NOTES. li 



gave him (Iambi, de Vita Pythag. xxix. p. 194, Kiessling), in order that it 

 might be useful to him in all difficulties during long wanderings." Creuzer, 

 Symbolik, Th. ii. 1841, S. 660664. On the repeatedly disappearing and 

 reappearing Arimaspian bard, Aristeas of Proconnesus, vide Herod, iv. 13 15. 



( 197 ) p. 139. Strabo, lib. i. p. 38, Casaub. 



O 98 ) p. 140. Probably the valley of the Don or of the Kuban ; compare 

 my Asie Centrale, T. ii. p. 164. Pherecydes says expressly (fragm. 37 ex 

 Schol. Apollon. ii. 1214), that the Caucasus burned, and therefore Typhon 

 fled to Italy; from which Klausen, in the work above referred to (S. 298), 

 explains the ideal relation of the "fire kindler" (irvpxasvs) , Prometheus, to 

 the burning mountain. Although the geological constitution of the Caucasus, 

 which has been very recently well examined by Abich, and its connection with 

 the volcanic chain of the Thian-schan, in the interior of Asia (which connection 

 has, I think, been shown by me in my Asie Centrale, T. ii. p. 55 59), render 

 it by no means improbable that very early traditions may have preserved 

 reminiscences of great volcanic eruptions ; yet it is rather to be assumed, that 

 the Greeks may have been led to the hypothesis of the " burning" by etymo- 

 logical circumstances. Ou the Sanscrit etymologies of Graucasus (Glansberg ?) 

 (or shining mountain), see Bohlen's and Burnouf s statements, in my Asie 

 Centrale, T. i. p. 109. 



( 199 ) p. 140. Otfried Miiller, Minyer, S. 247, 254, and 274, Homer was 

 not acquainted with the Phasis, or with Colchis, or with the pillars of Hercules ; 

 but Hesiod names the Phasis. The mythical narrations concerning the return 

 of the Argonauts by the Phasis into the Eastern Ocean, and the " double" 

 Triton lake, formed either by the pretended bifurcation of the Ister, or by 

 volcanic earthquakes (Asie Centrale, T. i. p. 179, T. iii. p. 135137 ; Otfr. 

 Miiller, Minyer, S. 357), are particularly important towards a knowledge of 

 the earliest views entertained regarding the form of the continents. The 

 geographical fancies of Peisandros, Timagetus, and Apollonius of Rhodes, 

 were propagated until late in the middle ages, operating sometimes as 

 bewildering and deterring obstacles, and sometimes as stimulating incitements 

 to actual discoveries. This reaction of antiquity upon later times, when men 

 were almost more led by opinions than by actual observations, has not been 

 hitherto sufficiently regarded in the history of geography. The object of the 

 notes to Cosmos is not merely to present bibliographical sources from the 

 literature of different nations, for the elucidation or illustration of statements 

 contained in the text, but I have also desired to deposit in these notes, 

 which permit greater freedom, such abundant materials for reflection as I 



