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Who, then, is Janus, with whom Varro commences? He is the
world. Certainly a very brief and unambiguous reply. Why, then, do
they say that the beginnings of things pertain to him, but the ends to
another whom they call Terminus? For they say that two months have
been dedicated to these two gods, with reference to beginnings and
ends, January to Janus, and February to Terminus-over and above
those ten months which commence with March and end with December.
And they say that that is the reason why the Terminalia are celebrated
in the month of February, the same month in which the sacred
purification is made which they call Februum, and from which the month
derives its name. Do the beginnings of things, therefore, pertain to
the world, which is Janus, and not also the ends, since another god
has been placed over them? Do they not own that all things which they
say begin in this world also come to an end in this world? What folly
it is, to give him only half power in work, when in his image they
give him two faces! Would it not be a far more elegant way of
interpreting the two-faced image, to say that Janus and Terminus are
the same, and that the one face has reference to beginnings, the other
to ends? For one who works ought to have respect to both. For he who
in every forthputting of activity does not look back on the beginning,
does not look forward to the end. Wherefore it is necessary that
prospective intention be connected with retrospective memory. For how
shall one find how to finish anything, if he has forgotten what it was
which he had begun? But if they thought that the blessed life is begun
in this world, and perfected beyond the world, and for that reason
attributed to Janus, that is, to the world, only the power of
beginnings, they should certainly have preferred Terminus to him, and
should not have shut him out from the number of the select gods. Yet
even now, when the beginnings and ends of temporal things are
represented by these two gods, more honor ought to have been given to
Terminus. For the greater joy is that which is felt when anything is
finished; but things begun are always cause of much anxiety until they
are brought to an end, which end he who begins anything very greatly
longs for, fixes his mind on, expects, desires; nor does any one
ever rejoice over anything he has begun, unless it be brought to an
end.
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