January 1st | Fastorum Liber Primus: Ianuarius
A • K • IAN • F | Kalendis Ianuarius | I.63-294, Ovid has an enlightening conversation with the god Janus.
Ecce tibi faustum, Germanice, nuntiat annum
inque meo primus carmine Ianus adest.
Iane biceps, anni tacite labentis origo, 65
solus de superis qui tua terga vides,
dexter ades ducibus, quorum secura labore
otia terra ferax, otia pontus habet:
dexter ades patribusque tuis populoque Quirini,
et resera nutu candida templa tuo. 70
prospera lux oritur: linguis animisque favete!
nunc dicenda bona sunt bona verba die.
lite vacent aures, insanaque protinus absint
iurgia; differ opus, livida lingua, tuum!
cernis, odoratis ut luceat ignibus aether, 75
et sonet accensis spica Cilissa focis?
flamma nitore suo templorum verberat aurum
et tremulum summa spargit in aede iubar.
vestibus intactis Tarpeias itur in arces,
et populus festo concolor ipse suo est, 80
iamque novi praeeunt fasces, nova purpura fulget,
et nova conspicuum pondera sentit ebur.
colla rudes operum praebent ferienda iuvenci,
quos aluit campis herba Falisca suis.
Iuppiter arce suo totum cum spectat in orbem, 85
nil nisi Romanum, quod tueatur, habet.
salve, laeta dies, meliorque revertere semper,
a populo rerum digna potente coli.
quem tamen esse deum te dicam, Iane biformis?
nam tibi par nullum Graecia numen habet. 90
ede simul causam, cur de caelestibus unus,
sitque quod a tergo, sitque quod ante, vides?
haec ego cum sumptis agitarem mente tabellis,
lucidior visa est, quam fuit ante, domus.
tum sacer ancipiti mirandus imagine Ianus 95
bina repens oculis obtulit ora meis.
extimui sensique metu riguisse capillos,
et gelidum subito frigore pectus erat.
ille tenens baculum dextra clavemque sinstra
edidit hos nobis ore priore sonos: 100
“disce metu posito, vates operose dierum,
quod petis, et voces percipe mente meas.
me Chaos antiqui (nam sum res prisca) vocabant:
aspice, quam longi temporis acta canam.
lucidus hic aer et quae tria corpora restant, 105
ignis, aquae, tellus, unus acervus erat.
ut semel haec rerum secessit lite suarum
inque novas abiit massa soluta domos,
flamma petit altum, propior locus aera cepit,
sederunt medio terra fretumque solo. 110
tunc ego, qui fueram globus et sine imagine moles
in faciem redii dignaque membra deo.
nunc quoque, confusae quondam nota parva figurae,
ante quod est in me postque, videtur idem.
accipe, quaesitae quae causa sit altera formae, 115
hanc simul ut noris officiumque meum.
quicquid ubique vides, caelum, mare, nubila, terras,
omnia sunt nostra clausa patentque manu.
me penes est unum vasti custodia mundi,
et ius vertendi cardinis omne meum est. 120
cum libuit Pacem placidis emittere tectis,
libera perpetuas ambulat illa vias:
sanguine letifero totus miscebitur orbis,
ni teneant rigidae condita bella serae.
praesideo foribus caeli cum mitibus Horis: 125
it, redit officio Iuppiter ipse meo.
inde vocor Ianus. cui cum Ceriale sacerdos
imponit libum mixtaque farra sale,
nomina ridebis; modo namque Patulcius idem
et modo sacrifico Clusius ore vocor. 130
scilicet alterno voluit rudis illa vetustas
nomine diversas significare vices.
vis mea narrata est. causam nunc disce figurae:
iam tamen hanc aliqua tu quoque parte vides.
omnis habet geminas, hinc atque hinc, ianua frontes, 135
e quibus haec populum spectat, at illa Larem;
utque sedens primi vester prope limina tecti
ianitor egressus introitusque videt,
sic ego perspicio caelestis ianitor aulae
Eoas partes Hesperiasque simul. 140
ora vides Hecates in tres vertentia partes,
servet ut in ternas compita secta vias;
et mihi, ne flexu cervicis tempora perdam,
cernere non moto corpore bina licet.”
