He-wolf and She-wolf

March is a period strongly permeated by the generating energy of Mars and Nerio. Symbol-animal of this generative force is the wolf and especially the she-wolf, highly shaping all the aspects of the traditional Roman culture and spirituality.




It is almost superfluous to remember that the twins Romulus and Remus are abandoned and then a she-wolf breast-fed them with her milk and saved them from death. She becomes one of the main symbols of Rome. The symbology of the wolf can be found not only in the generation festivals (Lupercalia ) but also in the Roman army (the signifer and its magical-liturgical role).

 

In short, it is clear that there are many and complex aspects, issues and implications I certainly can not discuss in detail here.

One aspect I can now mention, even if just briefly, is the man-wolf and the wolf-woman. These particular figures were once very common in many areas of Central Italy: now they have been completely forgotten. In some cases they also gave life to the myth of werewolf and werewolves but things are much more complex.

In many mountain areas of the Central-Southern Apennines (but not only) the image of the wolf-men and the wolf-women were very deep-rooted as confirmed in many geographical sites' names. One relevant example is the sacred place of irradiation of Mount Soratte, a focal point of the worship of Apollo Soratus . This Deity of the woods had natural sanctuaries guarded by the Hyrpi and the Hyrpae, men and women dressed with wolf skins.

This example has many similarities, albeit with remarkable differences, with other wild figures such as the Rex Nemorensis and Diana (Apollo's female polarity). Irpinia, Sora, Soriano nel Cimino, Sovana, Sorano, etc ... are all places connected with this God and with the wolf-men and the wolf-women.

Mount Soratte

 

The symbolism of the wolf and the she-wolf, which is directly assumed by the wolf-men and the lupe-women, is twofold, as in other similar symbols. Surely there is a wild powerful force giving life as well as death (see my previous post on Bona Dea). It is important to highlight that the she-wolf of Rome is a mother who feeds, who saves two children (back Bona Dea): there is no ferocity, there is no violence. Not accidentally the she-wolf is associated with the sow : who knows the Roman sacred symbolism can easily interpret the correlation.

Men and women covered with skins of wolves and faces stained with animal blood have for centuries passed through the mountains and forests in central Italy, guardians of the secrets of trees, plants, animals and the deepest places in the woods. They were the personification of the sacredness of these places. Obviously, in the action of eradicating traditional culture and spirituality these figures have been associated with werewolves, witches, demons and the all the worst possible. The substitution of the ancient Gods and Goddesses with various saints and the current presence of satanic worships in these places are therefore the expression of the same hostile culture towards the traditional Roman spirituality we must reject without any hesitation.