JA'NUS AND JANA, two very old Latin divinities, male and female, whose names are merely different forms of .Dianns (probably the sun) and Diana or Lun'r (certainly the moon). The worship of the former .held highs place in the -regards of the Romans. In every undertaking his name was first invoked, even before that of Jupiter, which is the more singular, as Jupiter was unquestionably the greatest of the loaniut gods. Perhaps it may be taken as a verification of the tradition, that Janus was the oldest of diem, and ruled in Italy before any of the others came thither. Ile pre sided not only over tl.e beginning of the year, but over the beginnmg of each month, fetch day, and the commencement of all enterprises. 071 New Year's day, peop:e made each other presents of figs, dates, honey-cakes. sweetmeats, etc., wore a holiday-dress, saluted each other kindly, etc. The pious Romans prayed to him every morning, whence his name of illatatinus Paler (•• Father of the Morning"). lie is represented with a scepter in his right hand, and a key in his left, sitting on a beaming throne (probably a relic of die original, or at least very old worship of Janus as the son). ile
hes also two faces (whence the expression applied to a deceitful person "Janns-faccd"), one youthful, and the other aged, the one looking forward, and the other backward, in which sonic have professed to see a symbol of the the god who beholds both the past and future, and others, simply of the return of the year. Numa dedicated to him the passage close by the F0111111, on the road connecting the Quirinal with the Pala tine. This passage (erroneously called a temple, but which was merely it sacred gate way, containing a statue of Janus) was open in times of war, and closed in times of peace. It is a striking commentary on the military habits of the Romans, that the place was shut only thrice in MG years, first by Nunn: himself, again at the close of the first Punic war, and for the third time, under Augustus. It was also closed by Vespasian iu 71 A.D.