Janus Janus In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus (; ("Iānus"), ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past. It is conventionally thought that the month of January is named for Janus (Ianuarius), but according to ancient Roman farmers' almanacs Juno was the tutelary deity of the month. Janus presided over the beginning and ending of conflict, and hence war and peace. The gates of a building in Rome named after him (not a temple, as it
Doorways in the Sand fascinating conflict that is apparent in his writings.” In "Doorways" Zelazny changes three fantasy elements into science fiction elements. Jewels with supernatural properties are a staple in fantasy. In Zelazny’s Amber series the Jewel of Judgment plays a decisive role in the plot. In "Jack of Shadows", Jack is imprisoned in a jewel that is worn around the neck by another character, the Lord of Bats. Zelazny takes the jewel fantasy motif and revises it into the star-stone in "Doorways." Instead of having magical qualities, the star-stone is described in the vocabulary of science: To function properly, [Speicus] requires a