[Footnote 101: Late as seems this hymn to be, it is interesting in revealing the fact that wolves (not tigers or panthers) are the poet's most dreaded foes of night. It must, therefore have been composed in the northlands, where wolves are the herdsman's worst enemies.] [Footnote 102: Myriantheus, _Die Açvins_; Muir, OST. v. p.234; Bergaigne, _Religion Védique,_ II. p. 431; Müller, _Lectures_, 2d series, p. 508; Weber, _Ind. St_. v. p. 234. S[=a]yana on I. 180. 2, interprets the 'sister of the Açvins' as Dawn.] [Footnote 103: Muir, _loc. cit_. Weber regards them as the (stars) Gemini.] [Footnote 104: Weber, however, thinks that Dawn and Açvins are equally old divinities, the oldest Hindu divinities in his estimation.] [Footnote 105: In the Epic (see below) they are called the lowest caste of gods (Ç[=u]dras).] [Footnote 106: X. 17. 2; I. 46. 2.] [Footnote 107: I. 181. 4 (Roth, ZDMG. IV. 425).] [Footnote 108: T[=a]itt. S. VII. 2. 7. 2; Muir, _loc. cit_. p. 235.] [Footnote 109: vii. 67. 2; viii. 5. 2; x. 39. 12; viii. 9. 17; i. 34. 10; x. 61. 4. Muir, _loc. cit._ 238-9. Compare _ib_. 234, 256.] [Footnote 110: Muir, _loc. cit_. p. 237. RV. vi. 58. 4; x. 85. 9ff.] [Footnote 111: They are compared to two ships, two birds, etc.] [Footnote 112: In _Çat. Br_. V. 5. 4. it to the Açvins a red-white goat is sacrificed, because 'Açvins are red-white.'] [Footnote 113: Perhaps best with Brannhofer, 'the savers' from _nas_ as in _nasjan_ (AG. p. 99).] [Footnote 114: _La Religion Védique_, II. p. 434. That _n[=a]snya_ means 'with good noses' is an epic notion, _n[=a]satyadasr[=a]u sunas[=a]u,_ Mbh[=a]. I. 3. 58, and for this reason, if for no other (though idea is older), the etymology is probably false! The epithet is also Iranian. Twinned and especially paired gods are characteristic of the Rig Veda. Thus Yama and Yam[=i] are twins; and of pairs Indra-Agni, Indra-V[=a]yu, besides the older Mitra-Varuna, Heaven-Earth, are common.] [Footnote 115: Perhaps to be omitted.] [Footnote 116: _Pischel_, Ved. St. I. p. 48. As swift-going gods they are called 'Indra-like.'] [Footnote 117: VIII. 9 and 10.] [Footnote 118: Doubtful] [Footnote 119: The last verse is not peculiar to this hymn, but is the sign of the book (family) in which it was composed.] * * * * * CHAPTER IV. THE RIG VEDA (CONTINUED).--THE MIDDLE GODS.