DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14697#0139
The Mountain-cults of Zeus 977
Kappadokia
Mount Argaios (P)1.
politique, grec et iranien, dont la combinaison caracterise la religion comme la civilisation
de ces contrees.'
To this I would add but two remarks. Doubtless, as Cumont says, the pyre of
Mithridates on the Pontic mountain bears some resemblance to the perpetual fire on the
mountain of Zoroastres (Dion Chrys. or. 36 p. 92 f. Reiske cited supra i. 783 f., ii. 33),
and the offering of milk, honey, wine, and oil by Mithridates recalls the offering of oil,
milk, and honey by the Magoi (Strab. 733). But these practices can be paralleled from
Greek as well as from Persian usage. The big blaze reminds us of the bonfire on the top
of Mt Kithairon kindled once in sixty years at the Great Daidala, when the oak-brides
of Zeus were burnt (Paus. 9. 3. 1 ff. cited supra p. 898 n. 6). And the offering of milk,
honey, wine, and oil is suggestive of the usual Hellenic gifts to the dead (see e.g. P. Stengel
Die griechischen Kultusaltertiinieri Miinchen 1920 p. 149 ' Man spendet Wein, Wasser,
Milch, Honig und 01, doch selten alles zugleich.' Is the ritual of Aisch. Pers. 610 ff.
Persian or Greek?). There may after all have been some historica foundation for the
folk-belief that a saint lies buried on Beuyuk Evlia.
1 Mt Argaios [Erjaus), the culminating point of Antitauros and the highest (3840'11)
peak in Asia Minor, has its summit covered with perpetual snow (Strab. 538, Solin. 45. 4).
On the side facing Kaisareia (Kaiserieh) this forms a vast slope of glittering white—a fact
which perhaps gave its name to the mountain (for apySs, dpyrjs, apyqet^, etc. see Prellwitz
Etym. Worterb. d. Gr. Spr.2 p. 49 f., Boisacq Did. etym. de la Langue Gr. p. 74 f.).
In antiquity few persons reached the summit, and those who did declared that in clear
weather they could see both the Euxine and the bay of Issos (Strab. 538) ! The ascent
readily won its way into the region of the mythical. W. J. Hamilton Researches in Asia
Minor, Pontics, and Armenia London 1842 ii. 275 reports the following tale : ' A traveller
once came from Frangistan, in search of a rare plant which grew only on the summit of
Argaeus, having ten leaves round its stalk and a flower in the centre. Here it was said to
be guarded by a watchful serpent, which only slept one hour out of the four-and-twenty.
The traveller in vain tried to persuade some of the natives to accompany him, and point
out the way ; none of them would venture, and at length he made the ascent alone.
Failing, however, in his attempt to surprise the dragon, he was himself destroyed. The
story adds that he was afterwards discovered, transformed into a book, which was taken
to Caesareia, and thence found its way back into Frangistan.'
In modern times ascents have been made by Hamilton (1837), Tchihatcheff (1848),
and H. F. Tozer with T. M. Crowder (1879). See W. J. Hamilton op. cit. ii. 274 ff.
(with lithographic pi. view of Mt Argaios as seen from Kara Hissar), P. de Tchihatcheff
Asie Mineure Paris 1853 i. 439 ff- (with fig. 9 view of Mt Argaios, fig. 10 do. as seen
from Erke'let, fig. 11 do. as seen from Tomarse, fig. J4 plan of Mt Argaios), H. F. Tozer
Turkish An?ienia and Eastern Asia Minor London 1881 pp. 106—131. Tozer says of
the summit (id. p. 125 f.): 'The view was quite clear and very extensive, including the
long line of the Anti-Taurus to the east, the Allah Dagh and other mountains that run
down towards Lycaonia to the south-west, and to the north the vast undulating plains of
the interior which we had crossed in coming from Yeuzgatt. One or two small lakes were
visible.... We could also trace the depression in which the Halys runs, though the river
itself was not in sight. Kaiserieh lay below us...like a dark carpet spread on the bare
plain. But far the most remarkable feature was the mountain itself, for the lofty pinnacles
of red porphyritic rock, rising from among the snows around and beneath us, veritable
aiguilles, were as wonderful a sight as can well be conceived [Tozer here gives a striking
view of these three needles, which are c. 50 feet in height]. The crater or craters, which
once occupied thesummit, are too much broken away to be easily traceable, the best-marked
being that which faces east; but below, all round the base of the mountain, is a belt of
volcanic cones. The idea that prevailed among the ancients, that on clear days both the
Euxine and the Mediterranean were visible from here, is wholly impossible on account of
C. II. 62
Kappadokia
Mount Argaios (P)1.
politique, grec et iranien, dont la combinaison caracterise la religion comme la civilisation
de ces contrees.'
