A New System; or, an Analysis of Antient Mythology. Volume 2 (of 6)

Goddess HIPPA.

Reading edition

Χαλκοκροτων ἱππων κτυπος

Και χρεμετισμος ἁνδανει.

Sensit equum: te sensit avem crinita colubris

Mater equi volucris.

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:

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.

Εξετ' επ' Αμφρυσῳ ζευγητιδας ετρεφεν ἱππας,

Ηιθεου ὑπ' ερωτι κεκαυμενος Αδμητοιο.

Efferus humanâ qui dape pavit equos?

Abderus, the founder of Abdera, is supposed to have been a victim to these animals: of which Scymnus Chius gives the following account.

Αβδηρ', απ' Αβδηρου μεν ωνομασμενη,

Του και κτισαντος προτερον αυτην· ὁς δοκει

Ὑπο των Διομηδους ὑστερον ξενοκτονων

Ἱππων φθαρηναι.

Nunc equa, nunc ales, modo bos.

or according to Palæphatus, βουν, κυνα, και ορνεον: a cow, a dog, and a bird. The whole of this related to the particular service of the priestess; and to the emblem under which the Deity was worshipped.

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · 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 join Note 2 · Et te, flava comas, frugum mitissima mater Note 3 · 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 sam Note 4 · Talis et ipse jubam cervice effudit equinâ Note 5 · Τας εν Πιεριῃ θρεψ' αργυροτοξος Απολλων.Note 6 · Φοιβον και Νομιον κικλησκομεν, εξετ' εκεινου,Note 7 · These Hippai, misconstrued mares, were priestesses of the Goddess Hippa, who was of old worshipped in Thessaly, and Thrace, and in many diff Note 8 · It is from hence, I think, manifest, that the titles Hippa, and Hippos, related to the luminary Osiris; and betokened some particular depart Note 9 · Non tibi succurrit crudi Diomedis imago,Note 10 · Των δ' επι θαλαττῃ κειμενων εστιν πολις Note 11 · These horses, ξενοκτονοι, which fed upon the flesh of strangers, were the priests of Hippa, and of Dionusus, styled Hippus, or more properly Note 12 · There is an account given by [714]Palæphatus of one Metra, who in the more authentic manuscripts is called Μηστρα, Meestra. It is said of he