Bible Encyclopedias
Spes

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

Search for…

Enter query below:

or

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Prev Entry
Sperver

Next Entry
Sphaltes

Resource Toolbox

Print Article

Additional Links

Encyclopedias
1911 Encyclopedia Britannica
• Spes
McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia
• Spes

the personified Hope of the Romans, was originally conceived of as the Hope of yearly harvests, for which reason she was represented with a wreath of flowers in her hair and ears of grain or a cornucopia in her hands. Subsequently she became the goddess of the marriage bed, and only at a later day Hope in an abstract sense. She was worshipped at Rome, where several temples were dedicated to her, the most ancient of which had been built by the consul Atilius. Calatinus, B.C. 354 (Livy, 2, 51, etc.; Tacit. Ann. 2, 49). The Greeks, too, worshipped Elpis, the personification of hope. When the different evils escaped from the Pandora box, Elpis alone remained behind for the consolation of mankind. See Hesiod, Op. et D. 96; Theognis, 570 sq.