Can't find this word, 'mecena'
OK, so I'm reading 'Angels and Demons' in spanish right now, yup, that movie with Tom Hanks, the sequel to the Da Vinci Code. I loved the movie, so I got the book to see the original source. So..I'm at the part where Tom Hanks, or should I say Langdon is with Vittoria at the first altar of science of the Illuminati that has to do with the element of earth. They've just finished discovering the body of the first cardinal and of course, the Swiss Guard has just finished arriving in the nick of time to do nothing.
So Langdon is trying to find another sign of the Illumanti's 'path of illumination' to get to the next altar of science where the next cardinal will die. Therein, lies my question.
'La Capilla Chigi estaba en un nicho apartado, un tributo a un gran mecenas de la ciencia, decorada con simbología terrenal.'
I only need to know the word 'mecenas'. It is killing me. I can't find the meaning, it's not in this dictionary for sure.
-Charlius-
6 Answers
No way we are ignoring your threads charlie! 
LOok, in case you have a doubt, go to RAE:
mecenas. (Por alus. a C. C. Mecenas, c69 a. C. al 8 d. C., consejero del emperador romano Augusto y protector de las letras y de los literatos). 1. m. Persona que patrocina las letras o las artes.
I wonder if threads like this can be deleted - together with my "meaning of the word ´do´ " ?
OK, I officially fail at Internet.
I just typed 'mecenas' in this dictionary and got the meaning. I think what I did was just type 'mecena', doh!
Ignore this thread.
-Charlius-
The Merriam-Webster dictionary gives the translation of mecenas as "patron (of the arts), sponsor".
Hope that helps.
Just double-click the word "mecenas" 
I seems to be some form of the word mecenazgo or referring to a patron of the artes or sciences.
