FAUNUS. – An extremely ancient Italic deity, later identified with the Greek Pan. He was the beneficial spirit of mountains, countryside, and livestock, in which shepherds recognized the fertiliser of the flock (*sinus*) and the protector against wolves (*supercus*); he dwelt in woods, caves, and springs, where he was wont to hunt, chase nymphs, and be honoured. He terrified people with frightful apparitions and evil dreams (*sinubus*); he also foretold the future, whence his name *Faturs*. A celebrated oracle existed near
Pagni at Castel S. Angelo, feared for its quill in defence of the Order. Liberated by Pius VI in 1773, he retired to Viterbo.
A keen polemicist, he might have held the first place among the theologians of his century had not his impulsive and fiery temperament led him into unpleasant controversies, often exaggerated, aggravated by the fact that his works were mostly published anonymously. This occurred in the dispute against the Dominican D. Concina and in defence of Fr B. Benzi regarding certain reserved cases in Venice: the *Ritualazione solenne di tutte le ingiurie…* printed in various books by Fr D. Concina (Naples 1744), attributed to him, was placed on the Index on 17 June 1744. Also placed on the Index: *Commentarium in bullam Pauli III "Licet ab initio" datam a. 1542* (s.l. 1750), in which, under the pretext of writing the history of the Inquisition tribunal, he instead launched a bitter critique of the conduct of inquisitors, predominantly Dominicans, accused of partiality and prejudice in condemning books (decr. 15 July 1757); and *Dissertatio dogmatica de praxi gnuselliana* (on the delay in the Assumption), suspended in printing at p. 80 (decr. 23 Sept. 1757), published posthumously and completed by a confrere in *In Annali librum de frequenti communione* (Rome 1791). Other notable works: *Selectae dissertationes polemicae* (3 vols., Rome 1771); *Selectae dissertationes de Spearmantus* (3 vols., 1771); *Miscellanea dissertationum polemicarum* (ibid. 1772); *Memorie apologetiche* (2 vols., Viterbo 1774–79); *S. Aurelii Augustini enchiridion de fide, spe et caritate, notis theologicis illustratum* (Rome 1755, 1756), later published, with the part of the work that had been lost and subsequently recovered, under the care of Frs C. Passaglia and A. Ballerini (ibid. 1847), where F. appears as one of the most penetrating readers and interpreters of the holy Doctor; *Dictationes theologicae de iudicio practico… super paenitentis praecipue consuetudinarii aut recidivi dispositione…* posthumous, ed. C. Passaglia and A. Ballerini (Lugano 1840; 4th ed. Louvain 1843), with a biographical-bibliographical notice of the author. He is also renowned for two works on the cult of the Sacred Heart: *Biglietti confidenziali critici* (Venice 1772) and *Saggi teologici* (Lugano 1773).