Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 22, 1911.djvu/320

 284 On the Alleged Evidence for

Argos, Sparta, and Amyklai/** we get Pelops inheriting from his father-in-law, and resembling in this respect Teucer, Kekrops, Amphiktyon, Deiphontes, and sundry other heroes. We might also notice Oedipus as a possible example of the marriage of near relations to avoid this inheritance passing out of the direct male line, a device of which Egypt gives us some examples ; and the less unnatural union, on matrilinear principles, of Rhadamanthys, son of Zeus, with Alkmene,^^ as indicating that connection through the father amounted to little. Finally, we have, among a crowd of patronymics, at least one matronymic, MoAtwi/ or MoXtoj/t^>/9. This however goes for little ; the sons of Molione were also called 'AKroplSeg from their father, and in any case their paternity was doubtful.^^ As to Rhadamanthys and Alkmene, connection through a god hardly counts ; while Oedipus' ill-fated marriage is regarded as unpardonable although unconscious incest. The tales of Pelops and other such adventurers are the Greek form of that world-wide indrcJien of the young man seeking his fortune who wins the daughter, and generally the inherit- ance also, of some potentate. If these prove mother-right for Greece, they prove it for the whole world, and few would I think go to that length. When we come to look at the local colour of the Greek myths,^^ we continually find evidences of patrilinear ideas. The foreigner succeeds to the kingdom for special reasons, such as the old king's affection for him (Deiphontes), or the absence of a male heir to the throne (Pelops) ; or he does not succeed to it at

^° See the Introduction to Headlam's edition of Aesch. Agatn.

" ApoUodoros, II., iv., 11.

^^ ApoUodoros, II., vii., 2; MoXtoj'Tjs Kal'AKropos iXiyovTO Sk IIocretScDj'os, ("sons of Molione and Aktor, but said to be sons of Poseidon").

^^ Many of them may reflect actual history. The leader of a small conquering force must often have ingratiated himself with the conquered by marrying into the old royal house. Notice that Deiphontes {Pausanias, vol. II., c. xix., i, 2) has to encounter the violent opposition of Temenos' sons. William of Orange was in a not dissimilar position in England.