Porenut (Latin: Porenutius, Poremicius[1]) is a god with unknown functions mentioned in only two sources: Gesta Danorum and in Knýtlinga saga. The only historical information about this god is the description of a statue depicting him with four faces on his head and a fifth face on his chest, which was held by his chin with his right hand and his forehead with his left hand.
The first source to mention Porenut is the Gesta Danorum by Saxo Grammaticus. Saxo describes when, after Arkona was captured by the Danish king Valdemar I, its inhabitants made an agreement with him, which encourages the inhabitants of Charenza to make a similar agreement and surrender the city without a fight. Saxo describes that in this gord (stronghold) there were three temples dedicated to Rugiaevit, Porevit and Porenut. After the destruction of the temple and the ideol of Rugiaevit by the Danes, Saxo writes:[2][3]
And not satisfied with its destruction, a group of auxiliary troops turned greedily to the statue of Porevit, which was worshiped in the temple next door. This idol had five heads, but had been sculpted without decorations on its sides. Having torn down this idol, they went to the temple of Porenutius. This statue, represented with four faces, had a fifth face embedded in the body, whose forehead it touched with its left hand, and the chin with its right. This statue fell under the blows of the axes wielded by the servants.[4]
Latin original text
Nec eius excidio contentae satellitum manus ad Poreuitum simulacrum, quod in proxima aede colebatur, auidius porriguntur. Id quinque capitibus consitum, sed armis uacuum fingebatur. Quo succiso, Porenutii templum appetitur. Haec statua, quattuor facies repraesentans, quintam pectori insertam habebat, cuius frontem laeua, mentum dextera tangebat. Haec famulorum ministerio securibus icta concidit.[4]
There are two main ways to interpret the Latinized theonym Porenutius. One reading of the name is Porenits.[2][b] In this case the name of this god would literally mean "son of Perun" and would have originated in the following way: Proto-Slavic*Perunъ "god of the storm" → Old Polabian*P'orěn (with Lekhitic apophony e → 'o) → *P'orěnitjь.[8] The Proto-Slavic suffix *-itjь has a patronymic function, i.e., a name or surname supplemented with this suffix means that it originated from a father's name (cf. Svarog → Svarozhits), and in the Old Polabian it is continued as *-ūt, *-yt, *-ic, which most probably in Latin was written as -utius-, -ucius-.[1]
The first part is also sometimes connected with the word pora[9][10] in its original, Proto-Slavic (*pora) meaning "push, thrust", "force, effort, full strength", "period of effort, hard work".[11] According to Jacek Banaszkiewicz, a Polish professor of medieval history, the three Charenza deities are not a "random" group of deities, but a group of deities that patronize areas fundamental to the existence of society. He considers Rugiaevit as the chief god, who patronizes war and the community, and Porevit and Porenut as divine twins, who complement the chief deity with their universal characteristics. Banaszkiewicz points out that a common feature of divine twins is the repetition of the first part of the name or the second part of the name; according to him, Porevit and Porenut share the first part (pora). He also points out that twins often have contradictory features; Porevit is considered a "positive" twin whose name should be understood as "Lord of strength, Lord who can cope with everything" (the suffix -vit "lord, ruler, master"[12]), while Porenut is considered a "negative" twin and translates his name as "Lord in need of support", reading the suffix -nut as -nud and connecting it with the Old Polishnuda and the GermanNut meaning "need, compulsion". Banaszkiewicz also points to the fact that they both have five faces, two less than Rugiaevit, with Porenut having only four faces on his head, and the fifth one he holds with his hands on his chest, which according to him may indicate that his character's importance is diminished in relation to Porevit. It may also be important that the right hand supports the fifth face, while the left hand holds it by the forehead.[10] Andrzej Szyjewski is also in favor of combining the first part of both Porevit and Porenut with the word pora.[9]
Notesedit
^Probably confused with the Finnish/Estonian god Tharapita.[6] Attempts have also been made to translate the name as Toropiec-Tropiec, from the word trepati "to shake, to strike, to hurry".[7]
Łuczyński, Michał (2014). "Dwa starosłowiańskie teonimy: psł. *Svarožitjь, społab. *P'orěnitjь —epitety patronimiczne czy hipokorystyka?". Onomastica. 58. Kraków: Komitet Językoznawstwa PAN, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN: 235–252. ISSN 0078-4648.
Szyjewski, Andrzej (2003). Religia Słowian. Kraków: Wydawnictwo WAM. ISBN83-7318-205-5.
Boryś, Wiesław (2005). "pora". Słownik etymologiczny languagea polskiego. Kraków: Wydawnictwo Literackie. ISBN978-83-08-04191-8.
Banaszkiewicz, Jacek (1996). "Pan Rugii - Rugiewit i jego towarzysze z Gardźca: Porewit i Porenut (Saxo Gramatyk, Gesta Danorum XIV, 39,38-41)". In Kurnatowska, Zofia (ed.). Słowiańszczyzna w Europie średniowiecznej. Vol. 1. Wrocław: WERK. pp. 75–82. ISBN83-901964-7-6.
Álvarez-Pedrosa, Juan Antonio (2021). Sources of Slavic Pre-Christian Religion. Leiden: Koninklijke Brill. ISBN978-90-04-44138-5.
