by Horatius Piscinus on Sat May 15, 2004 6:23 pm
Salvete
Gratias multas tibi, Romule, ago. Certe rite.
I might observe that the Manes can be a general term for the spirits of the dead, but there is often time a sense that the Manes are the collective ancestors of all Romans, and therefore that they watch over Rome with care. Going along with what Romulus said on the Penates Publici, I just finsished translating some prayers from Lucan's Pharsalia in which was this one:
IX.990
Gods of the cremated dead, who dwell within the ruins of Troy, and Lares of my Aeneas who now reside in the temples of Lavinium and Alba, where among their altars the fires of Troy still shine, and You, Pallas, whose pledge of safety was given with the Palladium, upon which no man may look, sheltered deep within Her shrine, look upon me, the most renowned descendent of your family. Piously I place incense upon Your ancient altars and rightly invoke You. Grant me success and happiness in all that follows and I shall restore Your people. In thanks shall the Italians restore Your Phrygian walls and a new Roman Troy arise!
A passage in Arnobius tried to identify those Di Penates Publici from Troy, with I think a late tradition:
Adversus Nationes III 43
Come, Dii Penates, come Apollo and Neptune and all You Gods, and by Your powers may You mercifully turn aside this ill disease that violently twists, scorches and burns our city with fever.
The Di parentes refers more to the Gods worshipped by our ancestors. Thus the all the Gods who watched over Rome, especially those worshipped in more ancient times, also with an understanding of these being the Gods of Troy, and also the Manes as well.
The penates of the household I would take to be like geni loci, either Manes or semidivi in dwelt in the place where the family home was built and came to be household gods, as well as the souls of the household, including deceased family members and servants alike. So you can say that the household penates is a special group among the Manes, just as your Lares would be. But I think the Manes would be thought as a certain group among the Di parentes.
Valete optime
M Horatius Piscinus
Sapere aude!