Also called Carmentis, Nicostrate.
Their story
Carmenta was the prophetic mother of Evander, who led settlers from Arcadia to the site of Rome, and some said she adapted Greek letters into Latin. Her festival fell on 11 and 15 January, and leather, as a thing of death, was banned from her shrine. Plutarch tells that when women were forbidden to use carriages they refused to bear children until the ban was lifted, and the second day was added. She had two companions, Porrima and Postverta, linked to head-first and feet-first births.
Best times to give to them
- Carmentalia, 11 and 15 January
- Before a birth
What they like being given
- Grain cakes
- Water
- Flowers
- A spoken verse
How to honour them
- Keep leather away from her shrine, as the Romans did.
- Speak a short prophetic or hopeful verse for a coming child.
- Pray for safe labour for friends who are pregnant.
How they can help you
- Childbirth
- Foresight
- Writing and poetry
Symbols
- lyre
- written letters
- spring
Sources
- Ovid, Fasti 1
- Plutarch, Roman Questions 56
- Aulus Gellius, Attic Nights 16.16
More Roman goddesses
- Juno Queen of heaven and protector of women
- Minerva Patron of craftworkers, teachers and healers
- Venus Mother of the Roman people and goddess of love
- Diana Lady of the woodland grove and the moon
- Vesta The living flame at the heart of home and Rome
- Ceres Mother of the grain and friend of the common people
- Luna The moon, shining through the night
- Libera Partner of Liber in the Aventine triad