Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 1): Zeus god of the bright sky (Cambridge, 1914)

Zeus superseded by Saint Elias 181

other hand, a fair number of the heights in question, including
Mount Taleton, were well known as centres of Zeus-worship. It
appears, therefore, that on the mountains Saint Elias is the
successor of Zeus rather than of Helios1.

But we have yet to ask why the mountain-Zeus was replaced
by this saint in particular2. Probably, in the first instance, the
memorable scene on Mount Carmel, where Elijah prevailed over
the priests of Baal3, impressed the popular mind with a vivid
picture of the prophet as a mountain-power. The still more
majestic scene of Elijah on Mount Horeb4 doubtless deepened the
same impression. And the final appearance of Elijah on the
Mount of Transfiguration5 would give a Christian sanction to the
Jewish tradition. Again, Elijah, like Zeus, controlled atmospheric

testimonio sunt Lacedaemoni, qui in monte Taygeto equum ventis immolant, ibidemque
adolent, ut eorum flatu cinis eius per finis quam latissime differatur. et Sallentini, apud
quos Menzanae Iovi dicatus vivos conicitur in ignem, et Rhodi, qui quod annis (quotannis
Lindemann) quadrigas soli consecratas in mare iaciunt, quod is tali curriculo fertur
circumvehi mundum. This passage not only gives us fresh and interesting information
with regard to the burnt-sacrifice of a horse on Mt Taygeton, but also compares it with
the burning of a live horse for Iupiter Menzana by the'Sallentini. Now these Sallentini
were Messapians (K. Penka Die vorhellenische Bevolkerung Griechenlands Hildburghausen
1911 p. 35) or, more exactly, a Cretan colony settled in south Italy by Idomeneusof
Lyttos (Strab. 282, Varro ap. Prob. in Verg. eel. 6. 31 p. 352 f. Lion and Fest. p. 329 a
32 ff. Muller, Paul, ex Fest. p. 328 Muller, Verg. Aen. 3. 400f.). I should conjecture
that their Iupiter Menzana (perhaps = Montanus, cp. mentum, mentula, etc. as related to
mons) was a mountain-god closely akin to the Cretan Zeus, whose solar character is shown
by his cult-title TaXatos, TaWaXos {infra ch. i § 6 (h) v). On this showing the horse
burnt on Mt Taygeton was originally a sacrifice to Zeus TaXeriras (Append. B Lakonike),
a Cretan solar Zeus. The Rhodians' annual rite of flinging a solar team into the sea can
be paralleled from Illyricum : nonnulli Saturno, cum suos devoraret, pro Neptuno equum
oblatum devorandum tradunt, unde Illyricos quotannis ritu sacrorum equum solere aquis
immergere : hoc autem ideo, quod Saturnus humoris totius et frigoris deus sit (interp.
Serv. in Verg. georg. 1. 12), vel quod equuleus, ut putant, loci eius suppositus Saturno
fuerit, quem pro Neptuno devoraret ;...cui ob hoc in Illyrico quaternos equos iaciebant
nono quoque anno in mare (Paul, ex Fest. p. 101 Muller : see G. Wentzel in Philologus
1891 1. 389).

1 Zeus was in Hellenistic times not infrequently identified with Helios, especially with
the solar Sarapis and Mithras (infra p. 186 ff.). But it is reasonable to suppose that the
early Christians would have based their substitution of St Elias for Zeus on some
universally recognised characteristic rather than on some exceptional aspect of the latter.
Besides, we have no cause to think that Zeus Helios was worshipped on mountains.

- We cannot here assume any verbal confusion. Of Zeus 'EXietfs nothing is known
beyond Hesych. 'EXietV Zeus iv Qr)j3ais.

s 1 Kings 18. 18—40. Mount Carmel ' became known as Mount St Elias, and behind
the high altar in the chapel is shown the grotto in which St Elias is said to have dwelt.
Pilgrimages to this place have always been made, and on return home pilgrims would in
many cases piously erect a local Carmel, dedicating the chapel to the saint' (Miss M.
Hamilton in the Ann. Brit. Sch. Ath. 1906—1907 xiii. 355).

4 1 Kings 19. 8—18.

5 Matthew 17. 1 ff., Mark 9. 2 ff., Luke 9. 28 ff.