Livy’s language seems to suggest that these were in the care of the gens Horatia[1041]: ‘Quibusdam piacularibus sacrificiis factis, quae deinde genti Horatiae tradita sunt.’ If so, perhaps the whole legend of Horatius, or at any rate its connexion with this spot, arose out of this gentile worship of two deities, of whom the cult-titles were respectively Curiatius and Sororia. The coincidence of Janus and Juno is natural enough; both were associated with the Kalends[1042]. But the original meaning of their cult-titles at the Tigillum remains unknown. All we can say is that the Janus of the _curiae_ and the Juno of a sister may certainly have given point to a legend of which the hero was acquitted by the Comitia Curiata for the murder of a sister[1043]. 3 NON. OCT. (OCTOBER 5). C. This was one of the three days on which the _mundus_ was open: see on August 24. NON. OCT. (OCTOBER 7). F. IOVI FULGURI, IUNONI CURRITI[1044] IN CAMPO. (ARV. PAUL.) Of these worships in Rome nothing else is known. Iuno Curitis is the goddess of Falerii, whose supposed ἱερὸς γάμος was referred to above[1045]. V ID. OCT. (OCTOBER 11). NP. MEDITR[INALIA]. (SAB. MAFF. AMIT.) FERIAE IOVI. (AMIT.) This was the day on which the new wine was tasted. There is no real evidence of a goddess Meditrina. The account in Paulus is as follows: ‘Mos erat Latinis populis, quo die quis primum gustaret mustum, dicere ominis gratia “Vetus novum vinum bibo, veteri novo morbo medeor.” A quibus verbis etiam Meditrinae deae nomen conceptum, eiusque sacra Meditrinalia dicta sunt[1046].’ Varro had already given the same account: ‘Octobri mense Meditrinalia dies, dictus a medendo, quod Flaccus flamen Martialis dicebat hoc die solitum vinum novum et vetus libari et gustari medicamenti causa: quod facere solent etiam nunc multi quom dicunt: Novum vetus vinum bibo, novo veteri vino morbo medeor.’ Note _a_. A parallel practice of tasting both old and new crops is to be found in the ritual of the Fratres Arvales, who in May ‘fruges aridas et virides contigerunt,’ i. e. the old grain and the new[1047]. Note _b_. The belief that the new wine (_mustum_) was wholesome and non-inebriating is discussed charmingly by Plutarch (_Quaest. Conv._ vii. 1). Note _c_. Mommsen, _C. I. L._ 1. 2. 332, points out that the real deity here concerned was doubtless Jupiter: see under Vinalia, p. 86. III ID. OCT. (OCTOBER 13). NP. FONT[INALIA]. (SAB. MAFF. AMIT. MIN. IX.) FERIAE FONTI. (AMIT.) All we know of this very ancient festival is contained in a few words of Varro[1048]: ‘Fontinalia a Fonte, quod is dies feriae eius; ab eo tum et in fontes coronas iaciunt et puteos coronant.’ The holiness of wells and springs is too familiar to need illustration here. The original object of the garlanding was probably to secure abundant water.