Happy Agonalia!

[shanmonster]

Janus must be propitiated on the Agonal day.
The day may take its name from the girded priest
At whose blow the God's sacrifice is felled:
Always, before he stains the naked blade with hot blood,
He asks if he should, Agatne? and won't unless commanded.
Some believe that the day is called Agonal because
The sheep do not come to the altar but are driven (agantur).
Others think the ancients called this festival Agnalia,
'Of the lambs', dropping a letter from its usual place.
Or because the victim fears the knife mirrored in the water,
The day might be so called from the creature's agony?
It may also be that the day has a Greek name
From the games (agones) that were held in former times.
And in ancient speech agonia meant a sheep,
And this last reason in my judgement is the truth.
Though the meaning is uncertain, Rex Sacrorum,
Must appease the Gods with the mate of a woolly ewe." ~ Ovid

Happy Agonalia!

Today marks one of the numerous celebrations of the Roman god Janus, who even the most uneducated peon references, if they know the months of the year. January is named in honour of this god of doorways. Before he was deified, he was recognized for having introduced law, field cultivation, and money to Rome. That sounds pretty important to me. No wonder he was turned into a god.

In order to celebrate this occasion properly, I should sacrifice a ram. But since sheep are short at hand, I will make do by wearing wool and checking to see if there's any feta cheese in the fridge. I shall also give the doors in my apartment a washing.