January 01, 1970
porenut, latin, poremicius, with, unknown, functions, mentioned, only, sources, gesta, danorum, knýtlinga, saga, only, historical, information, about, this, description, statue, depicting, with, four, faces, head, fifth, face, chest, which, held, chin, with, r. Porenut Latin Porenutius Poremicius 1 is a god with unknown functions mentioned in only two sources Gesta Danorum and in Knytlinga saga The only historical information about this god is the description of a statue depicting him with four faces on his head and a fifth face on his chest which was held by his chin with his right hand and his forehead with his left hand PorenutPorenut in Britannia Antiqua IllustrataMajor cult centerCharenzaRegionRugenPersonal informationParentsPerun father Contents 1 Sources 2 Interpretations 3 Notes 4 References 5 BibliographySources editThe first source to mention Porenut is the Gesta Danorum by Saxo Grammaticus Saxo describes when after Arkona was captured by the Danish king Valdemar I its inhabitants made an agreement with him which encourages the inhabitants of Charenza to make a similar agreement and surrender the city without a fight Saxo describes that in this gord stronghold there were three temples dedicated to Rugiaevit Porevit and Porenut After the destruction of the temple and the ideol of Rugiaevit by the Danes Saxo writes 2 3 And not satisfied with its destruction a group of auxiliary troops turned greedily to the statue of Porevit which was worshiped in the temple next door This idol had five heads but had been sculpted without decorations on its sides Having torn down this idol they went to the temple of Porenutius This statue represented with four faces had a fifth face embedded in the body whose forehead it touched with its left hand and the chin with its right This statue fell under the blows of the axes wielded by the servants 4 Latin original textNec eius excidio contentae satellitum manus ad Poreuitum simulacrum quod in proxima aede colebatur auidius porriguntur Id quinque capitibus consitum sed armis uacuum fingebatur Quo succiso Porenutii templum appetitur Haec statua quattuor facies repraesentans quintam pectori insertam habebat cuius frontem laeua mentum dextera tangebat Haec famulorum ministerio securibus icta concidit 4 The same information is then given by the Knytlinga saga which lists Porenut in the distorted form Turupit Old Icelandic Turupid 5 6 a Interpretations editThere are two main ways to interpret the Latinized theonym Porenutius One reading of the name is Porenits 2 b In this case the name of this god would literally mean son of Perun and would have originated in the following way Proto Slavic Perun god of the storm Old Polabian P oren with Lekhitic apophony e o P orenitj 8 The Proto Slavic suffix itj has a patronymic function i e a name or surname supplemented with this suffix means that it originated from a father s name cf Svarog Svarozhits and in the Old Polabian it is continued as ut yt ic which most probably in Latin was written as utius ucius 1 The first part is also sometimes connected with the word pora 9 10 in its original Proto Slavic pora meaning push thrust force effort full strength period of effort hard work 11 According to Jacek Banaszkiewicz a Polish professor of medieval history the three Charenza deities are not a random group of deities but a group of deities that patronize areas fundamental to the existence of society He considers Rugiaevit as the chief god who patronizes war and the community and Porevit and Porenut as divine twins who complement the chief deity with their universal characteristics Banaszkiewicz points out that a common feature of divine twins is the repetition of the first part of the name or the second part of the name according to him Porevit and Porenut share the first part pora He also points out that twins often have contradictory features Porevit is considered a positive twin whose name should be understood as Lord of strength Lord who can cope with everything the suffix vit lord ruler master 12 while Porenut is considered a negative twin and translates his name as Lord in need of support reading the suffix nut as nud and connecting it with the Old Polish nuda and the German Nut meaning need compulsion Banaszkiewicz also points to the fact that they both have five faces two less than Rugiaevit with Porenut having only four faces on his head and the fifth one he holds with his hands on his chest which according to him may indicate that his character s importance is diminished in relation to Porevit It may also be important that the right hand supports the fifth face while the left hand holds it by the forehead 10 Andrzej Szyjewski is also in favor of combining the first part of both Porevit and Porenut with the word pora 9 Notes edit Probably confused with the Finnish Estonian god Tharapita 6 Attempts have also been made to translate the name as Toropiec Tropiec from the word trepati to shake to strike to hurry 7 Aleksander Gieysztor Porenuc He polonized it as Pioruniec Piorunic 7 References edit a b Luczynski 2014 p 235 a b Alvarez Pedrosa 2021 p 194 Gieysztor 2006 p 131 a b Alvarez Pedrosa 2021 p 194 199 Szyjewski 2003 p 120 a b Alvarez Pedrosa 2021 p 197 a b Gieysztor 2006 p 132 Luczynski 2014 p 246 a b Szyjewski 2003 p 117 a b Banaszkiewicz 1996 p 81 Borys 2005 p 464 Gieysztor 2006 p 117 Bibliography editLuczynski Michal 2014 Dwa staroslowianskie teonimy psl Svarozitj spolab P orenitj epitety patronimiczne czy hipokorystyka Onomastica 58 Krakow Komitet Jezykoznawstwa PAN Instytut Jezyka Polskiego PAN 235 252 ISSN 0078 4648 Szyjewski Andrzej 2003 Religia Slowian Krakow Wydawnictwo WAM ISBN 83 7318 205 5 Borys Wieslaw 2005 pora Slownik etymologiczny languagea polskiego Krakow Wydawnictwo Literackie ISBN 978 83 08 04191 8 Gieysztor Aleksander 2006 Mitologia Slowian Warszawa Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego ISBN 978 83 235 0234 0 Banaszkiewicz Jacek 1996 Pan Rugii Rugiewit i jego towarzysze z Gardzca Porewit i Porenut Saxo Gramatyk Gesta Danorum XIV 39 38 41 In Kurnatowska Zofia ed Slowianszczyzna w Europie sredniowiecznej Vol 1 Wroclaw WERK pp 75 82 ISBN 83 901964 7 6 Alvarez Pedrosa Juan Antonio 2021 Sources of Slavic Pre Christian Religion Leiden Koninklijke Brill ISBN 978 90 04 44138 5 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Porenut amp oldid 1138311300, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
