按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
is not for us confidently to decide。 But the view mentioned by Varro that Janus was the god of the sky is supported not only by the etymological identity of his name with that of the sky…god Jupiter； but also by the relation in which he appears to have stood to Jupiter's two mates； Juno and Juturna。 For the epithet Junonian bestowed on Janus points to a marriage union between the two deities； and according to one account Janus was the husband of the water…nymph Juturna； who according to others was beloved by Jupiter。 Moreover； Janus； like Jove； was regularly invoked； and commonly spoken of under the title of Father。 Indeed； he was identified with Jupiter not merely by the logic of the learned St。 Augustine； but by the piety of a pagan worshipper who dedicated an offering to Jupiter Dianus。 A trace of his relation to the oak may be found in the oakwoods of the Janiculum； the hill on the right bank of the Tiber； where Janus is said to have reigned as a king in the remotest ages of Italian history。
Thus； if I am right； the same ancient pair of deities was variously known among the Greek and Italian peoples as Zeus and Dione； Jupiter and Juno； or Dianus （Janus） and Diana （Jana）； the names of the divinities being identical in substance； though varying in form with the dialect of the particular tribe which worshipped them。 At first； when the peoples dwelt near each other； the difference between the deities would be hardly more than one of name； in other words； it would be almost purely dialectical。 But the gradual dispersion of the tribes； and their consequent isolation from each other； would favour the growth of divergent modes of conceiving and worshipping the gods whom they had carried with them from their old home； so that in time discrepancies of myth and ritual would tend to spring up and thereby to convert a nominal into a real distinction between the divinities。 Accordingly when； with the slow progress of culture； the long period of barbarism and separation was passing away； and the rising political power of a single strong community had begun to draw or hammer its weaker neighbours into a nation； the confluent peoples would throw their gods； like their dialects； into a common stock； and thus it might come about that the same ancient deities； which their forefathers had worshipped together before the dispersion； would now be so disguised by the accumulated effect of dialectical and religious divergencies that their original identity might fail to be recognised； and they would take their places side by side as independent divinities in the national pantheon。
This duplication of deities； the result of the final fusion of kindred tribes who had long lived apart； would account for the appearance of Janus beside Jupiter； and of Diana or Jana beside Juno in the Roman religion。 At least this appears to be a more probable theory than the opinion； which has found favour with some modern scholars； that Janus was originally nothing but the god of doors。 That a deity of his dignity and importance； whom the Romans revered as a god of gods and the father of his people； should have started in life as a humble； though doubtless respectable； doorkeeper appears very unlikely。 So lofty an end hardly consorts with so lowly a beginning。 It is more probable that the door （janua） got its name from Janus than that he got his name from it。 This view is strengthened by a consideration of the word janua itself。 The regular word for door is the same in all the languages of the Aryan family from India to Ireland。 It is dur in Sanscrit； thura in Greek； tür in German； door in English； dorus in old Irish； and foris in Latin。 Yet besides this ordinary name for door； which the Latins shared with all their Aryan brethren； they had also the name janua； to which there is no corresponding term in any Indo…European speech。 The word has the appearance of being an adjectival form derived from the noun Janus。 I conjecture that it may have been customary to set up an image or symbol of Janus at the principal door of the house in order to place the entrance under the protection of the great god。 A door thus guarded might be known as a janua foris； that is； a Januan door； and the phrase might in time be abridged into janua； the noun foris being understood but not expressed。 From this to the use of janua to designate a door in general； whether guarded by an image of Janus or not； would be an easy and natural transition。
If there is any truth in this conjecture； it may explain very simply the origin of the double head of Janus； which has so long exercised the ingenuity of mythologists。 When it had become customary to guard the entrance of houses and towns by an image of Janus； it might well be deemed necessary to make the sentinel god look both ways； before and behind； at the same time； in order that nothing should escape his vigilant eye。 For if the divine watchman always faced in one direction； it is easy to imagine what mischief might have been wrought with impunity behind his back。 This explanation of the double…headed Janus at Rome is confirmed by the double…headed idol which the Bush negroes in the interior of Surinam regularly set up as a guardian at the entrance of a village。 The idol consists of a block of wood with a human face rudely carved on each side； it stands under a gateway composed of two uprights and a cross…bar。 Beside the idol generally lies a white rag intended to keep off the devil； and sometimes there is also a stick which seems to represent a bludgeon or weapon of some sort。 Further； from the cross…bar hangs a small log which serves the useful purpose of knocking on the head any evil spirit who might attempt to pass through the gateway。 Clearly this double…headed fetish at the gateway of the negro villages in Surinam bears a close resemblance to the double…headed images of Janus which； grasping a stick in one hand and a key in the other； stood sentinel at Roman gates and doorways； and we can hardly doubt that in both cases the heads facing two ways are to be similarly explained as expressive of the vigilance of the guardian god； who kept his eye on spiritual foes behind and before； and stood ready to bludgeon them on the spot。 We may； therefore； dispense with the tedious and unsatisfactory explanations which； if we may trust Ovid； the wily Janus himself fobbed off an anxious Roman enquirer。
To apply these conclusions to the priest of Nemi； we may suppose that as the mate of Diana he represented originally Dianus or Janus rather than Jupiter； but that the difference between these deities was of old merely superficial； going little deeper than the names； and leaving practically unaffected the essential functions of the god as a power of the sky； the thunder； and the oak。 It was fitting； therefore； that his human representative at Nemi should dwell； as we have seen reason to believe he did； in an oak grove。 His title of King of the Wood clearly indicates the sylvan character of the deity whom he served； and since he could only be assailed by him who had plucked the bough of a certain tree in the grove； his own life might be said to be bound up with that of the sacred tree。 Thus he not only served but embodied the great Aryan god of the oak； and as an oak…god he would mate with the oak…goddess； whether she went by the name of Egeria or Diana。 Their union； however consummated； would be deemed essential to the fertility of the earth and the fecundity of man and beast。 Further； as the oak…god was also a god of the sky； the thunder； and the rain； so his human representative would be required； like many other divine kings； to cause the clouds to gather； the thunder to peal； and the rain to descend in due season； that the fields and orchards might bear fruit and the pastures be covered with luxuriant herbage。 The reputed possessor of powers so exalted must have been a very important personage； and the remains of buildings and of votive offerings which have been found on the site of the sanctuary combine with the testimony of classical writers to prove that in later times it was one of the greatest and most popular shrines in Italy。 Even in the old days； when the champaign country around was still parcelled out among the petty tribes who composed the Latin League； the sacred grove is known to have been an object of their common reverence and care。 And just as the kings of Cambodia used to send offerings to the mystic kings of Fire and Water far in the dim depths of the tropical forest； so； we may well believe； from all sides of the broad Latian plain the eyes and footsteps of Italian pilgrims turned to the quarter where； standing sharply out against the faint blue line of the Apennines or the deeper blue of the distant sea； the Alban Mountain rose before them； the home of the mysterious priest of Nemi； the King of the Wood。 There； among the green woods and beside the still waters of the lonely hills； the ancient Aryan worship of the god of the oak； the thunder； and the dripping sky lingered in its early； almost Druidical form； long after a great political and intellectual revolution had shifted the capital of Latin religion from the forest to the city； from Nemi to Rome。
Chapter 17。 The Burden of Royalty。
1。 Royal and Priestly Taboos
AT A CERTAIN