SACRED ISLES IN THE WEST, 139 



by Stephanus of Byzantium.C^^ that when Typhon was smitten by light- 

 ening, and blood, (haima in Greek,) flowed from his wounds, the place, 

 where he fell, was thence, called Hcemus, though it had likewise the name 

 of Hero, It was called siiso Heroon, or Heroum, a derivative form from 

 Ra'hu or Rahum; and Heroopolis probably is the town or place of Rahu^ 

 for Rdkoo-polis, This head is what the Arabs call Abul-haul, the father 

 of terrors. The Gathick tribes, having neither crocodiles, nor dragons in 

 their country, have introduced the wolf Fairir^ who is constantly running 

 after the sun and moon to destroy them, and will ultimately succeed. 

 Ra'hu 's name is pronounced Ra'gu in \hQ Deccariy and particularly in the 

 Tamuli d\d\e.Oi. Rhcecos was one of the giants, who waged war against 

 the gods, and he was put to death by Bacchus, in the shape of a lion. 

 Abbe' Pluche^^^ says, that Horus, or the sun, having been worsted by 

 Rhcecus, found means to elude his pursuit, by appearing before him in 

 the shape af a lion, I do not know on what authority he grounds this 

 his assertion. 



This churning of the White sea was, it seenis, unknown to the western 

 mythologists : at least very faint traces remain of this notion ; if it ever 

 existed among them. 



The birth of Venus or Lacshmi has some affinity with it: for we read 

 that Saturn, having cut off Ccelus's privities, he flung them into the sea, 

 where, being mixed, and agitated with the foam, they gave birth to 

 Venus. This is the same legend with that concerning the churning; for 

 the plants and trees are positively asserted to be the Linga of the ruling 

 power of the Calpa^ and of which he is deprived by his successor. 



(>) Under the word HeroopoUs . 

 (2) French Encyclop. v. Deluge. 



