Camēnae
Prophetic nymphs, belonging to the religion of ancient Italy, although later traditions
represent their worship as introduced into Italy from Arcadia, and some accounts identify them
with the Muses. The most important of these goddesses was Carmenta or Carmentis, who had a
temple at the foot of the Capitoline Hill, and altars near the Porta Carmentalis. The
traditions which assigned a Greek origin to her worship state that her original name was
Nicostraté, and that she was the mother of Evander, with whom she came to
Italy. On the etymology of the word Camena, which is usually regarded
as=
Casmena, from the root of
carmen, “the
songstress” (Mommsen), see Nettleship,
Essays in Latin Literature,
pp. 47-50
(Oxford, 1885).