Question

who is janus? with whom is he compared?
merchant of venice act 1 scene 1

Answer 1

Answer:

Then, later on, his emotion becomes relevant. Certainly, that he is compared to Janus is significant because Antonio, too, looks in two directions: out to sea with his cargo and on land where he becomes involved with his friend Bassanio. So, his melancholy may foreshadow the worries to come for Antonio.

Answer 2

Two-headed Janus is a two headed mythological God. He is actually the two-heading Roman god of Doorways and Openings, looking to the back (past) and front (future). This description is an allusion by Solarino to Antonio's dual persona – one cheerful, and the other, despondent. Nestor was the king of Pylos.