Febris

Febris is the Latin word for fever which the English word "fever" has originated from. The word febris is from Proto-Italic *feɣʷris, from Proto-Indo-European *dʰegʷʰris (which is an extension of the root *dʰegʷʰ- meaning “to burn, warm”). Her name is often translated to English as Fever.

Some of Juno's epithets are spelt similarly to Febris' name, such as Februalis, Februata, Februa which are also of the same etymological root as febris.

Febris had at least three temples in ancient Rome, of which one was located between the Palatine and Velabrum.Valerius Maximus, Nine Books of Memorable Deeds and Sayings, 2. 5. 6Cicero, On The Laws, 2. 11Cicero, On The Nature of Gods, 3. 25Claudius Aelianus,

[http://penelope.uchicago.edu/aelian/ Various History], 12. 11 The second temple was on the Esquiline and the last on the Vicus Longus.Grimal, 1989.{{fcn|date=September 2022}} Febris' temples were visited by people with fevers. In those temples, people wore protective amulets against diseases, especially malaria at the time. [http://www.mythindex.com/roman-mythology/F/Febris.html Myth Index - Febris] - {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926023635/http://mythindex.com/roman-mythology/F/Febris.html |date=26 September 2011}} She was invoked with the formula Febris diva, Febris sancta, Febris magna (Divine Fever, Holy Fever, Great Fever).{{cite book |last=Singer|first=Charles|year=1928|title=From Magic to Science: Essays on the Scientific Twilight|publisher=Boni and Liveright |location=Nueva York|page=17|language=en |url=http://www.questia.com/read/88840560/from-magic-to-science-essays-on-the-scientific-twilight |access-date=19 September 2017|url-access=subscription}}{{cite book|last=Bell |first=John |year=1790 |title=New pantheon, or, Historical dictionary of the gods, demi-gods, heroes, and fabulous personages of antiquity|page=309|location=Londres |url=https://archive.org/stream/bellsnewpantheo00bellgoog#page/n318/mode/2up |access-date=14 September 2017}} An inscription, which was later revealed to be a possible forgery,Burke, Paul F.. "Malaria in the Greco-Roman World: A Historical and Epidemiological Survey". Band 37/3. Teilband Philosophie, Wissenschaften, Technik. Wissenschaften (Medizin und Biologie [Forts.]), edited by Wolfgang Haase, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1996, pp. 2252-2281. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110809008-005 saying Febri Divae, Febri Sanctae, Febri Magnae, Camilla Amata pro filio male affecto was discovered in Transylvania.

File:Februa februarius.jpg

An inscription dedicated to Quartana in Nemausus, Gaul, dated to the third century (CIL 12.3129) and another inscription dedicated to Tertiana in Habitancum (Risingham), Northern England (CIL 7.999) were discovered.Tavenner, Eugene. “Notes on the Development of Early Roman Religion.” The Classical Weekly, vol. 11, no. 13, 1918, pp. 97–102. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/4387581. Accessed 10 Dec. 2022.

The Ancient Greeks under Roman rule may have worshipped a similar fever god named Pyretos (Πυρετός,Unlike the Latin word for fever febris, which is feminine, the Greek word for fever πυρετός is masculine. This explains why the Greek fever deity would be male. {{literal translation|fever}}), the analogous translation of the Roman goddess Febris. Febris might have been worshipped in the Medieval-era Christian Rome disguised under the name Madonna delle Febbri (or della Febbre) as one of her temples is known to be converted into a church. The cult of Febris could be as old as the Roman civilisation.

Febris appears with Hercules in the sixth part of Apocolocyntosis. She reveals that Claudius was a "German Gaul" and a liar along with many other things about him when Claudius lied to Jupiter about himself. This made Emperor Claudius angry, Claudius expressed his wrath by shouting unintelligible words that nobody understood, except for the order by a hand gesture for Febris to be beheaded. However, his wish was dismissed.

===Poliziano's In Albieram Albitiam puellam formosissimam morientem (1473)===

Febris was included as a character in the Italian poet Angelo Poliziano's Latin work In Albieram Albitiam puellam formosissimam morientem. Poliziano's Febris is his own fictional depiction rather than an actual mythological depiction. Perosa, Alessandro, et al. “Febris: A Poetic Myth Created by Poliziano.” Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, vol. 9, 1946, pp. 74–95. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/750310. Accessed 15 Nov. 2022.

Febris appears to a dying young woman named Albiera degli Albizzi. Despite never being physically described previously, Poliziano depicted Febris holding a torch in one hand and a snowball in the other, in a chariot drawn by monster-like lions which was accompanied by a train of monsters. She was described as looking "gruesome", similar to Erinyes, as opposed to the beauty of Albiera degli Albizzi. She gives a deadly poison to sick Albizzi after saying "those who live sweet, die sweet" and then flies away with the lions.

• Februus
• Jvarasura; god of fever and disease in Hindu mythology
• List of health deities

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• [http://www.mythindex.com/roman-mythology/F/Febris.html Myth Index - Febris] - {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110926023635/http://mythindex.com/roman-mythology/F/Febris.html |date=26 September 2011}}
• {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20101203051057/http://www.ancientlibrary.com/smith-bio/1250.html William Smith Smith, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, v. 2, page 142]}}

Category:Health deities

Category:Health goddesses

Category:Roman goddesses

Category:Malaria

Category:Ancient Roman medicine

Category:Roman deities

{{Ancient Roman medicine}}