(M139) The burning of Sandan, like that of Melcarth,(554) was probably followed by a ceremony of his resurrection or awakening, to indicate that the divine life was not extinct, but had only assumed a fresher and purer form. Of that resurrection we have, so far as I am aware, no direct evidence. In default of it, however, there is a tale of a local Lydian hero called Tylon or Tylus, who was killed and brought to life again. The story runs thus. Tylon or Tylus was a son of Earth.(555) One day as he was walking on the banks of the Hermus a serpent stung and killed him. His distressed sister Moire had recourse to a giant named Damasen, who attacked and slew the serpent. But the serpent’s mate culled a herb, “the flower of Zeus” in the woods, and bringing it in her mouth put it to the lips of the dead serpent, which immediately revived. In her turn Moire took the hint and restored her brother Tylon to life by touching him with the same plant.(556) A similar incident occurs in many folk-tales. Serpents are often credited with a knowledge of life-giving plants.(557) But Tylon seems to have been more than a mere hero of fairy-tales. He was closely associated with Sardes, for he figures on the coins of the city along with his champion Damasen or Masnes, the dead serpent, and the life-giving branch.(558) And he was related in various ways to the royal family of Lydia; for his daughter married Cotys, one of the earliest kings of the country,(559) and a descendant of his acted as regent during the banishment of King Meles.(560) It has been suggested that the story of his death and resurrection was acted as a pageant to symbolize the revival of plant life in spring.(561) At all events, a festival called the Feast of the Golden Flower was celebrated in honour of Persephone at Sardes,(562) probably in one of the vernal months, and the revival of the hero and of the goddess may well have been represented together. The Golden Flower of the Festival would then be the “flower of Zeus” of the legend, perhaps the yellow crocus of nature or rather her more gorgeous sister, the Oriental saffron. For saffron grew in great abundance at the Corycian cave of Zeus;(563) and it is an elegant conjecture, if it is nothing more, that the very name of the place meant “the Crocus Cave.”(564) However, on the coins of Sardes the magical plant seems to be a branch rather than a blossom, a Golden Bough rather than a Golden Flower. Chapter VIII. Volcanic Religion. § 1. The Burning of a God.