Page:Mythology Among the Hebrews.djvu/134

94 'to be bright' and pâʿâ 'to cry,' are through their etymological connexion brought into this group. The root of the Hebrew hêdâd 'cry of joy' is the same from which Hadad, the name of the Syrian god of the shining sun, can be etymologically derived. This root undoubtedly represents a reduplicated form of the radical of the solar name Yehûdâ 'Judah' (see §14 of this chapter). The verbal root from which nahâr (Ar.) nehârâ (Heb.) 'daylight,' is derived has in one Arabic derivative form the meaning 'to cry.' So also ṣâchaḳ 'to laugh aloud' (compare ṣâʿaḳ 'to cry') must have originally expressed the idea of 'being bright, clear,' which is proper to the primitive Semitic root ṣaḥ, ṣach. If this be admitted, it follows that the name Yiṣchaḳ as a solar epithet was not formed by mere figurative or poetical metaphor, but is based on the original signification of the group of roots to which it belongs. Poetical phraseology then brought into general use what was based on etymology.

There is nothing more universal and more generally pervading all nature-poetry than the idea 'Like one laughing gaily the world shone,' as the Tatar poet says of the sunrise; and in Arabic poetry, which has to be especially considered on these subjects, it is met with at every step. In the charming Romance of ʿAntar, the cessation of night and the break of day is dozens of times expressed by the words until the black night went off and the laughing morning (al-ṣabâḥ al-ḍaḥik) arose;' or 'the morning arose and smiled (ibtasama) out of dazzling teeth.' The old poet al-Aʿsha says of a blooming meadow that it rivals the sun in laughter (yuḍâḥik al-shams);