Libitina

Latin > English (Lewis & Short)

Lĭbĭtīna: ae, f. libet, līber,
I the goddess of corpses, in whose temple everything pertaining to burials was sold or hired out, and where the registers of deaths were kept.
I Lit.: triginta funerum milia in rationem Libitinae venerunt, were registered, Suet. Ner. 39.—
II Transf.
   A The requisites for burial, the apparatus of funerals: pestilentia tanta erat ut Libitina vix sufficeret, i. e. it was hardly possible to bury all the dead, Liv. 40, 19, 3: ne liberorum quidem funeribus Libitina sufficiebat, id. 41, 21, 6.—
   2    Esp., a bier, a funeral pile: dum levis arsura struitur libitina papyro, Mart. 10, 97; Plin. 37, 3, 11, § 45.—
   3    The undertaker's business, the disposal of corpses: Libitinam exercere, Val. Max. 5, 2, 10.—
   B Death (poet.): multaque pars mei Vitabit Libitinam, Hor. C. 3, 30, 6; cf. id. S. 2, 6, 19: Libitinam evadere, Juv. 14, 122; Phaedr. 4, 18 fin.>

Latin > French (Gaffiot 2016)

Lĭbĭtīna,¹⁴ æ, f.,
1 déesse des morts : Suet. Nero 39
2 appareil des funérailles : Liv. 40, 19, 3 || cercueil : Mart. 10, 97, 1 ; Plin. 37, 45 || administration des pompes funèbres : Val. Max. 5, 2, 10 || la Mort [poét.] : Hor. O. 3, 30, 7 ; Juv. 14, 122.

Latin > German (Georges)

Libitīna, ae, f., I) die Leichengöttin, in deren Tempeln man Bahren u. andere zur Leichenbestattung nötige Geräte, nebst allen Leuten, die man dazu brauchte, mieten konnte u. die Totenlisten geführt wurden, quaestus Libitinae acerbae, Hor.: funera in rationem Libitinae venerunt, wurden verzeichnet, Suet. Ner. 39, 1. – II) meton.: 1) die Leichenrequisiten, pestilentia tanta erat, ut Libitina vix sufficeret, daß sie kaum alle begraben werden konnten, Liv. 40, 19, 3: ne liberorum (Freien) quidem funeribus Libitina sufficiebat, Liv. 41, 21, 6. – insbes., die Totenbahre, Mart. 10, 97. Plin. 37, 45. – 2) das Leichenbesorgeramt, libitinam exercere, Val. Max. 5, 2, 10. – 3) das Leichenbegängnis, der Leichenzug, Amm. 19, 12, 1 u. 29, 2, 15. – 4) der Tod, Hor. carm. 3, 30, 7. Iuven. 14, 122.

Latin > English

Libitina Libitinae N F :: Libitina, goddess of funerals

Wikipedia EN

Libitina, also Libentina or Lubentina, is an ancient Roman goddess of funerals and burial. Her name was used as a metonymy for death, and undertakers were known as libitinarii. Libitina was associated with Venus, and the name appears in some authors as an epithet of Venus.

The grove (lucus) of Libitina was located on the Esquiline Hill, as were several religious sites indicating that the area had "unhealthy and ill-omened" associations. A public cemetery was located outside the Esquiline Gate, in the Campus Esquilinus. A temple of Venus in the grove of Libitina celebrated its founding anniversary August 19, the day of the Vinalia Rustica. When a person died, the treasury of the temple collected a coin as a "death tax" supposed to have been established by Servius Tullius. During a plague in 65 AD, 30,000 deaths were recorded at the temple. Livy notes two occasions when the death toll exceeded Libitina's capacity. A panel (collegium) of funeral directors (dissignatores) was based in the grove of Libitina.

Libitina is sometimes regarded as Etruscan in origin. The name is perhaps derived from Etruscan lupu-, "to die." Varro, however, offers a Latin etymology from lubere, "to be pleasing," related to libido, that attempts to explain the goddess's connection to Venus. Venus Lubentina or Libitina may result from an identification with the Etruscan Alpanu (also as Alpan or Alpnu) who had characteristics of both a love goddess and an underworld deity. The Etruscan formula alpan turce is equivalent to libens dedit, "gave freely or willingly," in Latin.