Potrimpos
is the name of an important deity of the Lithuanians and ancient Prussians previous to the conquest of their country by the Teutonic Order; the second person in the Northern triad Perkunos, Potrimpos, and Pikollos. It was he who granted victory in war and fertility in time of peace: he also dispensed the bliss of domestic happiness. His image stood in a cavity of the holy oak at Romowe; it looked smilingly at Perkunos, and represented, as far as the rough art of those times would allow, the features of a cheerful youth. If Perkunos was the god of the warming and destroying fire, Potrimpos was the god of the fecundating and devastating water. Corn and incense were the offerings he preferred; a wreath of ears adorned his head. But he was not always content with these unbloody sacrifices: sometimes children had to be immolated in his honor, and reduced to ashes in burning wax. A snake was kept in his honor in an urn of clay, fed with milk, and allays covered with ears of corn. For this reason the snake was a holy animal among the ancient Prussians. Warriors, marching to the bloody encounter, if they chanced to meet a serpent, fancying they beheld in it Potrimpos himself, were hopeful of his assistance, and thought themselves invincible. When a solemn sacrifice was to be offered to him, the priests remained three days stretched on the ground, fasting, and at intervals throwing wax and incense into the flames. It does not appear that particular places, lakes and woods, were consecrated to him, nor can any trace of the expansion of his worship into other countries be ascertained unless we admit with Mone that he is one person with the priapic field-god Friygo worshipped at Upsala; but this is very doubtful. Some modern historians assert that it was a female deity, the wife of the thunder-god; they assimilate him with the mother of the gods mentioned by Tacitus as solemnly worshipped by the AEsthians. See Anderson, Northern Mythology, s.v.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Potrimpos (2)
in Lettish mythology, was a chief deity of the Lithuanuians and ancient Prussians before the occupancy of the country by the Germans, being the second person in the Northern trinity, which consisted of Perkunos, Potrimpos and Pikollos. He was the god of victory in war, and in peace the giver of fruitfulness, of blessing, and of domestic felicity. His image stood at Rome. It represented a friendly, laughing youth. As Perrkunos was a god of the warming and destructive fire, so Potrimpos was a god of the fructifying anid destructive water. Ears of corn and wheat were offered to him, and his head was decorated with field products. Many children were also burned as sacrifices to him. In a large brass urn a snake was kept and fed in honor of him; therefore the snake was always a sacred animal among the Prussians. It seems possible that Potrimpos was a female deity, and the wife of Donnerer at least, some modern writers affirm this. Perhaps this was the mother of the gods, whom Tacitus mentions as worshipped among the AEsthyans.