dixerat et voltu, si plura requirere vellem, 145
difficilem mihi se non fore pactus erat.
sumpsi animum gratesque deo non territus egi
verbaque sum spectans pauca locutus humum:
“dic, age, frigoribus quare novus incipit annus,
qui melius per ver incipiendus erat? 150
omnia tunc florent, tunc est nova temporis aetas,
et nova de gravido palmite gemma tumet,
et modo formatis operitur frondibus arbor,
prodit et in summum seminis herba solum,
et tepidum volucres concentibus aera mulcent, 155
ludit et in pratis luxuriatque pecus.
tum blandi soles, ignotaque prodit hirundo
et luteum celsa sub trabe figit opus:
tum patitur cultus ager et renovatur aratro.
haec anni novitas iure vocanda fuit.” 160
quaesieram multis: non multis ille moratus
contulit in versus sic sua verba duos:
“bruma novi prima est veterisque novissima solis:
principium capiunt Phoebus et annus idem.”
post ea mirabar, cur non sine litibus esset 165
prima dies. “causam percipe” Ianus ait.
“tempora commisi nascentia rebus agendis,
totus ab auspicio ne foret annus iners.
quisque suas artes ob idem delibat agendo
nec plus quam solitum testificatur opus.” 170
mox ego, “cur, quamvis aliorum numina placem,
Iane, tibi primum tura merumque fero?”
“ut possis aditum per me, qui limina servo,
ad quoscumque voles” inquit “habere deos.”
“at cur laeta tuis dicuntur verba Kalendis, 175
et damus alternas accipimusque preces?”
tum deus incumbens baculo, quod dextra gerebat,
“omina principiis” inquit “inesse solent.
ad primam vocem timidas advertitis aures,
et visam primum consulit augur avem. 180
templa patent auresque deum, nec lingua caducas
concipit ulla preces, dictaque pondus habent.”
desierat Ianus. nec longa silentia feci
sed tetigi verbis ultima verba meis:
“quid volt palma sibi rugosaque carica” dixi 185
“et data sub niveo candida mella cado?”
“omen” ait “causa est, ut res sapor ille sequatur,
et peragat coeptum dulcis ut annus iter.”
“dulcia cur dentur, video. stipis adice causam,
pars mihi de festo ne labet ulla tuo.” 190
risit et “o quam te fallunt tua saecula,” dixit
“qui stipe mel sumpta dulcius esse putas!
vix ego Saturno quemquam regnante videbam,
cuius non animo dulcia lucra forent.
tempore crevit amor, qui nunc est summus, habendi: 195
vix ultra, quo iam progrediatur, habet.
pluris opes nunc sunt, quam prisci temporis annis,
dum populus pauper, dum nova Roma fuit,
dum casa Martigenam capiebat parva Quirinum,
et dabat exiguum fluminis ulva torum. 200
Iuppiter angusta vix totus stabat in aede,
inque Iovis dextra fictile fulmen erat.
frondibus ornabant quae nunc Capitolia gemmis,
pascebatque suas ipse senator oves;
nec pudor in stipula placidam cepisse quietem 205
et fenum capiti supposuisse fuit.
iura dabat populis posito modo praetor aratro,
et levis argenti lammina crimen erat.
at postquam fortuna loci caput extulit huius,
et tetigit summos vertice Roma deos, 210
creverunt et opes et opum furiosa cupido,
et, cum possideant plurima, plura petunt.
quaerere, ut absumant, absumpta requirere certant,
atque ipsae vitiis sunt alimenta vices.
sic quibus intumuit suffusa venter ab unda, 215
quo plus sunt potae, plus sitiuntur aquae.
in pretio pretium nunc est: dat census honores,
census amicitias: pauper ubique iacet.
