Page:Modern Greek folklore and ancient Greek religion - a study in survivals.djvu/74

 celebrated in old time at Munychia as [Greek: akratopotês] —because on his day, Nov. 3rd, the new wine is commonly tapped and there is much drinking in his honour.

In other cases the actual name of the saint has determined his powers or character without further epithet. S. Therapon is invoked for all kinds of healing ([Greek: therapeuein]): S. Eleutherios (with an echo possibly of Eilythuia) to give deliverance ([Greek: eleutheria]) to women in childbirth: S. James, in Melos, owing to a phonetic corruption of [Greek: Iakôbos] into [Greek: Akouphos], to cure deafness. S. Elias, the successor of the sun-god ([Greek: hêlios]), has power over drought and rain. S. Andrew ([Greek: Andreas]) is implored to make weakly children 'strong' ([Greek: andreiômenos]). S. Maura, in Athens, requires that no sewing be done on her day under pain of warts (locally known as [Greek: maurais]), which if incurred can only be cured by an application of oil from her lamp. S. Tryphon resents any twisting ([Greek: strêphô]) of thread, as in spinning, on his day; and on the festival of S. Symeon expectant mothers must touch no utensil of daily toil, above all nothing black; for S. Symeon 'makes marks' ([Greek: ho Aï Symeôn sêmeionei]), and a birth-mark would inevitably appear on the child. If however a woman offend unwittingly, she must lay her hands at once on that part of the body where the birth-mark will be least disfiguring to the child.

These are only a small selection of the saints whom the peasant seeks to propitiate, and it may be noted in passing that among them there are some characters, as among the ancient deities, either immoral as S. George the Drunkard, or unamiable as S. Maura, S. Tryphon, and S. Symeon. But a better idea of the multitude of the popular deities may perhaps be conveyed by giving a list of those worshipped in a single island with the functions there ascribed to them. Here is the catalogue given by a native of Cythnos. The Virgin ([Greek: Panagia]) is invoked on any and every occasion, and the SS. Anargyri (Costas and Damien) in all cases of illness. S. Panteleëmon is a specialist in eye-diseases, S. Eleutherios in obstetrics, S. Modestes in veterinary work, S. Vlasios in ulcers etc. S. Charalampes and S. Varvara ([Greek: Barbara]) deliver from pestilences, and S. Elias from drought. p. 153.], p. 131.]