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)

Zeus Aphrios

273

conquered the demons of drought1—swore to the Asura Namuki2
that he would slay him neither by day nor by night, neither
with staff nor with bow, neither with the palm of the hand nor with
the fist, neither with the wet nor with the dry. So he killed him in
the morning twilight by using as a thunderbolt the foam of water8.

1 A. A. Macdonell Vedic Mythology Strassburg 1897 p. 54.

Id. ib. p. 161 f. concludes: 'The etymology of the name is according to Panini
3> 75) na-muci, "not letting go." In that case it would mean "the demon withholding
the waters"12 (12Cp. Kuhn, KZ. 8, 80).' F. Max Muller Vedic Hymns Oxford 1891
P- Hi says: 'na-muk, not delivering rain.'

3 The Satapatha-Brdhmana trans. J. Eggeling Part V [The Sacred Books of the East
|wiv) Oxford 1900 p. 222 f. 12. 7. 3. 1 ff.: ' 1. By means of the Sura-liquor Namuki, the
Asura, carried off Indra's (source of) strength, the essence of food, the Soma-drink. He
(Indra) hasted up to the Asvins and Sarasvati, crying, "I have sworn to Namuki, saying,
I will slay thee neither by day nor by night, neither with staff nor with bow, neither
"1th the palm of my hand nor with the fist, neither with the dry nor with the moist!"'
and yet has he taken these things from me: seek ye to bring me back these things!"
2- They spake, "Let us have a share therein, and we will bring them back to thee."—
These tilings (shall be) in common to us," he said, "bring them back, then!" 3. The
Asvins and Sarasvati then poured out foam of water (to serve) as a thunderbolt, saying,
It is neither dry nor moist"; and, when the night was clearing up, and the sun had not
^et risen, Indra, thinking, "It is neither by day nor by night," therewith struck off the
^ead of Namuki, the Asura. 4. Wherefore it has been said by the Rishi (Rig-veda
' vni, i4, 13 [cited infra]), "With foam of water, Indra, didst thou sever the head
Namuki, when thou wert subduing all thine enemies." Now, Namuki is evil: having
Us> indeed, slain that evil, his hateful enemy, Indra wrested from him his energy, or
Vltal power.'

W. H. D. Rouse 'Baldur Story' in The Folk-Lore fournal 1889 vii. 61 notes the
"■Wirya Brahmana 1. 7. 1. 7 ('He moulded this foam of the waters: that, you know,
ne'ther dry nor wet. It was dawn, the sun had not risen: that, you know, is neither

av nor night. He cut off his head with the foam of the water in this world').
Oth ^loomfield in the Journal of the American Oriental Society 1893 xv. 155 ff. collects
Cejjer Elusions: 'At Ramayana iii. 30. 28 (Bomb.; iii. 35. 94 Gorresio) we read:..."Khara
M 1 vn slain...as Vrtra was slain by the thunderbolt, as Namuci by the foam." At
tli 2436:--"the lord Vasava, perceiving a fog, cut off his (Namuci's) head with

j 6 *°am of the waters." Nilakantha in his commentary on Mahabh. i. 7306 ff. (Calc.;
etl^7. 31 Bomb.) says:..."just as when Namuci was to be slain (Indra's) thunderbolt
'ell^tl into the foam of the waters"...* (*A variation of this story at Mahabh. v. 318—330
ijtyS n°w the great Rsis had promised Vrtra that they would not slay him with anything
■Thi°r We'' a s,one or wo°di with a knife or arrow, neither by day nor by night.
a Hi ^rom'se was kept until at dawn one day Indra saw " foam in the sea similar to
f0a Untain"; this along with his thunderbolt he threw upon Vrtra; Visnu entered the
to j anc^ slew Vrtra...). Mahidhara at VS. x. 33 says: "the Acvins and Sarasvati gave
^arnq ^ a tnun(*erkolt ra the form of water-foam. With that Indra cut the head of
4Sllr C'- And at xix. 71 :..."with the foam of water did you take off the head of the
d^y waniuci." Sayana at RV. viii. 14.13: "Indra...cut off his head at the junction of
in t]*n<^ n'ght, with foam, which is different from dry and wet. This purport is set forth
the ] Verse: O Indra, with the foam of the waters, turned into a bolt, did you take off
have °f tlle Asura Namuci." The Brahmanas are more explicit. At MS. iv. 3. 4 we
Tfte p" 'having spread a fog at sunrise, he cut off his head with the foam of the waters."...

f xii. 6. 8 has:..."he cut off his head at dawn before the sun had risen with

day. am of the waters. For at dawn before the sun has risen: that is neither night nor
and foam of the waters: that is neither wet nor dry."'

c- Hi. 18