Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary/Bifrons

Illustrated Companion to the Latin Dictionary, and Greek Lexicon (Rich, 1849)

BIF'RONS (διμέτωκος). Having two fronts or faces looking both ways; a type attributed to Janus, as illustrative of his great sagacity, and emblematic of his knowledge of the past and future, — the known, which, as it were, lies before, and the unknown, which is behind. (Virg. Aen. vii. 180.) Busts of this kind, with the likenesses of different persons turned back to back, were much used by the ancients to ornament their libraries and picture galleries; they were frequently placed on the top of a square pillar at the meeting of cross-roads; and very generally as a termination for the top of a post forming the upright to a garden railing, or other ornamental enclosure; for which purpose an object presenting a front or complete view all round is especially adapted. The illustration (Bifrons/1.1) is from the Capitol at Rome; it presents two female busts, of the same likeness, a rare coincidence; for busts of this kind mostly represent male heads of different persons, very generally philosophers, or of the Indian Bacchus, united with some mythological or other personage.

• 
  Bifrons/1.1