Natural Hiftory of the Ancients. 237 



Phoenician traditions of whales; and then the next 

 ftep was eafy, the ftories of Andromeda and 

 Hefione, and their releafe by heroes. Similarly 

 the hydra 1 was magnified from the fnake. The 

 Harpies, too, which inhabited the Strophades, 

 were faint fhadows of travellers' tales from the 

 Eaft. Large bats were fpeedily transformed by 

 credulous wonder into 



" Virginei volucrum vultus, foediffima ventris 

 Proluvies, uncaeque manus, et pallida Temper 

 Ora fame ;" 



and then the poet may well add, " Triftius haud 

 illis monftrum." 2 



The procefs of mythological creation can be 

 feen in the " OdyfTey," where the word Harpy firft 

 occurs. In it Harpies are fimply ftorm-winds 

 which fweep off" their victims ; the fouler features 

 were afterwards added. 3 Once more, the griffin 

 was fabled to pofTefs a lion's body, with an eagle's 

 face and wings. When we are told that it was 

 faid to guard the gold-mines in the country of the 

 Arimafpi, we are at no Jofs to difcover the reafon 

 which prompted its creation. 4 It is not fo eafy to 

 trace the genefis of the Chimaera, " the invincible 

 Chimasra," as Homer terms it, " which was of 

 divine, and not of mortal lineage, a lion in front, 

 a dragon behind, and a fhe-goat in the midft, 

 breathing forth the dreadful might of blazing 



1 " Quinquaginta atris immanis hiatibus Hydra 



Saevior intus habet fedem." Virgil, " JEn.," vi. 576. 



2 Virgil, "^En.," iii. 214, and 223 feq. 



3 Odyffey," xx. 77. 



4 See Virgil, " Eel.," viiL 27, and the note of Forbiger. 



