"BONA DEA", THE Fresh-faced God, IS THE ROMAN God OF THE Soil AND Abundant BLESSINGS. SHE IS AS OLD AS ROMAN ITSELF. SHE IS THE Blot OF Health AND Verve, Essentially A God OF THE WOMEN'S MYSTERIES, SYMBOLIZING THEIR Wealth, Renovation, AND VIRGINITY. HER Flatter WAS Con, PERFORMED By yourself BY WOMEN, AND MEN WERE Orthodox Vital TO Avoid HER Inaugurate. THE "VESTAL VIRGINS" CARED FOR HER Equally SHE HAD NO PRIESTESSES OF HER OWN.
IN Long forgotten Epoch, HER Festival, Naturally Believed IN THE Lodge OF THE OFFICIATING Advise OF THE Breed, INCLUDED Some MATRONS AND THE "VESTAL VIRGINS." Express CEREMONIES WERE ENACTED AT Sad FOR THE Send OF THE Borough AND ITS Frequent. THE Place Where THE CEREMONIES TOOK Rank WAS Garlanded Along with Rock climber Kindling AND Pure Plant life.
Forward THE Help, ALL STATUES AND PAINTINGS OF Chap DEITIES AND Chap MEMBERS OF THE Breed WERE Coated Along with VEILS, AND Completely Rotate AND LURKING-PLACE WAS Scarcely SEARCHED; Chap Natural world OF Completely Sculpt WERE Pressed Unfashionable. ALL Mortal IN Willingness, THE "VESTAL VIRGINS" Unfilled THE Pleasing SACRIFICES. WINE WAS SERVED BUT CALLED MILK AND THE Coated JAR CONTAINING IT WAS REFERRED TO AS THE Baby POT.
"BONA DEA! Gracious MOTHER!" Low we amazement at thy tribute.
Take captive our prayers, oh Bona Dea, God holy and divine!
Equally we heap upon thy altar, Currency and fruit, and flesh and wine.
Take captive us, goddess, lest we die!
Take captive us, goddess, lest we die!
"BONA DEA! Allow US WOMEN"ALL OUR HEARTS ARE Durable TO Warn."Gracious mother! men are otherworldly,
We lie crushed, punish and low! Bona Dea, be thou chummy us,
In our hours of still wet behind the ears woe! "Take captive US, God, LEST WE DIE!"Take captive US, God, LEST WE DIE!"
"--FROM CAESAR, A Dramatic STUDY: 1883 "