Ops

In ancient Roman religion, Ops or Opis (meaning "plenty" in Latin) was a fertility deity and earth goddess of Sabine origin. Her sacred symbols included lions, the tambourine, a crown, grains, and the cornucopia. Ops and her husband were both children of Caelus and Terra. She was married to Saturn and they had six children: Jupiter, Neptune, Pluto, Juno, Ceres, and Vesta. In Greek mythology, her equivalent was Rhea.

Mythology
In Ops' statues and coins, she is figured sitting down, as Chthonian deities normally are, and generally holds a scepter or a corn spike as her main attributes. The husband of Ops was Saturn. In Roman mythology, and in Greek mythology where Ops is identified as Rhea, her husband was Cronus, the bountiful monarch of the Golden Age. Cronus was Rhea's husband and brother.

In Latin writings of the time, the singular nominative (Ops) is not used; only the form Opis is attested by classical authors. According to Festus, "Ops is said to be the wife of Saturn and the daughter of Caelus. By her they designated the earth, because the earth distributes all goods to the human genus". The Latin word ops means "riches, goods, abundance, gifts, munificence, plenty". The word is also related to opus, meaning "work", particularly in the sense of "working the earth, ploughing, sowing". This activity was deemed sacred, and was often attended by religious rituals intended to obtain the good will of chthonic deities such as Ops and Consus.

According to Roman tradition, the cult of Opis was instituted by Titus Tatius, one of the Sabine kings of Rome. Opis soon became the patroness of riches, abundance, and prosperity. Opis had a famous temple in the Capitolium. Originally, a festival took place in Opis' honor on August 10. Additionally, on December 19 (or December 9), the Opalia was celebrated. On August 25, the Opiconsivia was held. Opiconsivia was another name used for Opis, indicating when the earth was sown. These festivals also included activities that were called Consualia, in honor of Consus, her consort.

When Saturn learned of a prophecy that stated his and Ops' children would end up overthrowing him as leader, he ate his children one by one after they were born. Ops, being the loving mother that she was, could not just stand by and let all of her children be eaten by her husband. So, instead of feeding Saturn their final child Jupiter, she wrapped a rock in swaddling clothes and fed that to Saturn instead of Jupiter. Ops then went on to raise Jupiter and helped him free his siblings from their father's stomach and overthrow their father.