Zeus : a study in ancient religion - Warburg Institute

Zan an older Zeus 353
Dione'^, the name habitually given to the goddess of Dodona,
implies that her partner was known as Dion- or *Zdn. Dion as
the god's name was presumably ousted by Zei'is. Servius, however,
tells the story of an early Laconian King Dion, \vho entertained
first Apollo and then Liber Pater^ Since the Spartan kings were
priests of Zeus'*, it is just possible that their forbears played the part
and bore the name of Zeus himself. Be that as it may, the simultaneous
existence of the parallel forms Zan and *Zon is by no means
without analogy. It would even appear that both forms have
persisted in Crete down to modern times. The peasant of Anogeia
still ejaculates 'God ZdnosV or 'Hear me, god Zdnos\^'
It will be convenient to summarise in tabular form the names
here discussed and the equations proposed :
Latin Greek Modern Greek
*Divianus Diviana Attaf
Dianus Diana At'as *Aiaiva, *Aiavr]
lanus lana Zaf
Ian Zav Zdvos
Ai(ov Aicovr] Za)vos
I hold, then, that there was an ancient Illyrian (?) sky-god, who
appears on the west of the Adriatic as lanus, on the east as
Zan. Throughout the historical period lanus was more and more
eclipsed by lupiter : at an early date Zan was practically superseded
by Zeus. Nevertheless lanus was still accorded a foremost place
in the prayers and invocations of the Romans", while Zan was never
wholly forgotten by the Greeks.
If we are to understand the outward expression given by both
peoples to the cult of this great deity, we must keep in mind the
fact that he was al? origine the divine Sky and nothing more'.
^ AnjiVTf is scanned with i in h. Ap. 93 {otrffai dpurrai iaav, AiuifTj re Pii-r] re where
r. \V. Allen and E. E. Sikes rightly retain the manuscript reading as against F. A. Wolf's
cj. eacTL), with t in //. 5. 370, 381, Has. theog. 17, 353, Eur. Hel. 1098, Antigone frag.
177, I Nauck'-, alib. Cp. Diana and Diana (supra p. 339 n. 5).
- Supra p. 350 n. 6.
•^ Serv. in Verg. eel. 8. 30 Dion rex Laconiae fuit, qui habuit uxorem Iphiteam
(G. Thilo cj. AnipJiitheain) Prognai filiam, etc. These names should find a place in
P. Foralla Frcsopographie der Lakedaimonicr bis auf die Zeit Alexanders des Grossen
Breslau 191 3.
* Supra i. 8.
'' Supra i. 163.
'' See e.g. W. H. Roscher in his Lex. Myth. ii. 39, Wissowa Rel. A'ult. Rom.'- p. 103 f.,
W. Warde Fowler The Roman Festivals London 1899 pp. 282, 287, id. The Religious
Experience of the Roman People 'LoviAon 191 1 pp. 126, 140.
^ Supra p. 337 (if.
C. II. 23
j