Carmenta

Carmenta, Carmenae, Carmentis [Camenae.]

or Carmentis. An ancient Italian goddess of prophecy who protected women in childbirth. In Rome she had a priest attached to her, the flamen Carmentalis, and a shrine near the gate, under the Capitol, named after her Porta Carmentalis. On this spot the Roman matrons celebrated in her honour the festival of the Carmentalia, the flamen and pontifex assisting. Two Carmentae, called Porrima or Antevorta, and Postvorta, were worshipped as her sisters and attendants. These names were sometimes explained with reference to childbirth, sometimes as indicating the power of the goddess of fate to look into the past and future. In the legend of the foundation of Roma, Carmenta appears as the prophetic mother, or wife, of the Arcadian stranger Evander (q.v.). See Camenae.