A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

VENTIDIUS. VENUS. 1239
for if they did cross there, as he hoped they would, VENTI'DIUS CUMA'NUS, procurator of
he should be able to take advantage of the high Judaea about A. D. 50, is spoken of more at length
ground at that place to oppose the Parthian cavalry. under Antonius Felix. [Vol. II. p. 143, a.]
Bassus confidentially communicated this to a petty VENULTEIA, the wife apparently of P. Lichieftain, a native of Cyrrhestica, who was about cinius Crassus Dives, consul B.C. 97. (Cic. ad
him; and, as he expected, the chieftain, who was Att. xii. 24.)
favourable to the Parthians, sent the information VENULEIUS. 1. A Roman senator put to
to Pacorus. It turned out as Bassus wished: death by Sulla in B. C. 82. (Florus, iii. 21. ~ 26
Pacorus, believing that Ventidius wished to meet Oros. v. 21.)
him at the Zeugma, did not cross the Euphrates 2. A decumanus in Sicily, one of the vile inthere, but advanced by a longer route, which took struments of Verres in oppressing the province.
him forty days, and gave Bassus time to collect (Cic. Verr. iii. 42.)
his forces. (Frontin. Stratagenz. i. 6. ~ 6.) The 3. A legatus apparently of C. Calvisius Sabinus
Parthians were defeated in Cyrrhestica, and Pa. in Africa, was deprived of his lictors by Q. Corcorns fell in the battle. The head of Pacorus was nificius, when he took possession of the province in
sent round to the Syrian cities, which induced them B. C. 43. (Cic. ad Famn. xii. 30. ~ 7.) [Comp.
to keep quiet. Eutropius (vii. 3) says that Bassus Vol. III. p. 689, a.]
killed Pacorus, the son of king Orodes, on the same L. VENULEIUS APRONIA'NUS. 1. Conday on which Orodes had killed Crassus through sul suffectus under Domitian, A. D. 92. 2. Consul
the means of his general Surena. Bassus then under Hadrian A. D. 123 with Q. Articuleius Paemoved against Antiochus, king of Commagene, on tinus. 3. Consul under M. Aurelius A. D. 168
the pretext that he had not given up some slaves with L. Sergius Paulus (Fasti).
to him, but in reality to ease king Antiochus of VENULEIUS SATURNI'NUS. [SATURsome of his money. NINUS.]
In the mean time Antonius arrived, and so far VENUS, the goddess of love among the Rofrom being pleased with the success of Ventidits, mans, and more especially of sensual love. Prehe showed great jealousy of him, and treated him viously to her identification with the Greek
in an unworthy manner. It is said that Antiochus Aphrodite, she was one of the least important dihad offered Ventidius a thousand talents as the vinities in the religion of the Romans, and it is
price of peace, and that Antonius, who undertook observed by the ancients themselves, that her name
the siege of Samosata, was obliged to be content was not mentioned in any of the documents rewith three hundred. (Plut. Anton. c. 34.) lating to the kingly period of Roman history.
The Senate decreed to Antonius a supplicatio (Macrob. Sat. i. 12.) This is further evident from
and a triumph for the victories of Ventidius; and the fact that at no time a festival was celebrated
Antonius rewarded his general by dismissing him in honour of Venus, for the Vinalia (on the 23d of
from his employment. Yet the services of Ven- April and 19th of August) were quite a different
tidius were too great tobe overlooked; and on his festival, and were connected with this goddess
coming to Rome he had a triumph in November only by a misinterpretation of the name (Dict. of
B. C. 38. Nothing more is known of him. Ant. s. v. Vinalia), which led courtesans to regard
Bassus was often cited (Plin. H. N. vii. 43) as the 23d of April as a holiday of their own, and to
an instance of a man who rose from the lowest con- worship the goddess on that day in their peculiar
dition to the highest honours; a captive became a way in a temple outside the city. (Ov. Fast. iv.
Roman consul and enjoyed a triumph; but this 865.) In later times several other solemnities
was in a period of revolution. It is probable that were celebrated to Venus in the month of April,
the talents of Bassus made Caesar and Antonius partly because that month being the beginning of
think it prudent to reward such a man and se- spring, was thought to be particularly sacred to
cure his services. the goddess of love, and partly because the belief
As to Publius Ventidius, who is named in the had gradually gained ground that Venus, as the
text of Appian (Bell. Civ. i. 47) as a commander in beloved of Mars, was concerned in the origin of
the Marsic war, see the note in Schweighaeuser's the Roman people. This latter point gained supedition of Appian. It is very improbable that P. port from the legend which made Aeneas a son of
Ventidius Bassus commanded in that war; and Anchises and Aphrodite (identified with Venus;
besides this, some authorities state that he was a see Ov. Fast. iv. 135; Plut. Num. 19; Macrob.
child when he was taken prisoner. 1. c.; Laur. Lyd. De Mens. iv. 45). There was
The annexed coin, struck by Ventidius Bassus, at Lavinium a sanctuary of Venus common to all
has on the obverse the head of M. Antonius. Latium, the ceremonies at which were performed by
the people of Ardea, but its age cannot be defined.
(Strab. p. 232.) At Rome we may notice the
following circumstances as proving the worship of
Venus to have been established there at an early
time. There was a stone chapel with an image of
iii * Venus Murtea or Murcia in the Circus near to
the spot where the altar of Consus was concealed.
(Fest. p. 149, ed. MUller; Apul. Met. vi. 395;
Tertull. De Spect. 8; Varro, De L. L. v. 154; Liv.
COIN OF P. VENTInDIUS BASSUS. i. 33; August. De Civ. Dei, iv. 16.) The surname
Murtea or Murcia shows that the myrtle-tree stood
(In addition to the authorities cited, see Florus, in some relation to the goddess, and it is actually
iv. 9, and notes in Duker's edition; and the pas- said that in ancient times there was amyrtle grove
sages in Dion Cassius, with the notes of Reimarus; in front of her sanctuary below the Aventine.
and Drumann, Gesc/siclte Roms, Antonii.) [G.L.] (Plin. H. N. xv. 36; Serv. ad Aen. i. 724;.Plut.
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