s are a staff, a bowl, a bunch of herbs, a pineapple, a
dog, and a serpent.

His children inherited, for the most part, the distinguished talents of
their father. Two of his sons, Machaon and Podalirius, accompanied
Agamemnon to the Trojan war, in which expedition they became renowned, not
only as military heroes, but also as skilful physicians.

Their sisters, HYGEIA (health), and PANACEA (all-healing), had temples
dedicated to them, and received divine honours. The function of Hygeia was
to maintain the health of the community, which great blessing was supposed
to be brought by her as a direct and beneficent gift from the gods.

AESCULAPIUS.

The worship of AEsculapius was introduced into Rome from Epidaurus, whence
the statue of the god of healing {178} was brought at the time of a great
pestilence. Grateful for their deliverance from this plague, the Romans
erected a temple in his honour, on an island near the mouth of the Tiber.

* * * * *

ROMAN DIVINITIES.

JANUS.

From the earliest ages Janus was regarded by the Romans with the utmost
affection and veneration, as a divinity who ranked only second to Jupiter
himself, and through whom all prayers and petitions were transmitted to the
other gods.

He was believed to preside over the beginnings of all things, hence it was
he who inaugurated the years, months, and seasons, and in course of time
came to be considered as specially protecting the beginnings of all human
enterprises. The great importance which the Romans attached to an
auspicious commencement, as contributing to the ultimate success of an
enterprise, accounts for the high estimation in which Janus was held as the
god of beginnings.

This divinity would appear to have been the ancient sun-god of the Italian
tribes, in which capacity he opens and closes the gates of heaven every
morning and evening. Hence he was regarded as the door-keeper of heaven,
and also as the presiding deity over all gates, entrances, &c., on earth.

The fact of his being the god of city gates, which were called Jani after
him, is ascribed, however, to the following myth:--After the abduction of
their women by the Romans, the Sabines, in revenge, invaded the Roman
state, and were already about to enter the gates of the city, when suddenly
a hot sulphur spring, which was believed to have been sent by Janus for
their special preservation, gushed forth from the earth, and arrested the
progres