THE EASTERN ORIGIN OF THE CELTS. 299 



are Cliimserium, the Chimserian promontory, Comarus, Tomai'us/^*" 

 and, better still, Ambracia, a state founded by Torgus. ^"^ Posidium, 

 Issoria, the Molossi and Omphalium were probably named after the 

 three sons of Zimran, and the Amyntse after Heman. The story of 

 Milo, who slew Laodamia in the temple of Diana, where she had 

 taken refuge — through whom a curse fell upon the whole of Epirus ; 

 and who, seized with anguish, tore out his own bowels and died in 

 extreme agony on the twelfth day after the murder — bears a very 

 close resemblance to that already narrated concerning Tmolus.-"'^ 

 More light may thus be shed on the meaning of Abel Meholah. Acar- 

 ninia contained an Astacus, which may have commemorated Ishod. 

 ^tolia is a supplement of Epirus. On the borders of Ambracia, the 

 land of Zimran, appears Amphilochia, founded by Amphilochus or 

 Mahalah.*"^ There also we find Thestia, the Agr^i and Acrse, the 

 Dymfei and OEchalia. The stories of Tmolus and Milo are repro- 

 duced in that of Meilanion and Atalanta, the scene of which is laid 

 in Calydon, the Gilead of Greece, unless we are to transfer it to 

 Ai'cadia, the home of Atalanta's father. While Meilanion and she 

 were hunting together, they profaned the sacred enclosure of Jove 

 with their love, and for this oflfence were riietamorphosed into lions,^°^ 

 Meilanion can hardly be a different person from Meleager, whose 

 history is more closely linked with that of Atalanta, and who was of 

 Calydon. Meleager is made a son of QEneus or of Mars; and Thireus 

 his brother, like Dryas and Tereus, other sons of Mars, recalls the 

 name of Dara, the son of Mahalah. He perished under a curse, that 

 of his mother Althaea, who may be Alitta or Mylitta. Amphiaraus 

 and Thestius connect with his history. ^"^ Ino Leucothoe, the Colchian 

 goddess, wife of Athamas and mother of Melicerta, is more like a 

 form of Hammoleketh.^"* Athamas I have associated with Etam or 

 Abi-Etam, who named Etham in Egypt and Arabia. ^"^ As Abi-Etam 



's* Tomarus and tlie oaks of Dodona are associated. The Tomuri were diviners. Strab. 

 vii. 7, 11. 



iiJfl Strat). vii. T, 6. 



wi Justin, xxviii. 3. 



i°2 strab. X. 2, 26. 



los Vide authorities in Anthon's Class. Diet., Atalanta. A similar story meets us in Arabian. 

 tradition, where we learn that Asaf, the son of Amru, and Nayelah, the daughter of Sahal, were- 

 for a like offence converted into stone. Sale's Koran, P. D. 



10* Apollodorus, i. 8. Pausan. x. 31, 3. 



i*)* Apollodorus, i. 9. Atalanta is made a daughter of Schcenus, the son of Athamas, thus 

 confirming the association of names. Melas was a son of Phryxus, another son of Athamas. 



'"« The Coptic Element in Languages of the Indo-European Family, Canad. Journal, Vol, 

 xiiL, Xos. 4 and 5. 



