[1] See the note in Vol. I, p. 465, also p. 578, and Zimmer’s Alt-Indisches Leben p. 60, Preller, Römische Mythologie, pp. 102 and 103; the vultures will remind the English reader of Shakespeare’s Julius Cæsar, V, I, 84 and ff.; for the ominous import of lightning see Smith’s Dictionary of Antiquities, Art. Bidental; and Preller, Römische Mythologie, p. 172. There is a very similar passage in Achilles Tatius, Lib. V. C. 3. Ὡς οὖν προήλθομεν τῶν θυρῶν, οἰωνὸς ἡμῖν γίνεται πονηρὸς· χελιδόνα κίρκος διώκων τὴν Λευκίππην πατάσσει τῷ πτερῷ εἰς τὴν κεφαλὴν. See also Sir Thomas Browne’s Vulgar Errors, Book V, Chapter 23, Sec. 1; Webster’s Duchess of Malfi, Act II, Sc. II.
How superstitiously we mind our evils!
The throwing down salt, or crossing of a hare,
Bleeding at nose, the stumbling of a horse,
Or singing of a cricket, are of power
To daunt whole man in us.
[2] I read tadanullanghayan with MSS. Nos. 1882 and 2166 and the Sanskrit College MS. No. 3003 has anullanghaya.
[3] I read patyus for pitus with the three India Office MSS. and the Sanskrit College MS.
[4] The India Office MSS. have kasmai dattá vá; but the sense is much the same.
[5] It appears from the beginning of the chapter that this was the charioteer of Váyu the chief god of the Wind. In Chapter 115, śl. 57, the wind-gods are opposed to the Daityas. B. and R. identify these wind-gods with the Maruts, s.v. Váyu.