Natural Hiftory tf the Ancients. 1 07 



the Vedas the chariot of the fun is drawn by 

 two, feven, or ten horfes called "haritas," which 

 is always a feminine noun. Profeflbr Miiller has 

 traced the connection between thefe and the Greek 

 "charites" or "Graces," and the Greek god of 

 love, Eros, with the Sanfcrit conception of Dawn. 1 

 The team of the fun's chariot with the Greeks 

 and Romans was four in number. No ancient 

 fculptor ever carved thefe prancing fire-breathing 

 fteeds more nobly than has our own Gibfon in the 

 wonderful baf-relief to be feen at Wentworth 

 Houfe, the divine youth retraining his plunging 

 fteeds without an effort, as it were, as the "wild 

 team" arife 



" And (hake the darknefs from their loofened manes, 

 And beat the twilight into flakes of fire." 2 



The Greek Hours who lead forth the chariot 

 become in Sanfcrit oxen, from the notion of oxen 

 going forth at morning to pafture, and returning 

 with evening ; and fo, remarks ProfefTor Max 

 Muller, we can underftand the inner meaning of 

 the old Homeric myth refpedling the companions 

 of OdyfTeus who killed the oxen of the fun and 

 never again faw their native land. They wafted 

 their hours elfewhere, literally killed the time in 

 idlenefs and voluptuous living. So, too, we can 

 underftand the force of the Homeric epithets 

 applied to the fun's horfes, " fwift-flying," "fwift- 



r Max Miiller, " Selefted Eflays," i., p. 439. 

 2 Compare the horfes of the Sun in Virgil, " ^Eneid," xii. 

 113: 



" From the deep gulf the Sun's proud courfers rife 

 And, rearing, from their noftrils breathe forth flame." 



