The hippopotamus being an inhabitant of the Upper Nile, was imperfectly known to the ancients. Fabulous anecdotes of its habits are recounted by Pliny, H. N., viii. 39, 40., and by Ælian, De Nat. An., v. 53. vii. 19. Achilles Tatius, who wrote as late as the latter half of the fifth century of our era, says that it breathes fire and smoke (iv. 2.); while Damascius, who was nearly his contemporary says that the hippopotamus is an unjust animal, and represents Injustice in the hieroglyphic writing; because it first kills its father and then violates its mother (ap. Phot. Bibl. cod. 242., p. 322., b. 36. ed. Bekker.).
Strabo (xv. 1.) and Arrian (Ind., c. 6.) say that the products of the Indian rivers are similar to those of Ethiopia and Egypt, with the exception of the hippopotamus. They add, however, that according to Onesicritus, even this exception did not exist: for that the hippopotamus was found in the rivers of India. The report of Onesicritus was doubtless erroneous.
Herodotus, Aristotle, and the other Greek writers constantly call this animal ἵπποϛ ποτάμιοϛ. The Latin writers use the improper compound hippo-potamus; which, according to the ordinary rule of Greek composition, means, not a river-horse, but a horse-river. The only Greek writer in whom I have found the compound word ἱπποπόταμοϛ is Damascius, who wrote in the sixth century. Achilles Tatius, who lived about the same time, calls the animal ἵπποϛ του Νείλου which is, he says, its Egyptian name. It seems probable that the word hippopotamus is a Roman corruption of the Greek substantive and adjective, and is not a proper Greek word. Why this animal was called a horse is not evident. In shape and appearance it resembles a gigantic hog. Buffon says that its name was derived from its neighing like a horse (Quad., tom. v., p. 165.). But query whether this is the fact?
Bochart (Hierozoicon, P. ii., lib. v., c. 15, 16.) identifies the "behemoth" of Job (c. 40.) with the hippopotamus, and the "leviathan" with the crocodile. This view seems to be generally adopted by modern commentators. (See Winer, Bibl. Real-Wörterbuch, art. "Nilpferd.")
A Historia Hippopotami veterum Critica, by J. G. Schneider, is appended to his edition of Artedi Synonymia Piscium, p. 247.
The accounts of the hippopotamus since the revival of letters, beginning with that published by Federigo Zerenghi, a Neapolitan surgeon, in 1603 (see Buffon), appear to have been all derived from dead specimens, or from the reports of travellers in Africa. Query, Has there been a live hippopotamus in Europe since the reign of Commodus, with the exception of the young animal now in the Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park?
L.
FOLK LORE.
Folk Lore of South Northamptonshire.