tu tamen auspicium si sit stipis utile, quaeris,
curque iuvent vestras aera vetusta manus? 220
aera dabant olim, melius nunc omen in auro est,
victaque concessit prisca moneta novae.
nos quoque templa iuvant, quamvis antiqua probemus,
aurea: maiestas convenit ista deo.
laudamus veteres, sed nostris utimur annis: 225
mos tamen est aeque dignus uterque coli.”
finierat monitus. placidis ita rursus, ut ante,
clavigerum verbis adloquor ipse deum:
“multa quidem didici: sed cur navalis in aere
altera signata est, altera forma biceps?” 230
“noscere me duplici posses sub imagine,” dixit
“ni vetus ipsa dies extenuasset opus.
causa ratis superest: Tuscum rate venit ad amnem
ante pererrato falcifer orbe deus.
hac ego Saturnum memini tellure receptum: 235
caelitibus regnis a Iove pulsus erat.
inde diu genti mansit Saturnia nomen;
dicta quoque est Latium terra, latente deo.
at bona posteritas puppem formavit in aere,
hospitis adventum testificata dei. 240
ipse solum colui, cuius placidissima laevum
radit harenosi Thybridis unda latus.
hic, ubi nunc Roma est, incaedua silva virebat,
tantaque res paucis pascua bubus erat.
arx mea collis erat, quem volgo nomine nostro 245
nuncupat haec aetas Ianiculumque vocat.
tunc ego regnabam, patiens cum terra deorum
esset, et humanis numina mixta locis.
nondum Iustitiam facinus mortale fugarat
(ultima de superis illa reliquit humum), 250
proque metu populum sine vi pudor ipse regebat;
nullus erat iustis reddere iura labor.
nil mihi cum bello: pacem postesque tuebar
et” clavem ostendens “haec” ait “arma gero.”
presserat ora deus. tunc sic ego nostra resolvi, 255
voce mea voces eliciente dei:
“cum tot sint iani, cur stas sacratus in uno,
hic ubi iuncta foris templa duobus habes?”
ille manu mulcens propexam ad pectora barbam
protinus Oebalii rettulit arma Tati, 260
utque levis custos armillis capta Sabinos
ad summae tacitos duxerit arcis iter.
“inde, velut nunc est, per quem descenditis,” inquit
“arduus in valles et fora clivus erat.
et iam contigerant portam, Saturnia cuius 265
dempserat oppositas invidiosa seras.
cum tanto veritus committere numine pugnam
ipse meae movi callidus artis opus,
oraque, qua pollens ope sum, fontana reclusi
sumque repentinas eiaculatus aquas; 270
ante tamen madidis subieci sulpura venis,
clauderet ut Tatio fervidus umor iter.
cuius ut utilitas pulsis percepta Sabinis,
quae fuerat, tuto reddita forma loco est.
ara mihi posita est parvo coniuncta sacello: 275
haec adolet flammis cum strue farra suis.”
“at cur pace lates motisque recluderis armis?”
nec mora, quaesiti reddita causa mihi est:
“ut populo reditus pateant ad bella profecto,
tota patet dempta ianua nostra sera. 280
pace fores obdo, ne qua discedere possit;
Caesareoque diu numine clausus ero.”
dixit et attollens oculos diversa videntes
aspexit toto quicquid in orbe fuit.
pax erat et, vestri, Germanice, causa triumphi, 285
tradiderat famulas iam tibi Rhenus aquas.
Iane, fac aeternos pacem pacisque ministros,
neve suum, praesta, deserat auctor opus.
quod tamen ex ipsis licuit mihi discere fastis,
sacravere patres hac duo templa die. 290
accepit Phoebo nymphaque Coronide natum
insula, dividua quam premit amnis aqua.
Iuppiter in parte est; cepit locus unus utrumque
iunctaque sunt magno templa nepotis avo.
