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

The Dioskouroi as Stars

775

explained in more ways than one. Apart from the inevitable
'Semitic guess1,' modern scholars have sought to derive it from
elmo, the Italian form of the German Helm2, or from Hermesz, or
even from Helena*. Others again advocate a connexion with Saint
Erasmus5, a mediaeval patron of mariners, and K. Jaisle has
succeeded in citing the intermediate forms Santeramo, Santeremo,
Santermo*. Finally, Dr J. Rendel Harris argues that ' St Erasmo
...is a modification of St Remo, i.e. of the Roman Twin7.' Pro-
bably the last word in this interesting controversy has not yet been
written. Be that as it may, Saint Elmo's fire is also attributed to
Saint Nicolas8, Saint Clara9, etc. And, just as ancient Italian sailors
referred one star to Helena, two to Castor and Pollux, so modern
French sailors ascribe two to Saint Elme and Saint Nicolas, three
or four to the added presence of Sainte Anne or Sainte Barbe10.

It appears, therefore, that for nearly two thousand years the
stars of the Dioskouroi and of Helene have been identified with
these ominous electrical phenomena. To me it seems probable
that from the first they bore the same meaning. If Zeus was the
god of the bright sky, such atmospheric illuminations might well
be referred to his children. I am, however, very far from thinking
that we have reached the ultimate significance of the Dioskouroi
when we have succeeded in connecting their stars with the fire of
Saint Elmo. It would be truer to say that we have been reading
the last and in some respects the least interesting chapter of a
lengthy story. The contents of the previous chapters must be
sought in the keen-witted works of my friend Dr Rendel Harris".

Rhone fio de Sant Anteume, English Ferine's fire•. See also A. Jal Glossaire Nautique
Paris 1848 p. 692 f., and F. Kluge Seemannssprache Halle 1911 pp. 217—220.

1 Frazer Pausanias iii. 13 f. 'In the middle ages and in modern times such lights have
been known as the fire of Saint Elmo or Saint Telmo. My friend the late W. Robertson
Smith informed me that the name Telmo resembles a Phoenician word meaning "twins. " '

2 K. Jaisle op. cit. p. 67.

3 K. Jaisle op. cit. p. 63 quotes the forms: S. Erme (c. 1582), S. Heremo (1669),
S. Hermen (1688).

4 J. K. G. Jacobssohn Technologisch.es Worterbnch Berlin 1782 ii. 250 b. Cp. the
following variants: French feu d' Helene (1678), Sainte Helene (1754), English Saint
Helenas fire, German Helmenfeuer, Helenenfeuer, Flemish Elmsvuer, Helenasvuer,
Breton Tan santez Helena. For the change of sex see supra p. 172 ff.

5 So first in the Acta Sanctorum ed. Bolland. Iunius i. 218 f. (1695). See also D. H.
Kerler Die Patronatc der Heiligen Ulm 1905 p. 330.

6 K. Jaisle op. cit. pp. 67—72.

7 J. Rendel Harris in the Transactions op the Third International Congress for the
History of Religions Oxford 1908 ii. 176. See further his Boanerges Cambridge 1913
p. 206 f.

8 K. Jaisle op. cit. p. 58 f. Cp. the Italian fuoco di San Niccola, French Saint Nicolas.

9 K. Jaisle op. cit. p. 59 f. In Old French the fires were ascribed to Sainte Claire.

10 P. Sebillot op. cit. i. 96. 11 Supra p. 760 n. 7.