Camilla (mythology)

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In Roman mythology, Camilla of the Volsci was the daughter of King Metabus and Casmilla. Driven from his throne, Metabus was chased into the wilderness by armed Volsci, his infant daughter in his hands. The river Amasenus blocked his path, and, fearing for the child's welfare, Metabus bound her to a spear. He promised Diana that Camilla would be her servant, a warrior virgin. He then safely threw her to the other side, and swam across to retrieve her. In the Aeneid, she helped her ally, King Turnus of the Rutuli, fight Aeneas and the Trojans in the war sparked by the courting of Princess Lavinia. Arruns killed Camilla when she was opportunely distracted by her pursuit of Chloreus.^[1] Diana's attendant Opis, at her mistress' behest, avenged Camilla's death by slaying Arruns.^[2] Virgil claimed she was so fast she could run across the sea without getting her feet wet and run across a field of grain without bending any of the plants.^[3]

1 History
2 References
3 Primary sources
4 Secondary sources

[edit] History

Camilla, a heroine only found in Virgil’s prose and ancient pottery painting , plays the role of the Queen of the Volscians, inherited from her father, the tyrannous King Metabus. King Metabus barbarously abused his people’s freedoms and squandered their taxes on personal frivolities. His angered citizens revolted with weapons of various array and chased him out of the city. Metabus, devoted to his daughter but not to his wife, carried only Camilla with him in a sack. While being pursued, the couple halted at the River Amasenus. Metabus hurriedly tied Camilla in a sack onto his spear, and prayed to the Goddess Diana to allow his baby safe passage across the river. In exchange, he promised the goddess his devoted daughter. Metabus threw the shaft across the river, and it landed safely on the opposite bank. He then swam across the torrential river and made it to the opposing turf. Metabus raised his daughter in the mountains, allowing her to suck on the teats of wild mares. When she took her first steps, he armed her with a javelin. Camilla learned the weapons and the rules of war then on. She devoted her life to Diana and the goddess’ arts of the hunt. During this time the Volscian tribe reinstated Camilla as virgin queen. The huntress chose the forest, not a palace, as her home, and her only close companions and advisors fellow virgin devotees of Diana.