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{{Short description|Shades or spirits in Roman mythology}}
{{distinguish|Lemurs}}
{{Ancient Roman religion}}
The '''{{Lang|la|lemures}}''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɛ|m|j|ə|r|iː|z}} were shades or spirits of the restless or malignant dead in [[Religion in ancient Rome|Roman religion]],<ref>{{Cite book|title=A Dictionary of Symbols|last=Cirlot|first=J. E.|publisher=Dorset Press|year=1971|isbn=9781566490542|edition=2nd|pages=181|author-link=Juan Eduardo Cirlot}}</ref> sometimes used interchangeably with the term '''{{Lang|la|{{illm|larvae|de|Larvae}}}}'''<!--"larva" is the main article in the following lang wiki: ca, de, es, pl, ru, sv--> {{IPAc-en|ˈ|l|ɑr|v|iː}} (from Latin {{Lang|la|larva}}, 'mask').<ref name="thaniel1973">
{{cite journal
| last1 = Thaniel
| first1 = George
| date = 1973
| title = Lemures and Larvae
| url = https://www.jstor.org/stable/294451
| journal = The American Journal of Philology
| volume = 94
| issue = 2
| pages = 182-187
| doi = 10.2307/294451
| access-date = 20 October 2024
}}
</ref>
{{Lang|la|lLmures}} is first used by Horace (in Epistles 2.2.209),<ref name="thaniel1973" /> and it is the more common literary term during the Augustan era -- {{Lang|la|larvae}} is used but once by Horace.<ref name="thaniel1973" /> However, even {{Lang|la|lamures}} is rare: It is used by the [[Augustan literature (ancient Rome)|Augustan poets]] [[Horace]] and [[Ovid]], the latter in his ''[[Fasti (Ovid)|Fasti]]'', the six-book [[Roman calendar|calendar]] poem on [[Roman festivals|Roman holidays]] and [[Religion in ancient Rome|religious customs]].<ref>Horace, ''Epistles'' 2.2.209; Ovid, ''Fasti'' 2.500-539.</ref>
Later the two terms were used nearly or completely interchangeably, e.g. by [[Augustine of Hippo|St. Augustine]] in [[City of God|De Civitate Dei]].<ref>
{{cite encyclopedia
| title = Lemures
| encyclopedia = A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology
| date =
| year = 1873
| last = Smith
| first = William
| publisher = Spottiswoode and Co.
| location = New-Street Square and Parliament Street
| id =
| url = https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0104%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DL%3Aentry+group%3D7%3Aentry%3Dlemures-bio-1
| access-date = 20 October 2024
}}
</ref>
The word {{Lang|la|lemures}} can be traced to the [[Proto-Indo-European language|Proto-Indo-European]] stem *''{{PIE|lem-}}'', which also appears in the name of the Greek monster [[Lamia]].<ref name="eiec">{{Cite encyclopedia |first1=Edgar C. |last1=Polomé |first2=Douglas Q. |last2=Adams |editor-first1=J. P. |editor-last1=Mallory |editor-first2=Douglas Q. |editor-last2=Adams |encyclopedia=[[Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture]] |title=Spirit |publisher=Taylor & Francis |year=1997 |page=538}}</ref>
==Description==
''{{Lang|la|Lemures}}'' may represent the wandering and [[vengeful spirit]]s of those not afforded proper burial, funeral rites or affectionate cult by the living: they are thus not attested by tomb or votive inscriptions. [[Ovid]] interprets them as vagrant, unsatiated and potentially vengeful ''[[Manes|di manes]]'' or ''[[parentalia|di parentes]]'', ancestral gods or spirits of the underworld. To him, the rites of their cult suggest an incomprehensibly archaic, quasi-magical and probably very ancient rural tradition.
