The-mythology-of-ancient-greece-and-italy-thomas-keightley

INTRODUCTION. 9
In the island of Samos stood a temple dedicated to the
Gaping Dionysos, of whose origin the following legend was
related. A Samian named Elpis, having made a voyage to
Africa, saw as he was one day on the seashore a huge Hon
approaching him with his mouth wide open. In his terror
he uttered a prayer to Dionysos and fled to a tree, up which
he climbed. The Hon came and laid himself at the foot of
the tree with his mouth still open, as if he required compas
sion, and Elpis saw that a bone was stuck fast in his teeth
which prevented him from eating ; he took pity on him, and
came down and relieved him. As long as the ship stayed on
the coast the grateful lion brought each day a portion of the
produce of his hunting, and Elpis on his return to Samos
built a temple to the Gaping Dionysos8.
7. Casual resemblance of sound in words, and foreign, ob
solete or ambiguous terms, were another abundant source of
legends. In Greek Xaa? is & stone, and Xao? a people; hence
the legend of Deucalion and Pyrrha restoring the human
race by flinging stones behind themb. There was a place at
Rome called Argiletum : this word, which evidently signifies
a place abounding in potter's earth (argilla) c, may be divided
into two words (Argi letum), signifying death of Argus; and
hence arose a legend noticed by Virgild. A part of the pro
vince of Seistan in Persia is named Neem-rdz, i. e. half-day ;
and the popular tradition is, that it was once covered by a
lake, which was drained by the Jinns (i. e. Genii) in half a
daye. But, as the writer from whom we have taken this le
gend justly observes, Neem-roz is also mid-day ; a term which,
in several languages, denotes the south ; and Neem-rdz lies
due south of Balkh, the first seat of Persian dominion. To
return home, there is a point of land between Hastings and
Pevensey, on the coast of Sussex, called Bulverhithe ; that is,
plainly, Bulver-landing-place, such being the meaning of the
old word hithe. But as this term has gone out of use, the
* Plin. H. N. viii. 16. 56.
b Pind. 01. ix. 68 seq. cum Schol. Apollod. i. 7. 2.
e Varro L. L. p. 44. (Bip.)
d JEn. viii. 345. Servius in loe.
* Malcolm's History of Persia, i. 41. 8vo edit.