term Hippa, and Hippus, will be matter of future disquisition. Thus much is certain, that the Greeks, who were but little acquainted with the purport of their antient theology, uniformly referred it to [693]horses. Hence it was often prefixed to the names of Gods, and of Goddesses, when it had no relation to their department; and seemed inconsistent with their character. We have not only an account of Αρης Ἱππιος, Mars the horseman; but of Poseidon Hippius, though a God of the sea. He is accordingly complimented upon this title by the Poet Aristophanes. [694]Ἱππι' Αναξ Ποσειδον, ᾡ Χαλκοκροτων ἱππων κτυπος Και χρεμετισμος ἁνδανει. Ceres had the title of Hippia: and the Goddess of wisdom, Minerva, had the same. We read also of Juno Hippia, who at Olympia partook of joint rites and worship, with those equestrian Deities Neptune, and Mars. Pausanias mentions [695]Ποσειδωνος Ἱππιου, μαι Ἡρας Ἱππιου βωμοι: and hard-by τῃ μεν Αρεως Ἱππιου, τῃ δε Αθηνας Ἱππιου βωμος. In Arcadia, and Elis, the most antient rites were preserved: and the Grecians might have known, that the terms Hippa and Hippia were of foreign purport from the other titles given to Juno at Olympia. For they sacrificed here to [696]Amonian Juno, and to Juno Paramonian; which were also titles of Hermes. Hippa was a sacred Egyptian term, and as such was conferred upon Arsinoë, the wife of Ptolemy Philadelphus: for the princes of Egypt always assumed to themselves sacred appellations. [697]Ἱππια Αρσινοη, ἡ του Φιλαδελφου γυνη. As the Grecians did not inquire into the hidden purport of antient names, they have continually misrepresented the histories of which they treated. As Ceres was styled Hippa, they have imagined her to have been turned into a [698]mare: and Hippius Poseidon was in like manner changed to a horse, and supposed in that shape to have had an intimate acquaintance with the Goddess. Of this Ovid takes notice. [699]Et te, flava comas, frugum mitissima mater Sensit equum: te sensit avem crinita colubris Mater equi volucris. The like is mentioned of the nymph [700]Ocuroë: also of Philyra, who was so changed by Saturn. He is said to have taken upon himself the same shape, and to have followed her neighing over the mountains of Thessaly. [701]Talis et ipse jubam cervice effudit equinâ Conjugis adventu pernix Saturnus, et altum Pelion hinnitu fugiens implevit acuto. All these legendary stories arose from this antient term being obsolete, and misapplied. Homer makes mention of the mares of Apollo, which the God was supposed to have bred in Pieria: [702]Τας εν Πιεριῃ θρεψ' αργυροτοξος Απολλων. And he has accordingly put them in harness, and given them to the hero Eumelus. Callimachus takes notice of the same mares in his hymn to the Shepherd God Apollo. [703]Φοιβον και Νομιον κικλησκομεν, εξετ' εκεινου, Εξετ' επ' Αμφρυσῳ ζευγητιδας ετρεφεν ἱππας, Ηιθεου ὑπ' ερωτι κεκαυμενος Αδμητοιο.