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Cook, Arthur B.
Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 3,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (earthquake, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorits): Text and notes — Cambridge, 1940

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https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14698#0220

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The Arrhephoroi

i65

out1—be connected with *Ztu or * Zio the early Germanic sky-
god2, and presumably implies that Ziu in popular fancy took shape
as the whirling wind-storm—a perfect parallel to the case of Zeus.

§ 8. Zeus and the Dew.

(a) The Arrhephoroi.

Like most atmospheric phaenomena, dew had for the Greeks
a certain sanctity. The wide-spread belief that, if gathered on the
first of May (May Day) or the twenty-fourth of June (Midsummer
Day), it beautifies or cures the human body, makes the cattle yield
more milk and butter, multiplies the hay, etc.3, will serve to explain
a somewhat mysterious Athenian rite known as the Arrhephoria^.
The fullest account of this rite is given by Pausanias5, who after
discoursing on the Erechtheion at Athens continues:

'What surprised me very much, but is not generally known, I will describe as
it takes place. Two maidens dwell not far from the temple of the Polias: the
Athenians call them Arrephoroi. These are lodged for a time with the goddess ;
but when the festival comes round they perform the following ceremony by night.
They put on their heads the things which the priestess of Athena gives them to
carry, but what it is she gives is known neither to her who gives nor to them who
carry. Now there is in the city an enclosure not far from the sanctuary of
Aphrodite called Aphrodite in the Gardens, and there is a natural underground
descent through it. Down this way the maidens go. Below they leave their
burdens, and getting something else, which is wrapt up, they bring it back.
These maidens are then discharged, and others are brought to the Acropolis in
their stead.'

■Now the Arrhephoria took place in the month Skirophorion6,
which corresponds roughly with our June-July. Moreover, there
can be little doubt7 that the name Arrhephoroi means the 'Dew-
See the preceding note. * Supra ii. 50 ft'.
3 J. Brand—Sir H. Ellis Popular Antiquities of Great Britain London 1849 i. 218 f.,
Henderson Folk-lore of the Northern Counties London 1879 PP- 85. 199 f-> J- Grimm
Teutonic Mythology trans. J. S. Stallybrass London 1883 ii. 786 (cp. ii. 1883 iii. 1073,
1888 iv. 1533, 1624), W. Mannhardt IVald- mid Feldkulte- Berlin 1904 i. 384, 390, 1905
"• 3'2, P. Sebillot Le Folk-lore de France Paris 1904 i. 94 f., 1906 iii. 84 f., 476 f., 479, 490,
Frazer Golden Bough3: The Magic Art ii. 54 (Isle of Man), 67 (Northumberland), 127
(South Slavonia), id.3: Adonis Attis Osiris3 i. 246 f. (Abruzzi), 248 (Spain, Normandy,
J erigord), id.3: Balder the Beautiful i. 208 n. 1 (Spain, Normandy, Ferigord, Abruzzi),
11, 74 (South Slavonia).

For similar usages at the Parilia (April 21) and on St George's Day (April 23) see
jfrazer Golden Bough3: The Magic Art ii. 327 (Ov. fast. 4. 778), 333 (White Russia,
't'le Russia, Bulgaria), 335 (Bukowina, Galicia), 339 (Bulgaria).

A. E. Crawley in J. Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics Edinburgh 1911
lv- 7ooa—701 a.

' Faus. r. 27. 3 trans. Sir J. G. Frazer.
Et mag. p. 149, 13 f.

Some have regarded ' App-qtpopia as a clipped form of' Appryro<popia (so schol. Aristoph.
ys. 642, Hesych. and Souid. s.v.' Appri<f>opla, et. mag. p. 149, 15, Bekker anecd. i. 446,
 
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