[55] The same connection between ‘mother’ and ‘daughter’ villages also once existed to a large extent in Germany. [56] That is to say, the stories themselves may be old enough; the application of them to some special members of a pantheon marks the condition of the creed. [57] The etymology of Indra’s name is uncertain. It cannot therefore be said whether or no he was originally a sun-god, though he has many of the attributes of one. In the Vedas he is also a god of storms. [58] Welcker maintains (_Griech. Götterlehre_) that the title, Son of Time, belonged to Zeus before Kronos (Chronos) was invented as a personality to be the father of Zeus. [59] I purposely leave out Aphrodite (Venus) from this category, as she partakes so much of the nature of an Oriental goddess. [60] Not directly, however; see Grimm, D. M., vol. i., p. 252. [61] Soma was the mystic (and no doubt intoxicating) drink used in the sacrifices, and poured as libation to the gods. It was personified as a divinity. [62] The _flash_, the father of the Maruts (?). [63] The dew? (=Prokris?) imaged here as a cow. She is the mother of the Maruts. [64] Though the character of this has been a good deal exaggerated in the popular notions of the religion of the ancient Persians. [65] Mitra is associated with the idea of the sun. But I incline to think that originally he was rather the wind of morning, or even the morning _sky_. He is almost always linked in the hymns with Varuna, who most certainly was at one time the sky (ούρανός), and once a supreme god. See what is said below of Surya. [66] The Dawn. See p. 205. [67] The fish. [68] Literally, ‘the egg’s son.’ [69] It has been already said that the Latin mythology, _as we know it_, is almost all borrowed directly from the Greek. It is obviously right, therefore, to call the deities by their Greek, and not, as was till recently always done, by their Latin names. The Latin gods had no doubt much of the character of their Greek brethren; but it is to the Greek poets that we are really indebted for what we know about them. In this chapter, for the sake of clearness, the Latin name is generally given in parentheses after the Greek one. [70] To appreciate this we must compare the representations of Apollo with those of Helios, who was simply and frankly a sun-god even to the later Greeks, and we see that they are essentially the same personality. Even in the very early statues of Apollo, where the artist had not the skill to make wide, flowing locks, the hair is always indicated with great care and some elaboration of detail. [71] A word allied to our _fen_. [72] Homeric hymn to Dêmêtêr. [73] See Appendix. _Persephone and Balder._ [74] Albeit that Aphroditê like Athenê is likewise a goddess sprung from water--from the sea. [75] As she springs from the head of Zeus, the storm-cloud.