63 See Janus comes, Germanicus, the herald of a lucky year to thee,1 and in my song takes precedence. Two-labeled Janus, opener of the softly gliding year, thou who alone of the celestials dost behold thy back, O come propitious to the chiefs whose toil ensures peace to the fruitful earth, peace to the sea. And come propitious to thy senators and to the people of Quirinus, and by thy nod unbar the temples white. A happy morning dawns. Fair speech, fair thoughts I crave! Now must good words be spoken on a good day. Let ears be rid of suits, and banish mad disputes forthwith! Thou rancorous tongue, adjourn thy wagging! Dost mark how the sky sparkles with fragrant fires, and how Cilieian saffron crackles on the kindled hearths? The flame with its own splendour beats upon the temples’ gold and spreads a flickering radiance on the hallowed roof. In spotless garments the procession wends to the Tarpeian towers2; the people wear the colour of the festal day; and now new rods of office lead the way, new purple gleams, and a new weight is felt by the far-seen ivory chair. Heifers, unbroken to the yoke, offer their necks to the axe, heifers that cropped the sward on the true Faliscan plains. When from his citadel Jupiter looks abroad on the whole globe, naught but the Roman empire meets his eye. Hail, happy day! and evermore return still happier, day worthy to be kept holy by a people the masters of the world.
89 But what god am I to say thou art, Janus3 of double shape? for Greece hath no divinity like thee. The reason, too, unfold why alone of all the heavenly one thou dost see both back and front. While thus I mused, the tablets in my hand, methought the house grew brighter than it was before. Then of a sudden sacred Janus, in his two-labeled shape, offered his double visage to my wondering eyes. A terror seized me, I felt my hair stiffen with fear, and with a sudden chill my bosom froze. He, holding in his right hand his staff and in his left the key, to me these accents uttered from his front mouth: “Dismiss thy fear, thy answer take, laborious singer of the days, and mark my words. The ancients called me Chaos,4 for a being from of old am I; observe the long, long ages of which my song shall tell. Yon lucid air and the three other bodies, fire, water, earth, were huddled all in one. When once, through the discord of its elements, the mass parted, dissolved, and went in diverse ways to seek new homes, flame sought the height, air filled the nearer space, while earth and sea sank in the middle deep. ’Twas then that I, till that time a mere ball, a shapeless lump, assumed the face and members of a god. And even now, small index of my erst chaotic state, my front and back look just the same. Now hear the other reason for the shape you ask about, that you may know it and my office too. Whate’er you see anywhere—sky, sea, clouds, earth—all things are closed and opened by my hand. The guardianship of this vast universe is in my hands alone, and none but me may rule the wheeling pole. When I choose to send forth peace from tranquil halls, she freely walks the ways unhindered. But with blood and slaughter the whole world would welter, did not the bars unbending hold the barricadoed wars. I sit at heaven’s gate with the gentle Hours; my office regulates the goings and the comings of Jupiter himself. Hence Janus is my name5; but when the priest offers me a barley cake and spelt mingled with salt, you would laugh to hear the names he gives me, for on his sacrificial lips I’m now Patulcius and now Clusius called.6 Thus rude antiquity made shift to work my changing functions with the change of name. My business I have told. Now learn the reason for my shape, though already you perceive it in part. Every door has two fronts, this way and that, whereof one faces the people and the other the house-god; and just as your human porter, seated at the threshold of the house-door, sees who goes out and in, so I, the porter of the heavenly court, behold at once both East and West. Thou seest Hecate’s faces turned in three directions that she may guard the crossroads where they branch three several ways; and lest I should lose time by twisting my neck, I am free to look both ways without budging.”
145 Thus spake the god, and by a look promised that, were I fain to ask him more, he would not grudge reply. I plucked up courage, thanked the god composedly, and with eyes turned to the ground I spoke in few: “Come, say, why doth the new year begin in the cold season? Better had it begun in spring. Then all things flower, then time renews his age, and new from out the teeming vine-shoot swells the bud; in fresh-formed leaves the tree is draped, and from earth’s surface sprouts the blade of corn. Birds with their warblings winnow the warm air; the cattle frisk and wanton in the meads. Then suns are sweet, forth comes the stranger swallow and builds her clayey structure under the lofty beam. Then the field submits to tillage and is renewed by the plough. That is the season which rightly should have been called New Year.”
