LARES, amongst the ancients, derived by Apuleius from lar familiaris, a kind of domestic genii or divinities, worshipped in houses, esteemed the guardians and protectors of families, and supposed to reside more immediately in the chimney corner. The Lares were distinguished from the Penates, as the former were supposed to preside over housekeeping, the servants in families, and domestic affairs; whilst the latter were the protectors of the masters of families, their wives, and children. Accordingly the Lares were dressed in short, succinct habits, to show their readiness to serve; and they held a sort of cornucopia in their hands, as a signal of hospitality and good housekeeping. According to Ovid, there were generally two of them, who were sometimes represented with a dog at their feet. Plutarch distinguishes good and evil Lares, as he had before done good and evil genii. There are also some public, others private Lares. Apuleius tells us the domestic Lares were no more than the souls of departed persons, who had lived well, and had discharged the duties of their station; [7:13:115]whereas those who had done otherwise were vagabonds, wandering about and frightening people, called Larvae and Lemures. The Lares were also called Penates, and were worshipped under the figures of little marmosets, or images of wax, silver, or earthen ware. The public Lares were also called Compitales, from compitum, a cross-way; and Viales, from via, a way or public road; as being placed at the meetings of roads and in the highways, and esteemed the patrons and protectors of travellers. The private Lares took care of particular houses and families, and were also called Proestites, from proesto. The Lares were likewise genial gods, and were supposed to take care of children from their birth. It is for this reason that, when Macrobius tells us the Egyptians had four gods who presided over the births of children, viz. Genius, Fortune, Love, and Necessity, called Proestites, some interpret him as if he had said the Egyptians had Lares, and they have mentioned that there was a great difference between the Lares of the Romans and the Proestites of the Egyptians. However, the learned Mr Bryant affirms that they were the same. The ancients differ extremely about the origin of the Lares. Varro and Macrobius say that they were the children of Mania; Ovid makes them the issue of Mercury, and the Naiad Lara or Larunda; Apuleius assures us that they were the posterity of the Lemures; Nigridius, according to Arnobius, makes them sometimes the guardians and protectors of houses, and sometimes the same with the Curetes of Samothracia, which the Greeks call Idoei Dactyli. Nor was Varro more consistent in his opinion of these gods; sometimes making them the manes of heroes, and sometimes gods of the air. Titus Tatius, king of the Sabines, was the first who built a temple to the Lares. The chimney and fire-place in the house were particularly consecrated to them. Tertullian is of opinion that the custom of worshipping the Lares arose from this, that they anciently interred their dead in their houses; and hence the credulous people took occasion to imagine that their souls continued there also, and thus proceeded to pay them divine honours. To this it may be added, that the custom being afterwards introduced of burying in the highways, they might hence take occasion to regard them as gods of the highways. The victim offered to the Lares in the public sacrifices was a hog; but in private they were offered wine, incense, a crown of wool, and a little of what was left at the table. They also crowned them with flowers, particularly the violet, myrtle, and rosemary. Their symbol was a dog, which was usually represented by their side, on account of its fidelity and the service it does to a man in watching his house. They were sometimes also represented as clothed in a dog’s skin. The term Lares, according to Mr Bryant, was formed from laren, an ancient word by which the ark was represented. He supposes that the Lares and Manes were the same domestic deities under different names; and that by these terms the Etruscans and Latins denoted the dii arkitae, who were no other than their arkite ancestors, or the persons preserved in the laren or ark, the genius of which was Isis, the reputed parent of the world, He observes further, that they are described as demons and genii, who once lived upon earth, and were gifted with immortality. Arnobius styles them Lares quosdam genios et functorum animas ; and he says that, according to Varro, they were the children of Mania. Huetius (Demonst. Prop. iv. p. 139) adds, that Mania had also the name of Larunda; and that she is styled the mother of the demons. By some she is called Lara, and was supposed to preside over families; and children were offered at her altar in order to procure her favour. Instead of these, they offered in after times the heads of poppies and pods of garlic.