In Roman mythology, Janus (or Ianus) was the god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings and endings.
His most prominent remnants in modern culture are his namesakes:
the month of January, which begins the new year, and the janitor, who is a caretaker of doors and halls.
Janus was supposed to have come from Thessaly in Greece and he shared a kingdom with Camese in Latium. They had many children, including Tiberinus.
When Romulus and his men kidnapped the Sabine women, Janus caused a volcanic hot spring to erupt, resulting in the would-be attackers being buried alive.
In honor of this, the doors to his temples were kept open during war so that Janus himself may easily watch this happen.
The doors and gates were closed in ceremony when peace was concluded.
"We both step and do not step in the same rivers. We are and are not."
Heraclitus the Riddler
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