ON MOUNT CAUCASUS. ^^3 



called by two different names. The Clioaspes has 

 been also mistaken for the Cons of Ptolemy, which 

 last comes from the country of Cash-ghar. 



The appellation oiCophes, as we have seen before, 

 is derived from the words Gopa or Gopha : and, 

 though never used by the natives, yet, they assert, 

 that this river passes, through an immense Gapm the 

 mountains of BdiJiij/a?i, or in Sa?isc2'?t through a large 

 Gopa or Gopha, from which the E?igiish words Gap, 

 to Gape, and in German Gaffen are probably derived. 

 Tradition is now silent with respect to the appellation 

 of Choaspes : but we read in Ctesias of certain ani- 

 mals in this river, somewhat in the shape of river 

 horses. This author calls it Gaifas ; and it is the 

 same with the Geiidls or Geuthis of Nonnus; for 

 Bacchus crossed this river in his way from Niccea, or 

 Cabuly to the place of abode of the benevolent and 

 hospitable Brongus among the SamacWhes of Bd- 

 miyan. On the bank of this river was the town of 

 Alyhe or Alyhen in the oblique case * which is called 

 to this day Elbe?i and sometimes Elybend. It is at 

 the foot of the mountains, near the entrance of a pass 

 leading to Bdmiyan. 



The Gaitas and Geuthis being the same river with 

 the CopheSy I strongly suspected that the two former 

 appellations are corrupted from the latter. Of this 

 we have a remarkable instance in the Greek and Latin 

 languages. The words Ccepa and CcEpe in Latin or 

 Gaipia, GaipJni or GephUy in old Greek, are pro- 

 nounced and written in the more modern Gethua and 

 Getia. Thus the tree called Tdla in India and also 

 by Arrtan, is written Tala by Pliny: thus the 

 word Paulus is pronounced Taulua in the countries 

 bordering on the Nile : and the materials from which 



* NoNN. Dionjs. lib. 17. V.33, &c. 



NONNUS 



