Cox, George - Aryan Mythology Vol 2.pdf

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Section V.—THE PEOPLE OF THE WOODS AND WATERS.
The woods and hills form the special domain of the Satyrs, CHAP,
a worthless and idle race with pointed ears, small horns, and
the tail of a goat or a horse. Their life is spent in wild The Sa-
hunts through the forest, in tending their flocks, or in idle
dalliance and dancing with the nymphs. Their music may
constantly be heard as they play on the flute, bagpipe, or
cymbals, or on the syrinx of Pan. Their capricious and
cunning nature makes them no safe companions for man.
Nay, if the sheepfold were entered and the cattle hurt or
stolen, if women were scared by goblin shapes as they passed
through the woods, this was the doing of the Satyrs. We
can scarcely be at a loss in our search for the origin of these
mythical beings and their characteristics. When we find
them represented as sprung, like the nymphs and the mystic
dancers, the Kouretes, from the daughters of Hekataios or
Phoroneus, or as the offspring of Hermes and Iphthime
when also we find that Pan, whom they resemble in outward
form and powers of music, is also a son of Hermes and the
nymph Dryops or Kallisto, or of Penelope who weaves the
morning clouds, we can scarcely fail to see in these Satyrs
the phenomena of the life which seems to animate the woods
as the branches of the trees move in wild dances with the
clouds which course through the air above, or assume forms
strange or grotesque or fearful, in the deep nooks and glens
or in the dim and dusky tints of the gloaming. At such
hours, or in such places, the wayfarer may be frightened
with strange sounds like the pattering of feet behind him, or
ugly shapes which seem to bar the path before him, or en-
tangle his feet and limbs as he forces his way through the
brushwood. If we translate all this into the language of
mythology, we have more than the germ of all that is told
us about the Satyrs. But the source thus opened was found
to be a fruitful one, and the Satyrs became the companions
of Dionysos, the lord of the wine-cup and the revel, or of
Herakles, the burly and heedless being who goes through
life toiling for a mean and worthless master, yet taking
tyrs.