Ops in Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology

a female Roman divinity of plenty and fertility, as is indicated by her nane, which is connected with opinus, opuleidus, iopsq, anid copia. (Fest. p. 186. &c. ed. Miller.) She was regarded as the wife of Saturnus, and, accordingly, as the protectress of every thing connected with agriculture. Her abode was in the earth, and hence those who invoked her, or made vows to her, used to touch the ground (Macr. 1.10), and as she was believed to give to human beings both their place of abode and their food, newly-born children were recommended to her care. (August. de Ciu Dei, 4.11, 21.) Her worship was intimately connected with that of her husband Saturnus, for she had both temples and festivals in common with him; she had, however, also a separate sanctuary on the Capitol, and in the vicus jugarius, not far from the temple of Saturnus, she had an altar in common with Ceres. (Liv. 39.22; P. Vict. Req. Urb. viii ) The festivals of Ops are called Opalia and Opiconsivia, from her surname Consita, connected with the verb serere, to sow. (Fest. 1. c. ; Macr. 1.10, 12.) - A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology, William Smith, Ed.

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