616 ON THE DIONYSIACS OF NONNUS 



especially commands the people of JEthre, the city of the sun, Anthene 

 abounding in shrubs, in which Wilford recognises Oude, and the 

 reedy Orykea. Also Nesaia, Melaine and Patalinne, with a saline soil. 

 The latter is readily identifiable with the Indo-Scythic town Patalene, at 

 the mouth of the Indus. With these march the hairy -breasted Dusscei 

 and Sabiri — the latter possibly the Suviras or Subiras of the Puranas. 

 Also the men who sleep wrapped up in their own ears. These are com- 

 manded, apparently, under the Maharaja by Bringus — a Hindu name, 

 either Bhrigus or Bhringas — Danyklos, Hippurus and Tectaphor. 

 The old story of the Grecian daughter is told of this Chief, and having 

 been condemned by Deriades to die of hunger in prison, his life was 

 preserved by his daughter's milk, which circumstance becoming known to 

 the king, he restored the prisoner to freedom. The Bolingi are under his 

 command. The Arachosians march under Ginglon, Thureis and Hippal- 

 mos. The Derses, armed with bows, are commanded by Habrathous, an 

 unwilling auxiliary, labouring under the disgrace of having had his head 

 shaved by order of Deriades — a mark of infamy, it is said, amongst the 

 Indians, hhig Tizgov ovuhg — and this is no doubt an old sentiment, for it is 

 said of Sagara that when he had subdued various outcaste tribes, he was 

 induced by the intercession of the Sage Vasishtha to spare their lives, 

 contenting himself with enforcing the practice of keeping the head shaved 

 either wholly or in part. We have then the Xuthi, Arieni, Za-ori, I-ori, 

 Kaspeiri, whom we know to be Kashmirians — the Arbice, the people of 

 Hysjieros — the people of Arsania, a city of the south, famous for its 

 cotton manufactures — the Kirrhcei, a people of the islands, navigating in 

 skins — the people of Aryzantea, where there are trees shedding honey ; 

 the trees are haunted not only by birds and bees, but dragons and serpents, 

 and the story may be borrowed from the Hindu notions of the Sandal tree, 

 the growth of the Malaya mountains, or Southern Ghats, the favourite 

 haunts of snakes. There also are birds that sing with human voices, and 

 others that predict future events — varieties of the feathered species frequent 



