literary · Roman

Prayer to Janus

Biformed Janus, source of years gliding by in silence, who alone among the immortal celestials sees his own back, come, attend our nobles as Your guests, those whose labors secure delightful pastimes for the earth, and peace on earth, peace on the seas. Attend and bless Your Senators and those of the people of Rome, the Quirites, and with a nod open Your gleaming gates onto peaceful precincts.

Commentarius · Commentary

The proem of the Fasti — Ovid opens his poem on the Roman calendar with the first day of the year and the first of the gods.

Solus de superis qui tua terga vides — "alone among the gods you see your own back". The most famous line ever written about Janus, and it is not a description but a definition: two-facedness here is not a feature of appearance but a unique standing among the gods, a capacity no one else has.

Then dexter ades twice, be favourable: to the leaders — and to the senate and people. The formula is repeated word for word, and that is how it works: both halves of the state receive exactly the same request, neither ranking above the other.

Resera nutu candida templa tuo — "with your nod unbar the shining temples". The verb is chosen to fit the god: reserare means to draw back a bolt. Of the god of doors one asks not favour in general but the single action that he simply is.

Fons · Source

AuthorOvid

WorkFasti

Section1.65-70

PeriodAugustan

OccasionNew Year / Kalends of January

Classificatio · Taxonomy

CultureRoman

Formliterary

DeitiesJanus

FunctionsInvocation · Petition

SphereCivic