Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Genius

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Rich, Anthony (1849). The illustrated companion to the Latin dictionary, and Greek lexicon. p. vi. OCLC 894670115. https://archive.org/details/illustratedcompa00rich. 

GENIUS (ἀγαθοδαίμων). A good spirit, or guardian angel of the male sex, believed to spring into being with every mortal at his birth, and to die with him, after having attended him, directed his actions, and watched over his welfare through life. (Hor. Ep. ii. 2. 187. Tibull. iv. 5.) He is represented as a beautiful boy, entirely naked with the exception of the youthful chlamys on his shoulder, and furnished with a pair of bird's-wings, in the manner represented by the annexed engraving (Genius/1.1) from a painting at Pompeii. Compare JUNONES.

2. Genius loci. The guardian spirit of a place; for amongst the ancients every spot and locality in town or country, buildings, mountains, rivers, woods, &c., was believed to have its own peculiar genius, or presiding spirit; which was portrayed under the form of a serpent (Serv. ad Virg. Aen. v. 85. Inscript. ap. Grut. viii. 4. Prudent. contra Symmach. ii. 441.); consequently images of these reptiles are frequently represented feeding upon an altar; or, as in the example (Genius/2.1), from a painting in the Thermae of Titus, with an altar between them, as a sign to deter passengers from "committing a nuisance," out of respect for the genius who presides there.

3. (κακοδαίμων.) Amongst the Christian writers on sacred subjects, the Genius is represented as an evil spirit, said to be condemned to eternal punishment, for his pride and rebellious conduct. Tertull. Apol. 32. Anim. 39. Lact. ii. 15.

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  Genius/1.1
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  Genius/2.1