Juturna- Roman SpiritSpirit · Nymph"Nymph of Springs"

The Spring in the Forum

Juturna's sacred spring, the Lacus Juturnae, stood in the Roman Forum near the Temple of Castor and Pollux. Sick Romans came to drink from it. According to legend, Castor and Pollux watered their horses there after riding down from the sky to fight for Rome at the Battle of Lake Regillus. Varro derived her name from iuvare, to aid.

Jupiter loved Juturna and granted her immortality and dominion over springs and rivers. The gift was also a sentence: she would live forever among her waters, outlasting everyone she knew. Her festival, the Juturnalia, fell on January 11 and was kept by workers whose trades depended on water.

Sister of Turnus

In the Aeneid's final book, Juturna tries to keep her brother alive. Turnus is fated to die at Aeneas's hands, and Juturna knows it. She disguises herself as his charioteer Metiscus and drives his chariot away from Aeneas each time the two are about to meet in single combat. She incites the Rutulians to break a truce, hoping that general battle will do what she cannot: keep Turnus from standing alone against a man favored by the gods.

Jupiter sends a Dira, one of the infernal Furies, shrieking down in the shape of a bird. It beats its wings in Turnus's face. Juturna recognizes the omen. She knows what it means. She tears her hair, claws at her cheeks, and cries out that immortality is worthless if she must watch her brother die. Then she plunges beneath her river. Virgil gives her the last grieving voice before Turnus falls.