[64] Though the character of this has been a good deal exaggerated in the popular notions of the religion of the ancient Persians.
[65] Mitra is associated with the idea of the sun. But I incline to think that originally he was rather the wind of morning, or even the morning sky. He is almost always linked in the hymns with Varuna, who most certainly was at one time the sky (ούρανός), and once a supreme god. See what is said below of Surya.
[67] The fish.
[68] Literally, ‘the egg’s son.’
[69] It has been already said that the Latin mythology, as we know it, is almost all borrowed directly from the Greek. It is obviously right, therefore, to call the deities by their Greek, and not, as was till recently always done, by their Latin names. The Latin gods had no doubt much of the character of their Greek brethren; but it is to the Greek poets that we are really indebted for what we know about them. In this chapter, for the sake of clearness, the Latin name is generally given in parentheses after the Greek one.
[70] To appreciate this we must compare the representations of Apollo with those of Helios, who was simply and frankly a sun-god even to the later Greeks, and we see that they are essentially the same personality. Even in the very early statues of Apollo, where the artist had not the skill to make wide, flowing locks, the hair is always indicated with great care and some elaboration of detail.
[71] A word allied to our fen.
[72] Homeric hymn to Dêmêtêr.
[73] See Appendix. Persephone and Balder.