Honor
or HONOS, the personification of honour at Rome.
After the battle of Clastidium in Cisalpine Gaul, Marcellus vowed a temple, which was to belong to Honor and Virtus in common but as the pontiffs refused to consecrate one temple to two divinities, two temples, one of Honor and the other of Virtus, were built close together. (
Liv. 27.25;
V. Max. 1.1.8.) C. Marius also built a temple to Honor, after his victory over the Cimbri and Teutones (Vitruv. vii.
Praef. ; Serv. ad Aen. 1.12); and, in addition to these, we may mention an altar of Honor, which was situated outside the Colline gate, and was more ancient than either of the other temples. (Cic.
de Leg. 2.23.) Persons sacrificing to him were obliged to have their heads uncovered. (Plut.
Quaest. Rom. 13.) Honor is represented, especially on medals and coins, as a male figure in armour, and standing on a globe, or with the cornucopia in his left and a spear in his right hand. (Hirt.
Mythol. Bilderb. ii. p. lll.)
It should be observed that St. Augustin (
de Civ. Dei, 4.21) calls the god Honorinus.
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