Flora was the goddess of vegetation, gardens, flowering and the season of spring. She has even been called the mother of flowers. Her cult was one of the oldest cults in Italy, which

Flora (Chloris)

Flora was the goddess of vegetation, gardens, flowering and the season of spring. She has even been called "the mother of flowers." Her cult was one of the oldest cults in Italy, which spread into Greece and later into Rome, where it drew to a head. In honor of the goddess a temple near the Circus Maximus was built, where the cult of Flora was led by the priest called Flaminio. Also, Romans made coins of the republic with a representation of Flora’s head, distinguished only by a floral crown.

Some myths about her are recorded in Ovid’s Fasti, Book V. A nymph called Chloris was kissed by the God of the West Wind, Zephyrus, and was turned into Flora. Another myth said that Flora was a rich Roman courtesan, who left a considerable fortune to the Roman people and bequeath to honor her memory in games and celebrations. To ensure that people have forgotten the origin of these obscene games, the Roman Senate feigned the legend of the nymph Flora, who married Zephyr, the god of a warm, spring wind, who made her mistress of flowers. Before the goddess took her dominion over the earth, the earth was a single color and empty. As soon as Flora threw some seeds in the soil, the ground was covered with a bright dress. She was subject to the grain fields, vineyards, olive groves, valleys and apiaries, orchards and flowering meadows. Her son, Nestor, the famous hero of antiquity, along with Odysseus took part in the Trojan War.

While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime. Once the Roman people did not show proper respect to Flora and were punished. It was only when the Romans established a festival in honor of the goddess, Floralia, Flora again turned her favorable view to Rome and made the land in full bloom. The festival was held between April 28 and May 3 and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life. The festival was first instituted in 240 B.C., and during it Romans used to wear bright-colored clothes and drank a lot.

Flora's power extended to the world of men, and she became the patroness of youth and girlhood. Flora owned a special flower whose touch provided the birth of a new plant, baby animal, a child or a deity. According to Ovid, Flora helped Juno—who was angry that Jupiter had produced Minerva from his own head—to become pregnant with Mars by giving her a magic flower. Once, when Juno was hurt by the unfaithfulness of her husband - the supreme god Jupiter, she decided to give birth to a child without his help. Juno went to the ocean, the mighty river flowing around the whole world, to start looking out potions that would help her to make a wish. On the way, Juno stopped at the house where the goddess Flora lived. Flora called Juno and asked her where she kept her way. Juno told Flora about her offense. Flora did feel for her and gave her a magic flower. As soon as Juno touched her body with the flower, she immediately felt baby in the depths of her womb. Happy, she went to the East Thrace, where her son, Mars, was born. When Mars grew, he remembered the goddess Flora and commanded that she would live with him in the great Rome, founded by his son Romulus.

In the history of Art Flora achieved more prominence in the neo-pagan revival of Antiquity among Renaissance humanists than she had ever enjoyed in ancient Rome. She was often portrayed as a young girl, holding or scattering flowers, sometimes with a thyrsus or with a horn of plenty in her hands.

Painter of French classicism Nicola Poussin (1594-1665) in addition to the famous painting "The Kingdom of Flora"(1632), which combines many ancient stories and mythological characters, painted "The Triumph of Flora"(1631). The Goddess seated on a triumphal chariot drawn by two cupids. In the foreground shows a nymph Kelita, collecting heliotrope. In the left corner of the canvas we see Adonis with a spear on his shoulder and flowers in his hands and on his head, then – Hyacinth, Ajax in full military garb, bringing Flora flowers on his shield. Behind the procession is Narcissus with a basket of flowers on his head.

Another well-known painting on the same subject is «Flora» (1634) by Rembrandt(1606-1669), which we can see in the Hermitage. In 1634 Rembrandt married Saskia van Eylenbyurh. The artist painted his wife, who wear a fancy dress and a flower wreath, in the image of the goddess Flora. Goldweave clothes that drowns slim figure Saskia, wreathed with flowers rod which she holds in her right hand and a flower wreath flowing down her hair make her look like some kind of a fairy princess, in a way which the artist captures not only a portrait of the most Saskia, how much a portrait of his love.

Vocabulary

To draw to a head- достигать апогея

to left a considerable fortune – оставить значительное состояние

to bequeath- завещать

to feign- притворяться, выдумывать, сочинять

grove- роща

apiaries- пасеки

potions

prominence- известность

scattering- разбрасывающая

thyrsus- тирс (жезл)

horn of plenty- рог изобилия

Дата добавления: 2015-11-04