DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14696#0420
Zan an older Zeus
353
Dione1, the name habitually given to the goddess of Dodona,
implies that her partner was known as Dion'1 or *Zon. Dion, as
the god's name was presumably ousted by Zeus. Servius, however,
tells the story of an early Laconian King Dion, who entertained
first Apollo and then Liber Pater3. Since the Spartan kings were
priests of Zeus4, it is just possible that their forbears played the part
and bore the name of Zeus himself. Be that as it may, the simul-
taneous existence of the parallel forms Zan and *Zon is by no means
without analogy. It would even appear that both forms have
persisted in Crete down to modern times. The peasant of Anogeia
still ejaculates 'God ZdnosV or 'Hear me, god Zonosl5'
It will be convenient to summarise in tabular form the names
here discussed and the equations proposed :
Latin
Greek
Modern Greek
* Divianus
Diviana
Alias
Dianus
Diana
Aias
*Aiaiva, ^Aiavrj
Ianus
I ana
Zas
Ian
Zav
Zavos
At cov
Aluh'tj
Zcovns
I hold, then, that there was an ancient Illyrian (?) sky-god, who
appears on the west of the Adriatic as I anus, on the east as
Zan. Throughout the historical period Ianus was more and more
eclipsed by Iupiter : at an early date Zan was practically superseded
by Zeus. Nevertheless Ianus was still accorded a foremost place
in the prayers and invocations of the Romans", while Zan was never
wholly forgotten by the Greeks.
If we are to understand the outward expression given by both
peoples to the cult of this great deity, we must keep in mind the
fact that he was ab origine the divine Sky and nothing more7.
1 Aithvr] is scanned with I in h, Ap. 93 (otrtrai dpLarai Zaav, Aubur; re 'Pet'77 re where
T. W. Allen and E. E. Sikes rightly retain the manuscript reading as against F. A. Wolf's
cj. icuri), with t in //. 5. 370, 381, Hes. theog. 17, 353, Eur. Hel. 1098, Antigone frag.
177, 1 Nauck'2, alib. Cp. Diana and Diana {supra p. 339 n. 5).
2 Sapra p. 350 n. 6.
3 Serv. in Verg. eel. 8. 30 Dion rex Laconiae fuit, qui habuit uxorem Iphiteam
(G. Thilo cj. Amphitheam) Prognai filiam, etc. These names should find a place in
P. Poralla Prcsopographie der Lakeciaimonier bis auf die Zeit Alexanders des Grossen
Breslau 1913.
4 Sapra i. 8. 5 Sapra i. 163.
6 See e.g. W. H. Roscher in his Lex. Myth. ii. 39, Wissowa Rel. Knit. Rom* p. 103 f.,
W. Warde Fowler The Roman Festivals London 1899 pp. 282, 287, id. The Religions
Experience of the Roman People London 191; pp. 126, 140.
7 Sapra p. 337 ff.
c ii. 23
353
Dione1, the name habitually given to the goddess of Dodona,
implies that her partner was known as Dion'1 or *Zon. Dion, as
the god's name was presumably ousted by Zeus. Servius, however,
tells the story of an early Laconian King Dion, who entertained
first Apollo and then Liber Pater3. Since the Spartan kings were
priests of Zeus4, it is just possible that their forbears played the part
and bore the name of Zeus himself. Be that as it may, the simul-
taneous existence of the parallel forms Zan and *Zon is by no means
without analogy. It would even appear that both forms have
persisted in Crete down to modern times. The peasant of Anogeia
still ejaculates 'God ZdnosV or 'Hear me, god Zonosl5'
It will be convenient to summarise in tabular form the names
here discussed and the equations proposed :
Latin
Greek
Modern Greek
* Divianus
Diviana
Alias
Dianus
Diana
Aias
*Aiaiva, ^Aiavrj
Ianus
I ana
Zas
Ian
Zav
Zavos
At cov
Aluh'tj
Zcovns
I hold, then, that there was an ancient Illyrian (?) sky-god, who
appears on the west of the Adriatic as I anus, on the east as
Zan. Throughout the historical period Ianus was more and more
eclipsed by Iupiter : at an early date Zan was practically superseded
by Zeus. Nevertheless Ianus was still accorded a foremost place
in the prayers and invocations of the Romans", while Zan was never
wholly forgotten by the Greeks.
If we are to understand the outward expression given by both
peoples to the cult of this great deity, we must keep in mind the
fact that he was ab origine the divine Sky and nothing more7.
1 Aithvr] is scanned with I in h, Ap. 93 (otrtrai dpLarai Zaav, Aubur; re 'Pet'77 re where
T. W. Allen and E. E. Sikes rightly retain the manuscript reading as against F. A. Wolf's
cj. icuri), with t in //. 5. 370, 381, Hes. theog. 17, 353, Eur. Hel. 1098, Antigone frag.
177, 1 Nauck'2, alib. Cp. Diana and Diana {supra p. 339 n. 5).
2 Sapra p. 350 n. 6.
3 Serv. in Verg. eel. 8. 30 Dion rex Laconiae fuit, qui habuit uxorem Iphiteam
(G. Thilo cj. Amphitheam) Prognai filiam, etc. These names should find a place in
P. Poralla Prcsopographie der Lakeciaimonier bis auf die Zeit Alexanders des Grossen
Breslau 1913.
4 Sapra i. 8. 5 Sapra i. 163.
6 See e.g. W. H. Roscher in his Lex. Myth. ii. 39, Wissowa Rel. Knit. Rom* p. 103 f.,
W. Warde Fowler The Roman Festivals London 1899 pp. 282, 287, id. The Religions
Experience of the Roman People London 191; pp. 126, 140.
7 Sapra p. 337 ff.
c ii. 23