Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art: The Dinner Party: Heritage Floor: Carmenta

The prophetess Carmenta (Carmentis) originally came from Greece, where her given name was Nicostrata. For reasons unknown, she fled the country with her son Evander and arrived in Italy, where she was given the name Carmenta, from the Latin root carmen ("magic spell" or "oracle"). As her legend grew, Carmenta was deified as a goddess of prophecy, childbirth, and midwives. She was said to preside over the Camenae, a group of wise water nymphs who were celebrated in January each year, with festivities led by the Vestal Virgins (see Vestris).