Page:The Religion of the Veda.djvu/130

 The Religion of the Veda of the two first syllables of Helena. The connection with horses, expressed in the name of the Açvins (açva, "horse"), comes out more strongly with the Dioscuri, who are celebrated tamers of horses, riders of horses, and charioteers. The Dioscuri also were revered as helpers in need, and therefore were called Anaktes, "protecting lords." In another quarter, with the Lettish or Baltic peoples, a strikingly similar myth appears, with the notable addition that the two "Sons of God" are mentioned individually as the morning or evening star. This calls up a feature of the Greek myth: Zeus rewards the affection of the Dioscuri for one another by placing them in the heavens either as morning and evening star, or the twin stars Gemini. So, to this day, the gigantic statues of the horse- taming Dioscuri opposite the Quirinal palace in Rome carry stars on their heads. A Lithuanian folk-song (daina) runs as follows: 114 "( The Moon did wed the Maiden Sun, In an early day of spring-tide. The Maiden Sun arose betimes, The Moon just then did slink away. "He wandered by himself afar, Coquetted with the morning-star. Perkunas hence was greatly wroth; He cleft him with his sword in twain: 1