Chapter XX: Three Witnesses 281 (8)

[21] The present grotto was built in 1879. The old one, which I saw the year before, had on its ceiling faint frescoes of the sun, moon, and stars--recalling the legend of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus who turned their backs on Divus Cæsar, saying they would worship him alone who made the sun, moon, and stars. The angel Gabriel, who led them into Paradise, guided them mythologically to Touraine, of old called “the Paradise of France.”

[22] This legend has been discussed by Mr. Call, in an essay already referred to (p. 30). From references kindly supplied by him, I incline to believe it of Eastern origin. It is mentioned by Tacitus (Hist. ii. 81), and by the Sibylline Oracles (iv.), at nearly the same period. Suetonius, Commodianus, Victorious, and Sulpicias Severus, were familiar with the story that Nero was still alive. Neander, Merivale, and Canon Farrar, connect the legend with the formation of the theory of an Antichrist.

[23] _Introduction to the Science of Language_, vol. ii. p. 246. “It is remarkable,” adds Professor Sayce, “that a French range of hills in the neighbourhood of Vienne bears the same name as the Swiss mountain, and from the same cause. Vienne, however was actually the place to which Pilate was banished; and the accidental coincidence is a striking example of the impossibility of our discovering historic truth in a myth, although we may know from other sources that it has accidentally attached itself to a real event. Close to Vienne is a ruin called the ‘Tour de Mauconseil,’ from which, it is said, Pilate threw himself in despair. But the value of the legend may be easily estimated when we learn that the tower is really a _tête-du-pont_ built by Philippe de Valois.”

[24] _Emanuel Swedenborg; his Life and Writings._ By William White. (Simpkin, Marshall and Co., 1868.) P. 197, _sq._

[25] _Der deutsche Volksaberglaube der Gegenwart._ Dr. Adolf Wuttke. Berlin, 1869.

[26] _Deutsche Mythologie_, xiii. 5, 6. (Tr. by J. S. Stallybrass. Sonnenschein and Allen, 1880.)

[27] _The Gentleman’s Magazine_, July, 1880. _Wodan, the Wild Huntsman, and the Wandering Jew._

[28] See Knight’s _Shakspeare_, notes to the _Merchant of Venice_.--Blanco White, in his _Letters from Spain_ (1806), speaking of the Passion Week shows, says: “The dress of the Apostle John is green, that of Judas yellow; and so intimately associated is this circumstance with the idea of the traitor, that it has brought that colour into universal discredit.... The Inquisition has adopted it for the _Sambeníto_, a coat of infamy, which persons convicted of heresy are compelled to wear. The red hair of Judas, like Peter’s baldness, seems to be agreed upon by all the painters and sculptors of Europe. _Judas’ hair_ is a usual name in Spain; and a similar appellation, it should seem, was used in England in Shakspeare’s time. ‘His hair’ says Rosalind, ‘is of the dissembling colour.’ To which Celia answers ‘Something browner than Judas’s.’”

[29] _English and Scottish Ballads_, viii. 78.

[30] Morrison’s translation (Bohn).

[31] Robert Browning: “Holy-Cross Day.”

[32] “Quel est donc l’origine et la date de cette légende? Je la crois, comme celle du voile de sainte Véronique et généralement comme toutes les histoires relatives à la Passion, née vers le quatrième siècle, à Constantinople, et contemporaine de sainte Hélène et de la découverte de la vraie croix. Mais ces traditions sont restées longtemps orales.”--_Revue des Deux Mondes_, Dec. 1, 1833. Published as introduction to Quinet’s “Ahasuerus.” Goethe connects Saint Veronica with Ahasuerus in the plan of his intended work elsewhere given. Veronica, whose name means the _true portrait_ (_i.e._ of Christ which was retained on the apron with which she wiped the sweat from his face), would be a natural counterpart of the man who refused all succour to the fainting sufferer. In enthusiasm about the _true cross_ might be born a myth of the _true image_, and of a “witness” to both.

[33] _Nineteenth Century_, May, 1880.

[34] “_Study of Shakspeare._” (Chatto and Windus.)

[35] _Le Mahabarata_, p. 241.

[36] The ‘omnificent,’ who offered up all worlds in a general sacrifice, and ended by sacrificing himself.

[37] _Madoc_, xi. This, however, is contrary to Welsh orthodoxy. I remember being present at a dinner-company in Wales, given to Ralph Waldo Emerson, when a gentleman present was sceptical enough to assure the eminent American that though he had often passed the traditional spot of Merlin’s aërial prison, he had never heard any voice from the air, and did not believe the story. Emerson answered: “You must be a bold man.”

[38] _Folk-lore of the Northern Counties._ Published for the Folk-lore Society by Satchell, Peyton and Co. 1879. P. 82.

[39] The outlines of German poems that follow, are condensed from a pamphlet entitled:--_Die Sage vom ‘Ewigen Juden,’ ihre poetische Wandlung und Fortbildung_. Von Friedrich Helbig. Berlin, 1874. For this pamphlet and assistance in its translation I am indebted to Fräulein Almata Jacobi (Bremen).

[40] _Superstition and Force._ By Henry C. Lea, p. 26. Philadelphia, 1878.

[41] _Nathan the Wise._ From the German, with an introduction, by R. Willis, M.D. London: Williams and Norgate.

Transcriber’s Note

Some inconsistencies in spelling, hyphenation, and punctuation have been retained.

This file uses _underscores_ to indicate italic text and =equals= to indicate bold text. Small capitals changed to all capitals.

p. 5: changed “rimće” to “rimée” (the Chronique rimée of Philippe de Mousket)

p. 44: changed “prononnced” to “pronounced” (destiny pronounced by his father)

p. 79: changed “nside” to “inside” (serpents and iron prongs inside)

p. 121 (footnote 32): changed “généralment” to “généralement” (et généralement comme toutes)

p. 148: changed “Shylook’s” to “Shylock’s” (his part of Shylock’s penalty)

p. 230: changed “guage” to “gauge” (Nor in security scrupulous to gauge)

p. 254: changed “taughthim” to “taught him” (had taught him otherwise)

p. 269: changed “rest” to “test” (the test and register of civilisation)