Saturday, January 2, 2010

Janus Looking Both Ways

So here we are in January, the month named for the Roman god Janus, keeper of the gate of Heaven.  Janus, having two faces, can look both forward and backward.  This double visage appears on some ancient coins.

Not everyone has called this month January.  Drawing on Brewer's Dictionary of Fact & Fable, I am able to tell you that the Dutch once named it Lauwmaand (frosty month) and the Saxons Wulf-monath (apparently there were a lot of wolves around, looking for something to eat, like Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother).

I go now to adjust my two faces:  one Brad Pitt, one Rondo Hatton.

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