Manes, di parentes, penates...

[Quintus Pomponius Atticus]

Salvete,

In my Roman history syllabus, under the chapter "religion" three similar categories of divinities are briefly mentioned : the manes are described as "spirits of the dead of the families", the di parentes as "family gods" and the penates as "household gods". Could anyone make clear the difference for me, especially between the latter two, and go into the topic somewhat more extensively ?

Valete,

Q. Pomponius Atticus

[Quintus Aurelius Orcus]

Salve Attice

I remember that the Di Manes were good spirits, an euphemism to appease the dead, like the Eumenids are to the Erinyes.
The penates are lower deities, spirits of the household, they protect the house and its inhabitants. There were two kind of Penates, the private ones and the state ones. The state Penates were called Penates Publici. It is told that these Penates originally came from Troy, bu brought to Rome or what was latter to become Rome by Aeneas.
I don't know that much about the Di Parentes, but i assume that they were deified ancestors who watched over they descendants.
Also from Encyclopedia Mythica on Di Manes:
Manes or Di Manes ("good ones") is the euphemistic description of the souls of the deceased, worshipped as divinities. The formula D.M. ( = Dis Manibus; "dedicated to the Manes-gods") can often be found on tombstones. Manes also means metaphorically 'underworld' or 'realm of death'. Festivals in honor of the dead were the Parentalia and the Feralia, celebrated in February.

Penates:
In Roman mythology, the Penates ("the inner ones") are the patron gods of the storeroom. Later they gradually changed into patron gods for the entire household. Their cult is closely related to that of Vesta and the Lares. They were worshipped at the hearth and were given their part of the daily meals.
The Roman state had its own Penates, called Penates Publici. They were rescued by Aeneas from burning Troy and via Lavinium and Longa brought to Rome. Upon their arrival, the Penates were housed in the Temple of Vesta, on the Forum Romanum.
vale optime
Romulus

[Horatius Piscinus]

Salvete

Gratias multas tibi, Romule, ago. Certe rite.

I might observe that the Manes can be a general term for the spirits of the dead, but there is often time a sense that the Manes are the collective ancestors of all Romans, and therefore that they watch over Rome with care. Going along with what Romulus said on the Penates Publici, I just finsished translating some prayers from Lucan's Pharsalia in which was this one:

IX.990

Gods of the cremated dead, who dwell within the ruins of Troy, and Lares of my Aeneas who now reside in the temples of Lavinium and Alba, where among their altars the fires of Troy still shine, and You, Pallas, whose pledge of safety was given with the Palladium, upon which no man may look, sheltered deep within Her shrine, look upon me, the most renowned descendent of your family. Piously I place incense upon Your ancient altars and rightly invoke You. Grant me success and happiness in all that follows and I shall restore Your people. In thanks shall the Italians restore Your Phrygian walls and a new Roman Troy arise!


A passage in Arnobius tried to identify those Di Penates Publici from Troy, with I think a late tradition:

Adversus Nationes III 43
Come, Dii Penates, come Apollo and Neptune and all You Gods, and by Your powers may You mercifully turn aside this ill disease that violently twists, scorches and burns our city with fever.


The Di parentes refers more to the Gods worshipped by our ancestors. Thus the all the Gods who watched over Rome, especially those worshipped in more ancient times, also with an understanding of these being the Gods of Troy, and also the Manes as well.

The penates of the household I would take to be like geni loci, either Manes or semidivi in dwelt in the place where the family home was built and came to be household gods, as well as the souls of the household, including deceased family members and servants alike. So you can say that the household penates is a special group among the Manes, just as your Lares would be. But I think the Manes would be thought as a certain group among the Di parentes.

Valete optime