62 Mr. Sankey on the Philological Analysis 



had elapsed between them, and the distance at which Colchis 

 lay from Thebes : for Phryxus, himself a native of Thebes, 

 and born during the lifetime of Cadmus, had probably brought 

 along with him, on his flight from Bceotia, the seeds of [the 

 ffwaplov, the culture of which, as we have seen, had been 

 already introduced into that country by Cadmus. Hence, 

 therefore, the merit of Jason in this particular will consist in 

 the readiness with which he learned the sowing, rearing, and 

 management of this plant in all its stages, as also the skill with 

 which he guided the plough drawn by brazen-shod oxen. 

 For such is the true history, when divested of fable, of the 

 brazen-hoofed bulls ; whilst the panting breathing of the 

 smoking animals, blown with their exertions in ploughing a 

 heavy soil, gave rise to the poetic exaggeration that they vo- 

 mited forth flames of fire. 



From this view of the history of one part of the Argonautic 

 expedition, I am naturally led to notice another instance, con- 

 nected with another part, where the ambiguity of a name gave 

 rise to a very remarkable mistake. The Argonauts, cut off in 

 their retreat from Colchis through the Euxine Sea by the outlet 

 of the Hellespont, were necessarily driven northwards to the 

 Palus Maeotis, whence, the country about the mouths of the 

 Tanais and the Vistula being probably at that time under 

 water, they were enabled, by transporting their light vessel 

 but a short way across the land, again to launch into the deep. 

 Sailing therefore through the Baltic, and crossing the German 

 Ocean, they passed along the shores of the British Isles. Here 

 it was that, as they discerned the coasts of Ireland, the melan- 

 choly coincidence of a name raised in their superstitious bosoms 

 the most gloomy apprehensions. Informed, no doubt, that 

 this island was called Eirionn or Erin, as it is still denominated 

 in the Erse or Gaelic, the original language of the country, 

 those adventurers connected this appellation with the Greek 

 word Epiwus, a name which, derived from spis, strife, a sinful 

 idolatry had given to the imaginary inflictors of avenging 

 torments. Believing, therefore, that this island belonged to 

 these fancied tormentors, they were appalled at the circum- 

 stance ; and, struck with horror and remorse at the recollec- 

 tion of their conduct towards the Colchians, and the disastrous 



