Page:Modern Greek folklore and ancient Greek religion - a study in survivals.djvu/305

 as surely as her twin brothers guarded; now the phenomenon in any form bodes naught but ill. This change is probably due to Christian influences; the seaman no longer looks to any pagan power for succour in time of peril; he accounts St Nicholas his friend and saviour; and the Telonia, who in this province of their activity represent the older order of deities, have become by contrast man's enemies.

Other vague and incorrect usages of the term Telonia are also recorded. Sometimes it may be heard as a synonym for [Greek: daimonia], any non-Christian deities. In Myconos it is said to have been applied to the genii of springs. In Athens men used to speak of Telonia of the sea, who like the Callicantzari were abroad only from Christmas until the blessing of the waters at Twelfth-night; and during this time ships were wont to be kept at anchor and secure from their attacks. A belief is also mentioned by Pouqueville, in a very confused passage, that children who die unbaptised become Telonia; but the statement is corroborated by Bernhard Schmidt , who adduces information of the same belief existing in Zacynthos. The idea at the root of it probably was that unbaptised children could not pass the celestial customs, and were detained there on their road to the other world in order to assist in obstructing the passage of other souls. But these are local variations of the main belief, and, so far as I can see, are of little importance. In general the Telonia are a species of aërial genius, and their two activities consist in the collecting of dues from departed souls and assaults upon mariners. There remain only for consideration the genii of human beings, or the attendant spirits to whom is committed in some way the guidance of men's lives. To some of them the name genius (i.e. [Greek: stoicheio]) would hardly perhaps be extended by the peasants; but they all bear the same kind of relation towards men, and may therefore conveniently be grouped together for discussion. The best example which I know of an acknowledged genius p. 166.]