Mythology of Italy

Mythology of Italy refers to the mythology of people living in Italy.

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Major pantheons
This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
Mythology Remarks Notes
Roman mythology Castor and Pollux In Roman mythology, Castor and Pollux were twin brothers, together known as the Dioscuri. [1][2]
Etruscan mythology Tages He was a founding prophet of Etruscan religion who is known from reports by Latin authors of the late Roman republic and Roman empire. [3]

Gods and Goddesses

Important Gods and Goddesses of Italian Mythology:

  • Anteros is the Italian God of love and passion. Specifically, Anteros is the God of mutual love and would punish those who did not reciprocate love.
  • Aradia is the Italian witch Goddess. She protects women against the aggression of masculine faith and symbolizes the air element and the moon.
  • Carmenta is the Goddess of spells, known for chanting incantations in verse to ease the pains of women in labor and children facing illness.
  • Februus is the Italian God of purification who lives in the underworld.
  • Fortuna is the Goddess of fate and fortune and also bringer of fertility.
  • Jana is the Goddess of the Moon, said to have 2 faces. One faces the past, and the other faces the future.
  • Jove is the Sky God. He is the equivalent of Jupiter of Roman mythology who is the King of all other Gods.
  • Nox is the Goddess of the night, the beginning of all things, and one of the oldest of the Gods.
  • Umbria is Goddess of shadows, secrets, darkness who lives in the underworld.

Cultural phenomena

Malocchio or the Evil Eye

The Evil Eye is not just a part of Italian folklore but is also present in many different cultures. Each of these cultures have their own versions of the Evil Eye. However, the Evil Eye is very prominent in Italian culture and still a common superstition today among Italians and Italian-Americans. The Evil Eye is a look one gives another to put bad luck upon one either causing one misfortune or causing a type of mild physical pain. This look is cast by someone typically because of jealousy and envy. However Italian culture has two ways to counteract the Evil Eye. These are the Italian Horn, or the “Cornuto” and the “Mano Carnuto”, the hand horn. The Italian Horn is a pendant often worn on a necklace in a shape similar to a chili pepper. This pendant is often in gold or coral and is said to be sacred to the Moon Goddess. This is meant to ward off evil spirits as well. The “Mano Carnuto” is the formation of a hand in a fist with the pinky finger and index finger extended. This is also supposed to ward of negative vibes and the Evil Eye. Both of these counteractions are of Italian origins.

See also

References
  1. /daɪˈɒskjəraɪ/; Latin: Dioscūrī; Greek: Διόσκουροι Dioskouroi "sons of Zeus"
  2. Castor Troy and Pollux Troy are villains (brothers) that appear in the 1997 film Face/Off.
  3. "Etruscan mythology". pasthound.com. Retrieved 20 September 2012.
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