, the genius of the taxpayer is the observer, so that the time of time, but from the mother’s womb . (Censorini On Christmas book to Q. CoR)

The genius corresponds to genetlion O daimon of the Greeks and other mythical figures of various types, whose cult was widespread in the peoples of antiquity and which have substantially represented the first forms of what is today the cult of angels.

By extension, the term genius is used to also indicate minor mythological figures present in various traditions, spirits of a benevolent or evil character, connected to nature and aspects of existence (genes of the forest, rivers, love, fertility, etc.).

  1. ^ Georges Dumézil, The archaic Roman religion , Milano, Rizzoli, 1977, pp. 10-1 262-263, ISBN 88-17-86637-7
  2. ^ Whites tibullo, Carmina . are thelatinlibrary.com , III;; 19, 15 O Ii, 6, 4, 4, on the Dona The Latin Library .
  3. ^ CIL IX, 3513, year 58 BC
  4. ^ Censorino, On the birthday book . are thelatinlibrary.com , thirty first.
  5. ^ Censorino, On the birthday book . are thelatinlibrary.com , 2, 3.
  6. ^ Servius, comment on Aeneid , III, 607 , as well Perseus Project .
  7. ^ Guide, The divination . are thelatinlibrary.com , 1, 36.
  8. ^ Giulio Ossequente, 58.
  9. ^ Orazio, Epistles , II , 2, 183.
  10. ^ Ovidio, Splendor , II , 545: « He was the father of the genius of the solemn gifts of the carrier “(” He led to his father’s genius Doni according to the rite “).
  11. ^ Servius, comment on the Aeneid, 2, 351
  12. ^ Dion, 47, 2, 3; 50, 8, 2.
  13. ^ Censorino, 3, 1.
  14. ^ Servius, comment on Aeneid , 5, 95 .
  • Genius , in TRECCANI.IT – encyclopedia online , Rome, Institute of the Italian Encyclopedia. URL consulted on February 5, 2019 .

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