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Hersilia

Mythology
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Wife of Romulus and mediator between Romans and Sabines, later deified as Hora.

Detailed Definition
Hersilia intervened to stop the war between Romans and Sabines, embodying reconciliation. In poetry, she represents peace through feminine agency, civic unity, and the divine sanction of Rome’s mixed origins—often invoked in Augustan verse to promote harmony after civil strife.
Example
Example in poetry:
Hersilia, deified wife of Romulus, mediates between gods and men: "Hersilia, raised to heaven, pleads for Rome in Juno’s court"; In Ovid, she prevents war between Romans and Sabines: "Hersilia’s tears turn swords to olive branches"; A hymn: "Hersilia, peacemaker, your veil covers old wounds"; Symbol of reconciliation: "Like Hersilia, stand between rage and reason"; In elegy: "Hersilia, once mortal, now star—guide our divided hearts."
Additional Notes
Hersilia, wife of Romulus, played a pivotal role in ending the war between Romans and Sabines by interceding with both sides; Ovid recounts her deification as Hora (a Season); she embodies reconciliation and the unifying power of women in foundational myth; poets use her to explore peace, mediation, or the Sabine integration into Rome; her story counters the violence of the Rape of the Sabines, offering a narrative of harmony; she represents the often-overlooked female agency in Rome’s origin myths.
Also Known As
Sabine queen Romulus wife deified consort
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