I.a door, house-door.
I. Lit.: principem in sacrificando Janum esse voluerunt, quod ab eundo nomen est ductum: ex quo transitiones perviae, jani; “foresque in liminibus profanarum aedium januae nominantur,” Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 67: “claudere,” Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 26, § 66: “januam occludere,” Plaut. Aul. 1, 2, 11: “pultare,” id. Poen. 3, 4, 30: “ante ostium et januam,” id. Pers. 5, 1, 6: “indiligenter observare,” id. As. 2, 2, 7: “reserare,” Ov. H. 4, 141: “frangere,” Hor. S. 1, 2, 128.—The dog was commonly chained there; “hence, janua mordax,” Plaut. Truc. 2, 4, 1; cf. id. Most. 3, 2, 126 sq.—
B. Transf., an entrance of any sort: “inferni janua regis,” Verg. A. 6, 106; cf.: “atri janua Ditis,” id. ib. 6, 127: “mortis,” Sil. 11, 187: “leti,” Val. Fl. 4, 23: “cum eam urbem sibi Mithridates Asiae januam fore putasset,” the key of Asia, Cic. Mur. 15, 33: “hic locus est gemini janua vasta maris,” Ov. Tr. 1, 10, 32.—
II. Trop., an entrance, approach: “qua nolui janua sum ingressus in causam,” Cic. Planc. 3, 8: “facillime vos ad ea, quae cupitis, perventuros, ab hoc aditu januaque patefacta,” id. de Or. 1, 47, 204: “illa januam Famae patefecit,” Plin. Ep. 1, 18, 4; Val. Fl. 4, 231: “vultus ac frons, quae est animi janua,” Q. Cic. Pet. Cons. 11, 44: “ego sum ostium,” Vulg. Johan. 10, 2.
