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

264 The Solar Wheel in Greece

Comparing now the tablet with the words of Philostratos, we note
that it exhibits a throne-room with a ceiling vaulted like the sky,
from which emerge certain divine figures. It also mentions lapis-
lazuli and gold, thereby recalling the sapphire vault and golden
images of the Greek author. Above all, the solar disk suspended
by cords and the emblems of sun, moon, and star seen beneath the
ceiling are analogous to the four iynges said to have been hung
from the roof. I shall venture to conclude that Philostratos was
not talking at random, but was describing an actual chamber in the
Babylonian palace, such as we know to have been constructed by
various grandees from that day to this1. Golden disks representing
the principal heavenly bodies there dangled from a mimic sky.
That of the sun, upheld by two genii of gold, announced by its
mobility and resonance the divine will. Indeed, all alike were
known as 'the voices of the gods.'

We have thus won our way to an explanation, which further
clears up the only difficulty remaining with regard to the Delphic
iynges. They—we argued—were wheels on or in the pediments of
the early temple at Delphoi. Now if, as Philostratos says2, these
golden iynges 'echoed the persuasive notes of siren voices' (literally,
'echoed a certain persuasion of Sirens'), and if, as Pindar saysy,
'from above the gable sang charmers all of gold,' we may suppose
that the Delphic wheels were suspended from the hands of
siren-like figures placed upon the roof much as we see the solar
disk suspended on the Babylonian tablet.

That the iynx as a bird was sacred among the ancient Baby-
lonians and Persians has been inferred by Dr L. Hopf4 and
Prof. D'Arcy Thompson5. This inference, so far as it is based
on the Philostratos-passage above discussed, is obviously precarious.
Marinos, it is true, states that Proklos was familiar with Chaldean
rites 'and by moving a certain iynx in the correct manner caused a
rain-fall and freed Attike from a destructive drought6.' But that
this charm was strictly Chaldean, may well be doubted. And, even
if it was, the wheel rather than the bird is probably meant7. The

1 See R. Eisler Weltenmantel und Himmelszelt Miinchen 1910 ii. 614 n. 1.

2 Supra p. 258 n. 5-. 3 Supra p. 258 n.. 6.

4 L. Hopf Thierorakel und Orakelthiere in alter und neuer Zeit Stuttgart 1888 p. 144.

5 D'Arcy W. Thompson A Glossary of Greek Birds Oxford 1895 p. 72.

6 Marin, v. Procl. 28 6/i^povs re £tdvy\<jev, £1/770. tivol irpoacpbpws Kcvrjcras, /cat avx/^&v
^aicriwp tt)v 'Attlktjv rfkevdeptoaev. Cp. Proklos in Plat. Crat. p. 33, 14 f. Pasquali
toiovtov 8rj rt voeiv Z/LWiye 5o/cet /cat to diaTropOfxiov ovo/xa tQv Ivyywv, 5 irdaas cW%etz> Xtyerai
ras irriyas, and see further G. Kroll De oraculis Chaldaicis Vratislaviae 1894 pp. 39—44.

7 Yet L. Hopf loc. cit. notes that near Radolfszell on the Bodensee wry-necks are
called 'Rain-birds' (Regenvbgele).