Spes
The Roman personification of hope, especially of hope for a good harvest, and (in later
times) for the blessing of children. There were several temples to Spes in Rome, the oldest
dating from B.C. 354 (
Livy, xxiv. 47). She was represented
as a youthful figure, moving along lightly in a long robe, which was raised a little in her
left hand, while her right bore a bud, either closed or just about to open, denoting
especially her tutelage of gardens. In the course of time she came to be usually considered as
a goddess of the future, invoked at births and marriages, and on similar occasions. On the
legend of the Greek goddess of Hope (
Ἐλπίς), see
Pandora.