Cox, George - Aryan Mythology Vol 2.pdf

THE FISH SUN. 25
to Telphoussa, to wreak his vengeance on the beautiful CHAP,
fountain which had cheated him of a bright home beside her ,' ,
glancing waters. The stream was choked by a large crag,
the crag beetling over Tantalos, which he toppled down
upon it, and the glory departed from Telphoussa for ever.
It now remained to find a body of priests and servants for Phoibos
his Delphian sanctuary, and these were furnished by the Jv 1
^ 1crew
of a Cretan ship sailing with merchandise to Pylos.
In the guise of a dolphin Phoibos urged the vessel through
the waters, while the mariners sat still on the deck in terror
as the ship moved on without either sail or oar along the
whole coast of the island of Pelops. As they entered the
Krisaian gulf a strong zephyr carried them eastward, till the
ship was lifted on the sands of Krisa. Then Apollon leaped
from the vessel like a star, while from him flew sparks of
light till their radiance reached the heaven, and hastening
to his sanctuary he showed forth his weapons in the flames
which he kindled. This done, he hastened with the swiftness
of thought back to the ship, now in the form of a beautiful
youth, with his golden locks flowing over his shoulders, and
asked the seamen who they were and whence they came.
In their answer, which says that they had been brought to
Krisa against their will, they address him at once as a god,
and Phoibos tells them that they can hope to see their home,
their wives, and their children again no more. But a higher
lot awaits them. Their name shall be known throughout
the earth as the guardians of Apollon's shrine, and the in-
terpreters of his will. So they follow him to Pytho, while
the god leads the way filling the air with heavenly melodies.
But once more they are dismayed as they look on the naked
crags and sterile rocks around them, and ask how they are
to live in a land thus dry and barren. The answer is that
they should have all their hearts' desire, if only they would
avoid falsehood in words and violence in deed.
Such was the legend devised to account for the name and The Fishthe
founding of the Delphian temple. It is obviously a myth
sun.
neets Phoibos with