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Household Gods

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Domestic pets, and all those things which help to endear home. The Romans had household gods called pe-naʹ-tes, who were supposed to preside over their private dwellings. Of these pe-naʹ-tes some were called laʹres, the special genii or angels of the family. One was Vestʹa, whose office was to preserve domestic unity. Jupiter and Juno were also among the pe-naʹ-tes. The modern use of the term is a playful adaptation.

“Bearing a nation with all its household gods into exile.”


Longfellow: Evangelinc.

 

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Entry taken from Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, edited by the Rev. E. Cobham Brewer, LL.D. and revised in 1895.

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¶ House
House-bote
House-flag (A)
House-leek [Jove’s beard]
House Spirits
House-top
House and Home
House of Correction
House of God (The)
House that Jack Built (The)
Household Gods
Household Troops
Housel
Houssain (Prince)
Houyhnhnms (whinhims)
How Do You Do?
Howard
Howdah
Howdie
Howitzers
Howleglass