January is named after the Roman god Janus, who presided over doors and beginnings – appropriately enough, for the beginning of the year (though this is, as you will discover, not as straightforward as it seems). Indeed, Janus was usually depicted with two faces looking backwards and forwards, as is often characteristic of a new year.
February is ultimately based on Latin februarius, from februa. In case that’s not helped things become clearer, februa was the name of a purification feast held on the 15th of this month.
Which god gets a planet and a month named after him? You’ve guessed it: Mars. Why him? As the Oxford English Dictionary notes, ‘In ancient Rome several festivals of Mars took place in March, presumably in preparation for the campaigning season, since Mars was a god of war.
We know that the English word April comes from the Latin Aprillis, the fourth month of the ancient Roman calendar, but things are less clear after that. In Old English, April was also sometimes called Eastermonab, ‘Easter month’.
The month is connected with the goddess Maia. Perhaps less well known now than the other deities with months named after them, Maia (in Greek mythology) was daughter of Atlas and mother of Hermes. She was considered a nurturer and an earth goddess, which may explain the connection with this springtime month. Although may is a common modal verb, the month and the word are unrelated.
Having conceded one month to a Greek deity, we’re now back with the Romans: June is named after the ancient Roman goddess Juno, wife of Jupiter and goddess of marriage and childbirth.
The first month in the calendar named after a real person, July was named in honour of Julius Caesar after his death in 44 BC, July being the month of his birth. Before it was renamed, the month was known as Quintilis (borrowed into English as Quintile), which means ‘fifth’. If you’ve been counting, you’ll know that July isn’t the fifth month: we’ll come on to that when we reach September and October.
Following suit, in 8 BC, the month Sextilis (‘sixth’) was renamed after Augustus, the first Roman emperor, who had died six years earlier. Augustus himself was given this title when he became emperor, having previously been known as Octavian. It came from the Latin augustus meaning ‘consecrated, venerable’ which gave rise to the English adjective august, ‘respected and impressive’.
September follows on from Quinitlis and Sextilis, in that it comes from the Latin septem, ‘seven’. As with those (and the rest of the calendar), the numbering is a bit off now: September was originally the seventh month in an ancient Roman ten-month calendar, which started with March.
More of the same: octo is the Latin for ‘eight’, for that ten month calendar. Two months were added to the end of the calendar year around 713 BC, and the beginning of the year was moved to 1 January in 153 BC.
January 一月:在罗马传说中,有一位名叫雅努斯的守护神,生有先后两副脸,一副回顾过去,一副要眺望未来。人们认为选择他的名字作为除旧迎新的第一个月月名,很有意义。英语January,便是由这位守护神的拉丁文名字January演变而来的。
February 二月:每年二月初,罗马人民都要杀牲饮酒,欢庆菲勃卢姆节。这一天,人们常用一种牛、草制成的名叫Februa的鞭子,抽打不育的妇女,以求怀孕生子。这一天,人们还要忏悔自己过去一年的罪过,洗刷自己的灵魂,求得神明的饶恕,使自己成为一个贞洁的人。英语二月February,便是由拉丁文Februar-ius(即菲勃卢姆节)演变而来。
March 三月:三月,原是罗马旧历法的一月,新年的开始。凯撒大帝改革历法后,原来的一月变成三月,但罗马人仍然把三月看做是一年的开始。另外,按照传统习惯,三月是每年出征远战的季节。为了纪念战神玛尔斯,人们便把这位战神的拉丁名字作为三月的月名。英语三月March,便是由这位战神的名字演变而来的。
April 四月:罗马的四月,正是大地回春.鲜花初绽的美好季节。英文四月April便由拉丁文April(即开花的日子)演变而来。
May 五月:罗马神话中的女神玛雅,专门司管春天和生命。为了纪念这位女神,罗马人便用她的名字——拉丁文Maius命名五月,英文五月May便由这位女神的名字演变而来。
June 六月:罗马神话中的裘诺,是众神之王,又是司管生育和保护妇女的神。古罗马人对她十分崇敬,便把六月奉献给她,以她的名字——拉丁文Junius来命名六月。英语六月June便由这位女神的名字演变而来。也有学者认为,Junius可能是个代拉丁家族中一个显赫贵族的姓氏。
July 七月:罗马统治者朱里斯·凯撒大帝被刺死后,著名的罗马将军马克·安东尼建议将凯撒大帝诞生的七月,用凯撒的名字——拉丁文Julius(即朱里斯)命名之。这一建议得到了元老院的通过。英语七月July由此演变而来。
August 八月:朱里斯·凯撒死后,由他的甥孙屋大维续任罗马皇帝。为了和凯撒齐名,他也想用自己的名字来命名一个月份。他的生日在九月,但他选定八月。因为他登基后,罗马元老院在八月授予他Augustus(奥古斯都)的尊号。英语八月August便由这位皇帝的拉丁语尊号演变而来。
September 九月:老历法的七月,正是凯撒大帝改革历法后的九月,拉丁文Septem是“七”月的意思。虽然历法改革了,但人们仍袭用旧名称来称呼九月。英语九月September,便由此演变而来。
October 十月:英语十月,来自拉丁文Octo,即“八”的意思。它和上面讲的九月一样,历法改了,称呼仍然沿用未变。
November 十一月:罗马皇帝奥古斯都和凯撒都有了自己名字命名的月份,罗马市民和元老院要求当时的罗马皇帝梯比里乌斯用其名命名十一月。于是,十一月仍然保留着旧称Novem,即拉丁文“九”的意思。英语十一月November便由此演变而来。
December 十二月:罗马皇帝琉西乌斯要把一年中最后一个月用他情妇的Amagonius的名字来命名,但遭但元老院的反对。于是,十二月仍然沿用旧名Decem,即拉丁文“十”的意思。英语十二月December,便由此演变而来。