161 Thus questioned I at length; he answered prompt and tersely, throwing his words into twain verses, thus: “Midwinter is the beginning of the new sun and the end of the old one. Phoebus and the year take their start from the same point.”
165 Next I wondered why the first day was not exempt from lawsuits. “Hear the cause,” quoth Janus. “I assigned the birthday of the year to business, lest from the auspice idleness infects the whole. For the same reason every man just handsels his calling, nor does more than but attest his usual work.”
171 Next I asked, “Why, Janus, while I propitiate other divinities, do I bring incense and wine first of all to thee?” Quoth he, “It is that through me, who guard the thresholds, you may have access to whatever gods you please.” “But why are glad words spoken on thy Kalends? and why do we give and receive good wishes?” Then, leaning on the staff he bore in his right hand, the god replied: “Omens are wont,” said he, “to wait upon beginnings. At the first word ye prick up anxious ears; from the first bird he sees the augur takes his cue. (On the first day) the temples and ears of the gods are open, the tongue utters no fruitless prayers, and words have weight.” So Janus ended. I kept not silence long, but caught up his last words with my own: “What mean the gifts of dates and wrinkled figs,” I said, “and honey glistering in snow-white jar?” “It is for the sake of the omen,” said he, “that the event may answer to the flavour, and that the whole course of the years may be sweet, like its beginning.” “I see,” said I, “why sweets are given. But tell me, too, the reason for the gift of cash, that I may be sure of every point in thy festival.” The god laughed, and “Oh,” quoth he, “how little you know about the age you live in if you fancy that honey is sweeter than cash in hand! Why, even in Saturn’s reign I hardly saw a soul who did not in his heart find lucre sweet. As time went on the love of pelf grew, till now it is at its height and scarcely can go farther. Wealth is more valued now than in the years of old, when the people were poor, when Rome was new, when a small hut sufficed to lodge Quirinus,7 son of Mars, and the river sedge supplied a scanty bedding. Jupiter had hardly room to stand upright in his cramped shrine, and in his right hand was a thunderbolt of clay. They decked with leaves the Capitol, which now they deck with gems, and the senator himself fed his own sheep. It was no shame to take one’s peaceful rest on straw and to pillow the head on hay. The praetor put aside the plough to judge the people,8 and to own a light piece of silver plate was a crime. But ever since the Fortune of this place has raised her head on high, and Rome with her crest has touched the topmost gods, riches have grown and with them the frantic lust of wealth, and they who have the most possessions still crave for more. They strive to gain that they may waste, and then to repair their wasted fortunes, and thus they feed their vices by ringing the changes on them. So he whose belly swells with dropsy, the more he drinks, the thirstier he grows. Nowadays nothing but money counts: fortune brings honours, friendships; the poor man everywhere lies low. And still you ask me, What’s the use of omens drawn from cash, and why do ancient coppers tickle your palms! In the olden times the gifts were coppers, but now gold gives a better omen, and the old-fashioned coin has been vanquished and made way for the new. We, too, are tickled by golden temples, though we approve of the ancient ones: such majesty befits a gold. We praise the past, but use the present years; yet are both customs worthy to be kept.” He closed his admonitions; but again in calm speech, as before, I addressed the god who bears the key: “I have learned much indeed; but why is the figure of a ship stamped on one side of the copper coin,9 and a two-labeled figure on the other?” “Under the double image,” said he, “you might have recognized myself, if the long lapse of time had not worn the type away. Now for the reason of the ship. In a ship the sickle-bearing god came to the Tuscan river after wandering over the world. I remember how Saturn was received in this land: he had been driven by Jupiter from the celestial realms. From that time the folk long retained the name of Saturnian, and the country, too, was called Latium from the hiding (latente) of the