Virtus
Roman · deity · middle republic · Recorded classification
Virtus is courage in the field, and the word is built on vir, a man — the Romans did not separate the two. What makes her cult interesting is the architecture: her temple at the Porta Capena was joined to that of Honos in such a way that you had to pass through Virtus to reach Honos. Honour is on the far side of courage, and the building says so. Despite the etymology the deity is rendered female, as the noun is.
Domains
- courage
Relations
- ally: HonosPaired with Honos in a single temple complex, arranged so that the worshipper reached Honos only by passing through Virtus.Reference treatment of the paired temples of Honos and Virtus at the Porta Capena. (secondary)
Sources
- Virtus is the Roman goddess of courage, worshipped in the paired temple complex of Honos and Virtus at the Porta Capena.: Reference treatment of the temple(s) of Honos and Virtus and of Virtus among the personified virtues. (secondary)