Faunus

Faunus is the Roman counterpart of the Greek god Pan, who was said to have watched over shepherds and flocks. Faunus was mainly a benevolent spirit of the fields and forests; nothing in character similar to when compared with, the satyr of Greek mythology. In older Roman mythology, Faunus began as one of the di indigetes; otherwise known as the indigenous gods of the Romans, and not adopted from other mythologies. When it was Faunus who was patron of keeping the livestock and cattle fertile, he was known instead as Inuus.

Faunus had but one feminine companion, Fauna, whom was sometimes depicted as his wife, and sometimes as his sister, but always as his female counterpart. Some researchers have claimed that Faunus was the brother, or duplicate of the Roman wind god, Favonius, although there were more than one. Faunus was also accompanied by many smaller little faun babies, called “Fauni.” In other fables, Faunus is one of the kings of Latium. He has a son named Latinus, supposedly with a nymph named Marica. His grandfather was Saturnus, and his father Picus. According to the same fable, after his death he was promoted to a deity because of his many great services with caring for cattle and the fields.

Faunus was also sometimes known as the father of Fauna, though others have described him as a brother or husband, but hey, incest is pretty relative in mythology. The nymph Marica was also instead sometimes known as Faunus’ mother. Fauns in the plural form, the grown fauni of Faunus and Fauna, were “place-spirits” indigenous to untamed and wild forests. The Romans identified fauns with satyrs because of their free spirit, and orgiastic sexual proclivities. Justin Martyr, a Christian writer, identified Faunus as being Lupercus, another Roman deity who was part of Faunus’ ever-changing persona. Lupercus was a defender of sheep and cattle, meaning “he who holds off the wolf.”