Wednesday, March 18, 2020

Meet Janus, Father of Zeus and Roman Original

Meet Janus, Father of Zeus and Roman Original Janus is an ancient Roman, a composite god who is associated with doorways, beginnings, and transitions. A usually two-faced god, he looks to both the future and the past at the same time, embodying a binary. The concept of the month of January (the beginning of one year and the ending of the end) is both based on aspects of Janus. Plutarch writes in his Life of Numa: For this Janus, in remote antiquity, whether he was a demi-god or a king, was a patron of civil and social order, and is said to have lifted human life out of its bestial and savage state. For this reason he is represented with two faces, implying that he brought mens lives out of one sort and condition into another. In his Fasti, Ovid dubs this god two-headed Janus, an opener of the softly gliding year.  Hes a god of many different names and many different jobs, a unique individual the Romans regarded as fascinating even in their own time, as Ovid notes: But what god am I to say thou art, Janus of double-shape? for Greece hath no divinity like thee. The reason, too, unfold why alone of all the heavenly one thou doest see both back and front. He was also considered the guardian of peace, a time at which when the door to his shrine was closed. Honors The most famous temple to Janus in Rome is called the Ianus Geminus, or Twin Janus. When its doors were open, neighboring cities knew that Rome was at war. Plutarch quips: The latter was a difficult matter, and it rarely happened, since the realm was always engaged in some war, as its increasing size brought it into collision with the barbarous nations which encompassed it round about. When the two doors were closed, Rome was at peace. In his account of his accomplishments, Emperor Augustus says the gateway doors were closed only twice before him: by Numa (235 BCE) and Manlius (30 BCE), but Plutarch says, During the reign of Numa, however, it was not seen open for a single day, but remained shut for the space of forty-three years together, so complete and universal was the cessation of war. Augustus closed them three times: in 29 BCE after the Battle of Actium, in 25 BCE, and debated the third time. There were other temples for Janus, one on his hill, the Janiculum, and another built, in 260 at the Forum Holitorium, constructed by C. Duilius for a Punic War naval victory. Janus in Art Janus is usually shown with two faces, one looking forward and the other backward, as through a gateway. Sometimes one face is clean-shaven and the other bearded. Sometimes Janus is depicted with four faces overlooking four forums. He might hold a staff. The Family of Janus Camese, Jana, and Juturna were wives of Janus. Janus was the father of Tiberinus and Fontus. History of Janus Janus, the mythical ruler of Latium, was responsible for the Golden Age and brought money and agriculture to the area. He is associated with trade, streams, and springs. He could have been an early sky god.

Monday, March 2, 2020

5 Warning Signs You Should NOT Take The Job

5 Warning Signs You Should NOT Take The Job You’ve been looking for a long time and you’ve finally landed an interview. You think to yourself: This is the job. I have to get this job. And then it looks as though you might actually be hired. Trouble is, there are some red flags. Failure to spot these warning signs might result in you ending up right back where you started, looking for a job. Here are five things to watch for before accepting an offer, even when you’re desperate.1. Herky jerky interview processYou get called in, you interview, and then you don’t hear anything for weeks. Then maybe they call you in again, you do another interview, and†¦ radio silence. If your hiring process is this erratic- without some suitable explanation (some crisis at the company, or an unexpected leave of absence by your supervisor), then it’s time to ask yourself 1: whether you can be bothered being treated this way, and 2: what would it be like to actually work for a company that treated potential h ires this way? If you really really want the job, it’s okay to give them a second chance (though maybe not a third). Just keep your eyes open and your feelers out for other opportunities.2. They’re all about themThere’s a constant stream of requests. We need this from you. And we need that. First a writing sample, then a project on spec, then a statement, then a test. They don’t seem to have any respect for your effort or your time. You’re not given space to ask your interviewers any questions. Sound familiar? Run away.The interview process should be just as much about them recruiting you. If they start to get really demanding and ask for really in-depth work, suggest an hourly consulting rate for that work. Until you have a guarantee of employment, make sure you get paid.3. They’re shadyBy the end of the interview, you’re not sure exactly what your position entails, who you’d report to, what the compensation and benefits would be. You note a lack of any real leadership in the team, and you can’t discern any real structure. Most importantly, if you’ve asked questions and fewer than half of them have been answered to your satisfaction, that’s a sign of major disorganization, even chaos. Run away.4. They’re nosyYou start getting questions about your past position, your past salary, your personal financial details. None of this is really relevant to your potentially being hired. They only need to know what your target salary range is now. Nothing more. And even that you shouldn’t tell them until they’ve specified their range for the position first.5. They give you an ultimatumYou get an offer letter out of nowhere. First of all, that letter should really be a phone call or an email from the person you’ve been speaking with, suggesting they’re ready to make an offer and opening negotiations with you. And if they make it clear there will be no negotiation s (â€Å"We have a dozen other candidates who will take this offer as it stands†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ), then you should probably turn your back and wait for a company that will respect both you and the process of bringing a new employee on board.