302 THE EASTERN ORIGIN OP THE CELTS. 



persons who have links of union with Mahalah. Amphiaraus disap- 

 peared from view, we are told, at Oropiis in Attica. "^ I do not as yet 

 understand why this name is associated with his, but have found 

 similar geographical terms accompanying the wanderings of Zimran's 

 family. 



On the Isthmus, ^gosthene and Minoa of Megaris ; Amphiaraus, 

 Icaria and Molychium of Corinth ; and Derus of Sicyon may have 

 been traces of the Cymri."''* Achaia contained ^gira, a record of 

 Ezer, and Melas, with perhaps Megalopolis, commemorating Mahalah. 

 I need not apologize for supposing that names thoi-oughly Greek in 

 structure, and bearing well defined Greek meanings, may have been 

 manufactured out of Zimrite materials. The rage for etymologies 

 prevailed among the Greeks, and every proper name that was 

 susceptible of a Hellenic form and signification was tortured into 

 these. The same process which fabricated Tarry Hut out of Terre 

 Haute, in Indiana, could easily, in more ancient days, transform 

 Mahalah into Megale, and explain Mycale as Mygale, the shrew- 

 mouse. What renders this probable is, that a river Milichus or 

 Ameilichos, reproducing the Malcha of Babylonia and the Moloc- 

 hath of Mauretania, flowed through part of Northern Achaia into 

 the Corinthian Gulf. According to Pausanias, this river received 

 its name from the adventure of Melanippus and Comaetho in its 

 neighbourhood."* Melanippus, the son of Mars and Tritia, and 

 Comsetho, the daughter of Pterelaus, who was a priestess of Diana, 

 satisfied their love in the temple of that goddess. A curse accord- 

 ingly fell upon the country, and the guilty parties were immolated 

 at Diana's shrine. This is the third time that a similar act of sacri- 

 lege in connection with Diana's worship has come before us, asso- 

 ciated with a name which more or less resembles that of Mahalah, 

 and the seventh in which a similar name has been identified with 

 sacrilege and a curse. Tmolus and Meleager, like Melanippus, were 

 called sons of Mars, and Milo was one of the names of that god. 

 Tritia also, as a form of Darda, is a Mahalite appellation. , The 

 fathers of this or /)f other Melanippi are given as Astacus, Hicetaon 

 and Agrius, names which recall Ishod and Ezer. I have already 



1" Pausan. i. 34. 



117 « Phsestus, King of Sicyon, may have been Ishod, and his son Rhopalus, the person from 

 whom Arbela, Eriphyle, &c., derived their names, as well as Beth Arbel in Palestine. Ishod 

 was Hammoleketh's eldest son. 



118 Pau3. vii. 19. 