''{{Lang|la|Lemures}}'' were formless and [[Liminal deity|liminal]], associated with darkness and its dread. In [[Roman Republic|Republican]] and [[Roman Empire|Imperial Rome]], May 9, 11, and 13 were dedicated to their placation in the household practices of {{Lang|la|Lemuralia}} or ''[[Lemuria (festival)|Lemuria]]''. The head of household (''[[paterfamilias]]'') would rise at midnight and cast black beans behind him with averted gaze; the ''{{Lang|la|Lemures}}'' were presumed to feast on them. Black was the appropriate colour for offerings to [[chthonic]] deities. [[William Warde Fowler]] interprets the gift of beans as an offer of life, and points out that they were a ritual pollution for priests of [[Jupiter (mythology)|Jupiter]].<ref>W. Warde Fowler, ''The Roman Festivals of the period of the Republic'', MacMillan (New York, 1899) ''Mensis Maius'', 106–10: {{ISBN?}}</ref> The {{Lang|la|lemures}} themselves were both fearsome and fearful: any malevolent shades dissatisfied with the offering of the ''paterfamilias'' could be startled into flight by the loud banging of bronze pots.<ref>Thaniel, G. (1973). Lemures and Larvae, ''The American Journal of Philology'', 94.2, 182–187.</ref><ref>Beard, M., North, J., Price, S. (1998). ''Religions of Rome'', Vol 1, 31, 50, Cambridge.</ref>
==In scientific Latin==
The {{Lang|la|lemures}} inspired [[Carl Linnaeus|Linnaeus]]'s Modern Latin backformation ''[[lemur]]'' (denoting a type of primates).  According to Linnaeus' own explanation, the name was selected because of the nocturnal activity and slow movements of the slender loris.<ref>A.R. Dunkel, J.S. Zijlstra, and C.P. Groves, C.P. (2011/2012). "Giant Rabbits, Marmosets, and British Comedies: Etymology of Lemur Names, part 1" Lemur News 16 (2100/12) 64–70. ISSN 1608-1439.[http://www.aeecl.org/lemurnews/lemurnews2011_16.pdf]</ref> Being familiar with the works of [[Virgil]] and [[Ovid]] and seeing an analogy that fit with his naming scheme, Linnaeus adapted the term ''lemur'' for these nocturnal primates.<ref>W. Blunt and W.T. Stearn, ''Linnaeus: The Compleat Naturalist'' (Princeton University Press, 2002), p. 252. 978-0-691-09636-0</ref> However, it has been commonly and falsely assumed that Linnaeus was referring to the ghost-like appearance, [[Tapetum lucidum|reflective eyes]], and ghostly cries of lemurs.<ref>Dunkel et al., "Giant Rabbits, Marmosets, and British Comedies," p. 65.</ref> In [[Goethe]]'s ''[[Goethe's Faust|Faust]]'', a chorus of Lemurs who serve [[Mephistopheles]] dig Faustus' grave.<ref>Goethe, ''Faust'' 11515-11611.</ref>
==In the English ''Daemonologie''==
{{main|Daemonologie}}
In the book by King [[James I of England]], ''Daemonologie, In Forme of a Dialogie, Divided into three Bookes'', it is written:
{{blockquote|Nowe I returne to my purpose: As to the first kinde of these spirites, that were called by the auncients by diuers names, according as their actions were. For if they were spirites that haunted some houses, by appearing in diuers and horrible formes, and making greate dinne: they were called {{lang|la|Lemures}} or {{lang|la|Spectra}}. If they appeared in likenesse of anie defunct to some friends of his, they wer called {{lang|la|vmbræ mortuorum}}: And so innumerable stiles they got, according to their actiones, as I haue said alreadie. As we see by experience, how manie stiles they haue given them in our language in the like maner: Of the appearing of these spirites, wee are certified by the Scriptures, [marginal note - ''Esay''. 13. ''Iere''. 50] where the Prophet ESAY 13. and 34. cap. threatening the destruction of ''Babell'' and ''Edom'': declares, that it shal not onlie be wracked, but shall become so greate a solitude, as it shall be the habitackle of Howlettes, and of ZIIM and IIM, which are the proper Hebrewe names for these Spirites. The cause whie they haunte solitarie places, it is by reason, that they may affraie and brangle the more the faith of suche as them alone hauntes such places. For our nature is such, as in companies wee are not so soone mooued to anie such kinde of feare, as being solitare, which the Deuill knowing well inough, hee will not therefore assaile vs but when we are weake: And besides that, GOD will not permit him so to dishonour the societies and companies of Christians, as in publicke times and places to walke visiblie amongst them. On the other parte, when he troubles certaine houses that are dwelt in, it is a sure token either of grosse ignorance, or of some grosse and slanderous sinnes amongst the inhabitantes thereof: which God by that extraordinarie rod punishes.<ref>{{cite book|last1=King James I of England|title=Daemonologie, In Forme of a Dialogie, Divided into three Bookes|date=1603|url=http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/25929}}</ref>}}
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
[[Category:Undead]]
[[Category:Roman underworld]]
[[Category:Ancient Roman religion]]
[[Category:Roman legendary creatures]]
[[Category:Demons]]
[[Category:Demonology]]
[[Category:Lamia]]
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