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Correspondences - Months of the Year
Origins of the Months Names
January
From the Roman calendar month Januarius, named for Janus, god of beginnings and doorways.
Janus is the Roman god of gates and doors (ianua), beginnings and endings, and hence represented with a double-faced head, each looking
in opposite directions. He was worshipped at the beginning of the harvest time, planting, marriage, birth, and other types of beginnings,
especially the beginnings of important events in a person's life. Janus also represents the transition between primitive life and
civilization, between the countryside and the city, peace and war, and the growing-up of young people.
February
From the Roman calendar month Februarius, named for Februa, the feast of purification held on the 15th.
Februarius was the month for purification. The word is thought to derive from the Latin "februum" (purification); from "februa"
(instruments of purification); or from "Febuus" (an obscure deity). It was believed that being struck by the februa (strips of goatskin)
would ensure fertility for women and virility for men, so huge crowds would gather along the festival route in hopes of being
struck.
March
From the Roman calendar month Martius, named for the god Mars.
March was the original beginning of the year, and the time for the resumption of war. Mars is the Roman god of war. He is identified
with the Greek god Ares. Most of us are familiar with March as the month with the ominous soothsayer's warning to Gaius Julius Caesar
about the Ides. The first day of the Roman month was the Kalends. In March, the Kalends coincided with the beginning of spring and New
Year's Day.
April
From the Roman calendar month Aprilis.
The Romans considered the month sacred to the goddess Venus, and its name may
derive from that of her Greek equivalent, Aphrodite. It became the fourth month of the 12 "revised" month Roman Republican Calendar in 200
BC. Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty. She is identified with the Roman goddess Venus. As part of the seasonal calendar
April is the time of the 'Growing Moon'.
May
From the Roman calendar month Maius, probably named for the goddess Maia.
Maius (May) was originally the third month of an ancient Latin calendar. Plutarch said it was "called Maius, from Maia, the mother of
Mercury, to whom it is sacred...". Maia (meaning "the great one") is the Italic goddess of spring, the daughter of Faunus, and wife
of Vulcan.
June
From the Roman calendar month Junius, probably named for the goddess Juno.
Junius (June) was originally the fourth month of an ancient Latin calendar. Plutarch said the month's name was "so called from Juno; some,
however, derive them from the two ages, old and young, majores being their name for older, and juniores for younger men." Juno is the
principle goddess of the Roman Pantheon. She is the goddess of marriage and the well-being of women. She is the wife and sister of
Jupiter. She is identified with the Greek goddess Hera.
July
From the Roman calendar month Julius, named for Julius Caesar in 44 BC.
July was originally named Quintilis and was the fifth month of an ancient Latin calendar. It was later renamed in honor of Julius Caesar.
Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar (hence the Julian calendar) in 46 BC.
August
From the Roman calendar month Augustus, named for the emperor Augustus in 8 BC.
August was originally named Sextilis as the sixth month of an ancient Latin calendar. Over four hundred years after it became the eighth
month it was renamed in honor of Augustus Caesar (Octavian). Augustus Caesar clarified and completed the calendar reform of Julius
Caesar.
September
Seventh month of the Roman calendar, from Latin septem, or seven.
Septembris was originally the seventh month of an ancient Latin calendar. (Septem is the Latin word for seven.)
October
Eighth month of the Roman calendar, from Latin octo, or eight.
Octobris was originally the eighth month of an ancient Latin calendar.
November
Ninth month of the Roman calendar, from Latin nove, or nine.
Novembris was originally the ninth month of an ancient Latin calendar.
December
Tenth month of the Roman calendar, from Latin decem, or ten.
Decembris was originally the tenth month of an ancient Latin calendar.
©2003 Ryewolf
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