lares and penates

The family's lares and penates were displayed in a small shrine in the kitchen.

Definition

1. Noun (plural):
   • Household gods: In ancient Roman religion, "lares and penates" refers to the protective deities of the home and family. The Lares were guardian spirits of the household and ancestral land, while the Penates were gods of the pantry and provisions, ensuring the family's sustenance.
   • Treasures of the home: By extension, the phrase can mean the most cherished possessions or valuables within a household, often symbolizing family heritage or security.

Usage Examples

• (Household gods worshipped in ancient Rome.)
• (Most treasured household possessions.)

Advanced Usage

• "to worship one's lares and penates": to honor or protect one's home and family traditions.

  • She still worships her lares and penates by maintaining the customs her grandmother taught her. (She respects family heritage.)

• "the lares and penates of a nation": a metaphorical use to describe the core cultural values or symbols of a country.

  • The national flag and constitution are the lares and penates of this republic. (Essential national treasures.)

Variants and Related Words

• Lar (n, singular): a single household god (from ).
  • Each room in the villa had its own lar. (A specific guardian spirit.)
• Penate (n, singular): a single god of the pantry (from ).
  • The penate was invoked before meals. (A deity of provisions.)

Synonyms

• Household gods: protective spirits of the home.
• Family treasures: valuable or sentimental items kept in a home.
• Domestic idols: objects of reverence within a household.

Related Idioms

• "One's lares and penates": used to refer to one's home and belongings, especially in a nostalgic or protective sense.

  • He packed up his lares and penates and moved to a new city. (He gathered his most important possessions and relocated.)

• "To cling to one's lares and penates": to hold onto one's home or traditions against change.

  • Despite modernization, the village clung to its lares and penates. (They preserved their customs.)

Cultural Note

The phrase is often used in English literature to evoke a sense of ancient Roman domestic piety or to describe items of deep personal significance. It is rarely used in modern casual speech but appears in formal or poetic contexts.