How is it that they imagine Janus to have had two faces, in which maner they use both to paint and also to cast him in mold.
Is it for that he being a Græcian borne, came from Perrhœbia, as we finde written in histories; and passing forward into Italy, dwelt in that countrey among the Barbarous people, who there lived, whose language and maner of life he changed?
Or rather because he taught and perswaded them to live together after a civill and honest sort, in husbandry and tilling the ground; whereas before time their manners were rude, and their fashions savage without law or justice altogether.
23.
What is the cause that they use to sell at Rome all things perteining to the furniture of Funerals, within the temple of the goddesse Libitina, supposing her to be Venus.
This may seeme to be one of the sage and philosophicall inventions of king Numa, to the end that men should learne not to abhorre such things, nor to flie from them, as if they did pollute and defile them?
Or else this reason may be rendred, that it serveth for a good record and memoriall, to put us in minde, that whatsoever had a beginning by generation, shall likewise come to an end by death; as if one and the same goddesse were superintendent and governesse of nativitie and death: for even in the city of Delphos there is a pretie image of Venus, surnamed Epitymbia; that is to say sepulchrall: before which they use to raise and call foorth the ghosts of such as are departed, for to receive the libaments and sacred liquors powred foorth unto them.
24.
Why have the Romans in every moneth three beginnings as it were, to wit, certeine principall and prefixed or preordeined[[140]] daies, and regard not the same intervall or space of daies betweene?
Is it because as Juba writeth in his chronicles, that the chiefe magistrates were wont upon the first day of the moneth to call and summon the people; whereupon it tooke the name of Calends: and then to denounce unto them that the Nones should be the fift day after; and as for the Ides they held it to be an holy and sacred day?