iter, has omitted to notice that
some theorisers fancied he was the _universe_, which by
itself is enough to betray the delusive nature of this
kind of theological speculation. Varro elsewhere gives
us a clue to the liability of Janus to be exalted in
this unnatural fashion, _L.L._ vii. 27, "divum deo" (in
the Salian hymn), if this be taken as referring to
Janus, as it may be, comparing Macrob. i. 9. 14. But
this is easily explained by the position of Janus in
prayers; cp. Cic. _Nat. Deor._ ii. 27. 67, "cum in
omnibus rebus vim haberent maximam prima et extrema,
principem in sacrificando Ianum esse voluerunt." The
phrase "Deorum" or "Divum deus" is indeed remarkable,
and unparalleled in Roman worship; but no one acquainted
with Roman or Italian ritual will for a moment suspect
it of meaning "God of gods" in either a Christian or
metaphysical sense. I shall have occasion to notice the
peculiar use of the genitive case and of genitival
adjectives in worship later on. See below, p. 153 foll.

[245] _Fasti_, i. 89 foll.; _R.F._ p. 281 foll.

[246] Frazer, _l.c._ (a page of which every line appears
to me to be written under a complete misapprehension of
the right methods of research into the nature of Roman
gods); A. B. Cook, _Classical Review_, vol. xviii. 367
foll.; Professor Ridgeway, _Who were the Romans?_ p. 12,
where, among other remarkable statements, Janus is
confidently said to have been introduced at Rome by the
Sabine Numa, and therefore to have been a Sabine deity,
an assumption quite irreconcilable with those of Dr.
Frazer and Mr. Cook. In striking contrast with such
speculations is a sensible paper on Janus in M.
Toutain's _Etudes de mythologie et d'histoire_, p. 195
foll. (Paris, 1909).

[247] Dr. Frazer is aware of this; see his _Kingship_,
p. 285, note 1. See also Roscher in _Myth. Lex._, _s.v._
"Janus," p. 45 foll.

[248] For the evidence for this and the following facts,
see Roscher's article just cited, or Wissowa, _R.K._ p.
91 foll.; cp. _R.F._ p. 280 foll. The cult epithets of
Janus are thus explained by von Domaszewski,
_Abhandlungen_, p. 223, note 1, "Bei Ianus tritt
regelmaessig der Begriff des Wesens hinzu, dessen Wirkung
er von Anfang an bestimmt, so I. Consevius der Anfang
der in Consus wirkenden Kraft, und in derselbe