Portunus - Portumnus

Portunus (or Portumnus ) is a rather complex expression of a sacred force, according to the Traditional Roman Spirituality Tradition, showing ancient origins. This force has been progressively confused and misunderstood: the interpretations of his real sacred functions, attributes, and role have remained, during the time course, limited to increasingly narrower spiritual circles.  

At present the interpretation of the sacred meaning and sense of Portunus is essentially made by historians or archaeologists who consequently can only provide a profane and superficial interpretation of this divine force. These profane interpretations have resulted in the ascription to Portunus of the label of  "God of Ports", which is only apparently true, and mere duplication of Janus. 

It is important to consider that in the past who was about to make a sea travel asked to Neptune salus et incolumitas to have a quiet sailing, as well as to Venus Sosandra (other divine force connected to water) or Fortuna Redux: but in private rites Portunus is never  mentioned. 

To understand the sacred role of this God, it is necessary to know the symbolic value of water, particularly the flowing waters, as the main element of the symbolic meaning of "navigation" and "sea travel". The flowing waters of the sea or rivers are, unlike the frozen waters, the expression of an incessant movement symbolizing on the one hand the flowing of the existence (in a very broad sense) and time and on the other hand the palingenesis process in the initiation rites (Water as a "salvation").

The existence is an incessant flowing similar to a river on which each of us is navigating: this flowing can be more or less stormy because of the presence of contrasting waves and tides. Like in sea or river navigation, also navigating in the flowing of the existence requires a landfall: this landfall cannot be placed anywhere, but only where it is possible to find calm waters. The landfall is therefore synonym of quiet waters: here our boat can  stop. Nonetheless a port is also a form of "interference" (like a bridge) in the natural order of things. The port (both in empirical and in symbolic terms) requires not only a well defined rite of foundation, but also the presence of a divine force who can continually safeguard it. Here is the place of Portunus (male polarity). 

The port (even in a symbolic sense) is therefore an element providing safety, security and  well-being, but it can also cause concern. The port is an access through which even what is "extraneous" (the "alien") can access the city: the port is a gate, a communication tool between the inside and the outside world. In this sense the port is like a door. Impure elements can then access the city. For this reason the ports were placed outside the sacred spaces: in Rome the Portus Tiberinus and the Temple of Portunus were placed outside the pomerium . What can be exposed to a potential contamination is therefore left out of the sacred spaces. This is also why the presence of a specific divine force is required to protect a space exposed to contamination.

Even in a symbolic sense it is possible to outline the role and function of Portunus. When we are involved in the routines of the everyday life, we often live unconsciously without realizing what we do just because we act automatically. We live without thinking. When,  by practicing spiritual exercises or practicing the otium, we stop or slow down our everyday life, we simbolically reach a landfall and we begin to think over our existence thus achieving awareness. When we undertake spiritual exercises, doing meditation and otium, we tend to improve our well-being but in these moments we can be also exposed to the risk to deal with painful experiences inherent to these process of awareness and self-consciuosness. Like in the case of a port, Portunus may act as a symbolic sacred filter preventing those thoughts that bring us anxiety to enter our "inner city". Portunus is therefore the premise to achieve well-being during meditation and otium because he "keeps out" those thoughts capable to cause anxiety and pain. Also in this case, Portunus supervises our symbolic port which is also an access door. Portus and Porta (port and door) are therefore closely related symbols, and this close bond in the Traditional Roman Spirituality (both empirically and symbolically) is confirmed by the fact that even in the Laws of the XII Tables the term portus is used as a synonym for home . 

Portus-Porta-Ianua. Portunus is then symbolically represented by a key. All of these elements make Portunus similar to Janus, also for the symbolism of the principle of "flowing". The cyclicity expressed by the Waters is therefore linked to the complex symbology of Janus (among which there is also a boat that is an initiation element).

Festivities dedicated to Portunus (Portunalia) are placed  on August 17th. The importance of  this God is also evidenced by the presence of a specific Flamen: the Flamen Portunalis .