Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

JAN UA. - JANUA. 627 422; Menand. p. 185, ed. Mein.) The door of a the door of a temple. (Pind. Nemn. v. 53.) In bed-chamber was sometimes covered with a curtain like manner persons fixed to the jambs and lintels [VEIUM]. of their own doors the spoils which they had taken In the Odyssey (i. 442, iv. 802, xxi. 6, 46- in battle. (Festus, s. v. Resignare; Plin. H. N. 50) we find mention of a contrivance for bolting or xxxv. 2.) Stag's horns and boar's tusks were on untolting a door from the outside, which consisted the same principle used to decorate the doors of in a leathern thong (ilcds) inserted through a hole the temples of Diana, and of the private indiviin the door, and by means of a loop, ring, or hook duals who had taken these animals in the chace. (iaeLs, KicXts), which was the origin of keys, capa- Owls and other nocturnal birds were nailed upon ble of laying hold of the bolt so as to move it in the doors as in modern times. (Pallad. de Re Rust. the-manner required. The bolt by the progress of i. 35.) Also garlands and wreaths of flowers were improvement was transformed into a lock, and the suspended over the doors of temples in connection keys found at Herculaneum and Pompeii and with the performance of religious rites, or the exthose attached to rings (Gorlaei, Dactylioth. 42, pression of public thanksgiving, being composed in 905-209) prove, that among the polished Greeks each case of productions suited to the particular.and Romans, the art of the locksmith (icxAe3oroibs) divinity whom they were intended to honour. In approached very nearly to its present state. (Achill. this manner the corona spicea was suspended in Tat. ii. 19.) honour of Ceres (Tib. i. 1. 21; see also *Virg. The door represented in the first woodcut to this. Ciris, 95-98). Laurel was so used in token of article has a ring upon each valve, which was used victory, especially at Rome (Ovid. lMet. i. 562), to shut the door, and therefore called the e7ri7raw- where it sometimes overshadowed the CORONA aerTp. Herodotus (vi. 91) tells a story of a captive CIVICA onthe doors of the imperial palace. (Ovid. who having escaped to a temple of Ceres, clung to Trist. iii. 1, 35-49; Plin. II. N. xv. 39; laureatis the rings on the doors with both his hands. This fbribus, Sen. Consol. ad Polyb. 35; Val. Max. ii. a.ppendage to the door, which was sometimes gilt 8. ~ 7.) The doors of private houses were ornaand very handsome, was also called, on account of mented in a similar way, and with different plants its form, lcpicos and Kopc~m7, i. e. a " circle " or according to the occasion. More especially, in cele" crown" (Hom. Od. i. 441, vii. 90); and, be- bration of a marriage either laurel or myrtle was cause it was used sometimes as a knocker, it was. placed about the door of the bridegroom. (Juv. vi. called p%7rrpo, (Harpocrat, s. v.; Xen. Hellen. vi. 79, 228; Claud. de NAupt. Hon. et Mar. 208.) 4. ~ 36). The term 6Kpa(, " a crow" (Brunck, Catullus, in describing an imaginary marriage, supAnal. iii. 168), probably denoted a knocker more poses the whole vestibulum to have been tastefully nearly approaching the form of that bird, or per- overarched with the branches of trees. (Epithal. haps of its neck and head. The lowest figure in Pel. et Thiet. 278-293.) The birth of a child the last woodcut shows a richly ornamented epi- was also announced by a chaplet upon the door spaster, from the collection at Naples. That with (Juv. ix. 84), and a death was indicated by cya lion's head is taken from a bas-relief, represent- presses, probably in pots, placed in the vestibulum. ing the doors of a temple, in the collection at Ince- (Plin. H. N. xvi. 60; Serv. in Virg. Aen. iii. 64.) Blundell, near Liverpool. The third figure is from In addition to trees, branches, garlands, and the Neapolitan Museum. wreaths of flowers, the Romans sometimes disBefore the door of a palace, or of any private house played lamps and torches before the doors of their of a superior description, there was a passage lead- houses for the purpose of expressing gratitude and ing to the door from the public road, which was joy. (Juv. xii. 92.) Music, both vocal and instrucalled vestibulumnz (Isid. Orig. xv. 7; Plant. Mllost. mental, was sometimes performed in thevestibulum, iii. 2. 132; Gell. xvi. 5) and 7rp6Ovpov (Vitruv. especially on occasions when it was intended to do -i. 7. 5; Hom. Od. xviii. 10 —100; Herod. iii. 35, honour to the master of the house, or to one of his 140). It was provided with seats (Herod. vi. 35). family. (Pind. Nero 1. 19, 20, Isth. vii. 3.) It was sometimes covered by an arch [CAMERA], It was considered improper to enter a house which was supported by two pillars (Serv. ad without giving notice to its inmates. This notice Y'irg. Aen. ii. 469); and sometimes adorned with the Spartans gave by shouting; the Athenians and sculptures (Virg. Aen. vii. 181; Juv. vii. 126). all other nations by using the knocker already deHere persons waited, who came in the morning to scribed, but more commonly by rapping with the pay their respects to the occupier of the house. knuckles or with a stick (Iepolewv, ndi7rewv, Becker, (Gell. iv. 1.) In the vestibule was placed the Chariak. vol. i. pp. 230 —234; Plat. Protag. pp. 151, domestic altar [ARA]. The Athenians also 159, ed. Bekker.) In the houses of the rich a planted a laurel in the same situation, beside a porter (janitor, custos, a3vpcpds) was always in atfigure designed to represent Apollo (Aristoph. tendance to open the door.' (Tibull. i. 1. 56.) He Tliesz. 496; Planut. IMerae. iv. 1. 11, 12); and was commonly a eunuch or a slave (Plat. 1. c.), statues of Mercury were still more frequent (Thu- and was chained to his post. (Ovid. Anzor. i. 6; cyd. vi. 27), being erected there on the principle Sueton. de Cla-. Rhet. 3.) To assist him in guardof setting a thief to catch a thief. (Schol. ad Arsis- ing the entrance, a dog was universally kept near toph. Plzut. 1155.) it, being also attached by a chain to the wall (TheeThe DONARIA offered to the gods were suspended crit. xv. 43; Apollodor. ap. A theez. i. 4; Aritoph. not only from the ANTAE, but likewise from the l7tesmn. 423, Lysist. 1217; Tibull. ii. 4. 32-36); doCr-posts, and lintels of their temples (Virg. and in reference to this practice, the warning Cave Acn. iii. 287, v. 360; Ovid. Trist. iii. 1. 34; Her. Canesz, ebAXaGoe rt', /ca, was sometimes written (C6Lt'l1. iv. 15. 8. Epist. i. 1. 5, i. 18, 56; Pers. near the door. Of this a remarkable example ocSat. vi. 45; Plin. H. N. xxxv. 4), as well as of curs in " the house of the tragic poet "at Pompeii, palaces, which in ancient times partook of the where it is accompanied by the figure of a fierce sanctity of temples. (Virg. Aen. ii. 503, vii. 183.) dog, wrought in mosaic on the pavement. (Gell's Victors in the games suspended their crowns at Peeop. 2nd Ser. vol. i. pp. 142, 145.) Instead as2

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Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.
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Smith, William, Sir, 1813-1893.
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Page 627
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Boston,: C. Little, and J. Brown
1870.
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Classical dictionaries

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"Dictionary of Greek and Roman antiquities. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood." In the digital collection Making of America Books. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/acl4256.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 22, 2025.
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