s of the enemy.

{179}

In his character as guardian of gates and doors, he was also regarded as a
protecting deity of the home, for which reason little shrines were erected
to him over the doors of houses, which contained an image of the god,
having two faces.

Janus possessed no temples in the ordinary acceptation of the word, but all
the gates of cities were dedicated to him. Close to the Forum of Rome stood
the so-called temple of Janus, which, however, was merely an arched
passage, closed by massive gates. This temple was open only in time of war,
as it was supposed that the god had then taken his departure with the Roman
army, over whose welfare he personally presided. It is worthy of notice, as
an evidence of the many wars in which the Romans were engaged, that the
gates of this sanctuary were only closed three times during 700 years.

As the god who ushers in the new year, the first month was called after
him, and on the 1st of January his most important festival was celebrated,
on which occasion all entrances of public and private buildings were
decorated with laurel branches and garlands of flowers.

His sacrifices, consisting of cakes, wine, and barley, were offered to him
at the beginning of every month; and before sacrificing to the other gods
his name was always invoked, and a libation poured out to him.

Janus is usually represented with two faces; in his special function as
door-keeper of heaven he stands erect, bearing a key in one hand, and a rod
or sceptre in the other.

It is supposed that Janus was the most ancient king of Italy, who, during
his life, governed his subjects with such wisdom and moderation that, in
gratitude for the benefits conferred upon them, his people deified him
after death and placed him in the foremost rank among their divinities. We
have already seen in the history of Cronus that Saturn, who was identified
with the Greek Cronus (god of time), was the friend and colleague of Janus.
Anxious to prove his gratitude to his benefactor, Cronus endowed him with
the knowledge of past and future {180} events, which enabled him to adopt
the wisest measures for the welfare of his subjects, and it is on this
account that Janus is represented with two faces looking in opposite
directions, the one to the past, the other to the future.

FLORA.

Flora was the goddess of flowers, and was regarded as a beneficent power,
who watched over and protected the early blossoms.

She was held