To this I would add but two remarks. Doubtless, as Cumont says, the pyre of
Mithridates on the Pontic mountain bears some resemblance to the perpetual fire on the
mountain of Zoroastres (Dion Chrys. or. 36 p. 92 f. Reiske cited supra i. 783 f., ii. 33),
and the offering of milk, honey, wine, and oil by Mithridates recalls the offering of oil,
milk, and honey by the Magoi (Strab. 733). But these practices can be paralleled from
Greek as well as from Persian usage. The big blaze reminds us of the bonfire on the top
of Mt Kithairon kindled once in sixty years at the Great Daidala, when the oak-brides
of Zeus were burnt (Paus. 9. 3. 1 ff. cited supra p. 898 n. 6). And the offering of milk,
honey, wine, and oil is suggestive of the usual Hellenic gifts to the dead (see e.g. P. Stengel
Die griechischen Kultusaltertiinieri Miinchen 1920 p. 149 ' Man spendet Wein, Wasser,
Milch, Honig und 01, doch selten alles zugleich.' Is the ritual of Aisch. Pers. 610 ff.
Persian or Greek?). There may after all have been some historica foundation for the
folk-belief that a saint lies buried on Beuyuk Evlia.
1 Mt Argaios [Erjaus), the culminating point of Antitauros and the highest (3840'11)
peak in Asia Minor, has its summit covered with perpetual snow (Strab. 538, Solin. 45. 4).
On the side facing Kaisareia (Kaiserieh) this forms a vast slope of glittering white—a fact
which perhaps gave its name to the mountain (for apySs, dpyrjs, apyqet^, etc. see Prellwitz
Etym. Worterb. d. Gr. Spr.2 p. 49 f., Boisacq Did. etym. de la Langue Gr. p. 74 f.).
In antiquity few persons reached the summit, and those who did declared that in clear
weather they could see both the Euxine and the bay of Issos (Strab. 538) ! The ascent
readily won its way into the region of the mythical. W. J. Hamilton Researches in Asia
Minor, Pontics, and Armenia London 1842 ii. 275 reports the following tale : ' A traveller
once came from Frangistan, in search of a rare plant which grew only on the summit of
Argaeus, having ten leaves round its stalk and a flower in the centre. Here it was said to
be guarded by a watchful serpent, which only slept one hour out of the four-and-twenty.
The traveller in vain tried to persuade some of the natives to accompany him, and point
out the way ; none of them would venture, and at length he made the ascent alone.
Failing, however, in his attempt to surprise the dragon, he was himself destroyed. The
story adds that he was afterwards discovered, transformed into a book, which was taken
to Caesareia, and thence found its way back into Frangistan.'
In modern times ascents have been made by Hamilton (1837), Tchihatcheff (1848),
and H. F. Tozer with T. M. Crowder (1879). See W. J. Hamilton op. cit. ii. 274 ff.
(with lithographic pi. view of Mt Argaios as seen from Kara Hissar), P. de Tchihatcheff
Asie Mineure Paris 1853 i. 439 ff- (with fig. 9 view of Mt Argaios, fig. 10 do. as seen
from Erke'let, fig. 11 do. as seen from Tomarse, fig. J4 plan of Mt Argaios), H. F. Tozer
Turkish An?ienia and Eastern Asia Minor London 1881 pp. 106—131. Tozer says of
the summit (id. p. 125 f.): 'The view was quite clear and very extensive, including the
long line of the Anti-Taurus to the east, the Allah Dagh and other mountains that run
down towards Lycaonia to the south-west, and to the north the vast undulating plains of
the interior which we had crossed in coming from Yeuzgatt. One or two small lakes were
visible.... We could also trace the depression in which the Halys runs, though the river
itself was not in sight. Kaiserieh lay below us...like a dark carpet spread on the bare
plain. But far the most remarkable feature was the mountain itself, for the lofty pinnacles
of red porphyritic rock, rising from among the snows around and beneath us, veritable
aiguilles, were as wonderful a sight as can well be conceived [Tozer here gives a striking
view of these three needles, which are c. 50 feet in height]. The crater or craters, which
once occupied thesummit, are too much broken away to be easily traceable, the best-marked
being that which faces east; but below, all round the base of the mountain, is a belt of
volcanic cones. The idea that prevailed among the ancients, that on clear days both the
Euxine and the Mediterranean were visible from here, is wholly impossible on account of
C. II. 62