Hail Consus!
Hail Mars!
Hail Quirinus!
Hail Divine Lares!
Hail Neptunus Equester!
Today we honour the stored harvest.
Today we also celebrate the joy of abandon.
We peer into the subterranean mysteries,
And commemorate the game of life.
Salve Conse!
Salve Marte!
Salve Quirine!
Salve di lares!
Salve Neptune Equester!

 

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The August Consualia are dedicated to Consus, lord of the harvest. His original altar was underground and located in the vallis Murcia between the Palatine and Aventine hills. In time, this valley became the location of the Circus Maximus where the altar was to be found ad primas metas. This earth-covered shrine was uncovered only on the celebrations to the deity, namely, the Nones of July, the August Consualia and the December Consualia. According to Tertullian, the names of Consus, Mars and the Lares were engraved on the altar, respectively, with the epithets of consilio ‘consultation’, duellum ‘war’ but possibly originally duo ‘two, twofold’, and coillum (the innermost part of the house). Whilst the inscription to which Tertullian refers appears both artificial and questionable, it nevertheless connects Consus and Mars as two possible instances of the divine twins.

Consquently, if Consus is a chthonian/underworld manifestation of Mars, he must also be his own twin Quirinus. We learn further from Tertullian that the sacrifice on these Consulia was conducted by the flamen Quirinalis which further suggests the link between Consus and Quirinus. An underlying figure is to be recognised in that of Janus whose epithets include both Consivius and Quirinus. Janus exhibits relations or affinities with both Consus and Quirinus and exemplifies the duality or twinship between both Mars and Quirinus, one the one hand, and Mars and Jupiter, on the other. The connection of these Consualia with Mars is also suggested by the horse-races held in Consus’ honour.

Whilst the races dedicated to Mars were held in the Campus Martius, those for Consus occurred in the Circus Maximus. In addition, there were also races between mules that took place on the feriae of the Consualia. A ribald atmosphere is suggested by the contest between shepherds who ran on oxhides that had been rubbed with oil.

A number of scholars have seen Consus’ name as a development of the verb condere ‘to bury’. If so, this would further confirm that Consus is a deity of the harvest which is now being stored, that is, hid underground. The sub terra location of the god’s altar is further suggestive of this possibility. While Neptunus we have seen to be a further manifestation of Consus, the latter’s connection to horses through the races that occur on his festival brought about his assimilation to Neptunus Equester, an importation of Poseidon Hippios.