Vulcan
The Roman god of fire and the forge, whose priest made offerings to Maia on the first of May.
A bad night at the inn on the road to Brundisium
Horace, Satires, book 1, satire 5 (the journey to Brundisium, probably 37 BCE), in the school edition of Arthur Palmer (Macmillan, 1905 printing) · journey probably in the spring of 37 BCE; written soon after
tendimus hinc recta Beneventum, ubi sedulus hospes paene macros arsit dum turdos versat in igni; nam vaga per veterem dilapso flamma culinam Volcano summum properabat lambere tectum. convivas avidos cenam servosque timentis tum rapere atque omnis restinguere velle videres.
From there we headed straight for Beneventum. There our eager host nearly went up in flames while he turned some skinny thrushes over the fire. The fire slipped out across the old kitchen, and its wandering flames raced up to lick the top of the roof. You should have seen the hungry guests and the frightened slaves grabbing the dinner, and everyone trying to put out the fire.
Where the months got their names
Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.12–14 (early fifth century CE), in the edition of Franz Eyssenhardt (Leipzig, 1893) · early fifth century CE; the dialogue is set in the 380s
Cingius mensem nominatum putat a Maia, quam Vulcani dicit uxorem, argumentoque utitur, quod flamen Vulcanalis Kalendis Maiis huic deae rem diuinam facit. sed Piso uxorem Vulcani Maiestam non Maiam dicit uocari.
Cingius thinks the month was named after Maia, who he says was the wife of Vulcan. As proof he points out that the priest of Vulcan makes a sacrifice to this goddess on the first of May. But Piso says that Vulcan's wife was called Maiesta, not Maia.