god. But a pious posterity inscribed a ship on the copper money to commemorate the coming of the stranger god. Myself inhabited the ground whose left side10 is lapped by sandy Tiber’s glassy wave. Here, where now is Rome, green forest stood unfelled, and all this mighty region was but a pasture for a few kine. My castle was the hill which the present age is accustomed to call by my name and dub Janiculum. I reigned in days when earth could bear with gods, and divinities moved freely in the abodes of men. The sin of mortals had not yet put Justice to flight (she was the last of the celestials to forsake the earth): honour’s self, not fear, ruled the people without appeal to force: toil there was none to expound the right to righteous men. I had naught to do with war: guardian was I of peace and doorways, and these,” quoth he, showing the key, “these be the arms I bear.” The god now closed his lips. Then I thus opened mine, using my voice to lure the voice divine. “Since there are so many archways, why dost thou stand thus consecrated in one alone, here where thou hast a temple adjoining two forums11?” Stroking with his hand the beard that fell upon his breast, he straightway told the warlike deeds of Oebalian12 Tatius, and how the traitress keeper,13 bribed by armlets, led the silent Sabines the way to the summit of the citadel. “From there,” quoth he, “a steep slope, the same by which even now ye descend, led down into the valleys and the forums. And now the foe had reached the gate from which Saturn’ senvious daughter14 had removed the opposing bars. Fearing to engage in fight with so redoubtable a deity, I slyly had recourse to a device of my own craft, and by the power I wield I opened the fountains’ mouths and spouted out a sudden gush of water; but first I threw sulphur into the water channels, that the boiling liquid might bar the way against Tatius. This service done, and the Sabines repulsed, the place, now rendered safe, resumed its former aspect. An altar was set up for me, joined to a little shrine: in its flames it burns the sacrificial spelt and cake.” “But why hide in time of peace and open thy gates when men take arms?” Without delay he rendered me the reason that I sought. “My gate, unbarred, stands open wide, that when the people hath gone forth to war, the road for their return may be open too. I bar the doors in time of peace, lest peace depart, and under Caesar’s star I shall be long shut up.” He spoke, and lifting up his eyes that saw in opposite directions, he surveyed all that the whole world held. Peace reigned, and on the Rhine already, Germanicus, thy triumph had been won, when the river yielded up her waters to be thy slaves.15 O Janus, let the peace and the ministers of peace endure for aye, and grant that its author may never forgot his handiwork.
289 But now for what I have been allowed to learn from the calendar itself. On this day the senate dedicated two temples. The island, which the river hems in with its parted waters, received him whom the nymph Coronis bore to Phoebus.16 Jupiter has his share of the site. One place found room for both, and the temples of the mighty grandsire and the grandson are joined together.
Probably A.D. 15, 16, or 17, when he was campaigning in Germany.
The new consuls go in procession to the Capitol.
Some derived Janus from hiare, as χάος from χάσκειν.
As from eo; so Cicero suggests, for Eanus (Nat. D. ii. 27. 1). Ovid has a craze for derivations, which are mostly wrong.
As from pateo and claudo (cludo).
The casa Romuli was preserved on the Palatine Hill. This was supposed to be the cottage in which Romulus lived.
He alludes to Cincinnatus, 458 B.C.
The ancient as. See Smith’s Dict. of Antiq. i. p. 202, for a picture. (Editor’s Note: I could not find this dictionary, but Wikimedia Commons has several examples of the Republican As)
Looking down the river; on the river’s left bank was Rome.
Archways were commonly called iani; but one between the Forum Romanum and Forum Iulium was a temple, and had a statue of the god.
The Sabines claimed descent from the Spartans, and Oebalus was a king of Sparta.
Tarpeia.
Juno.
The triumph of Germanicus and Tiberius, 26 May A.D. 17. It had been decreed two years before, so Ovid speaks of it prospectively. The river Rhine, with other rivers and mountains, was actually represented in the procession: see Tacitus, Ann. ii. 41.
Aesculapius.