. The evolution of the dragon. SirJames Frazer has called attentionto the fact that in Armenia thebryony {Bryonia albii) is a surro-gate of the mandrake and is creditedwith the same attributes.^ LovellReeve ( Conchologia Iconica,VI, 1851) refers to the Red SeaPterocera as the Wild VineRoot species, previously knownas Stronibus radix bryoniae ; and Chemnitz ( Conch. Cab.,1788, Vol. X, p. 227) says the French call it Racine de brionefemelle imparfaite, and refer to it as the maiden , Here thenis further evidence that this shell (<^) was associated in some waywith a surrogate of the mandrake (
. The evolution of the dragon. SirJames Frazer has called attentionto the fact that in Armenia thebryony {Bryonia albii) is a surro-gate of the mandrake and is creditedwith the same attributes.^ LovellReeve ( Conchologia Iconica,VI, 1851) refers to the Red SeaPterocera as the Wild VineRoot species, previously knownas Stronibus radix bryoniae ; and Chemnitz ( Conch. Cab.,1788, Vol. X, p. 227) says the French call it Racine de brionefemelle imparfaite, and refer to it as the maiden , Here thenis further evidence that this shell (<^) was associated in some waywith a surrogate of the mandrake (Aphrodite), and {J)) was re-garded as a maiden. Thus clearly it has a place in the chequeredhistory of Aphrodite. I have suggested the possibility of its con-fusion with the octopus, which may have led to the inclusion of thelatter within the scope of the marine creatures in Aphroditescultural equipment. According to Matthioli (Lib. 2, p. 135), This may help to explain the peculiar sanctity of the shell. Frazer, op. cit.^ Fig. 5.—Pterocera Bryonia, THE Red Sea Spider-shell Col.—the columella. 1-7—the claws . THE BIRTH OF APHRODITE 171 another of Aphrodites creatures, the purple shell-fish, was alsoknown as the maiden . By Pliny it is called Pelogia, in GreekTTop(j)vpa ; and iTop4>vpco!JiaTa was the term applied to the fleshof swine that had been sacrificed to Ceres and Proserpine (Hesych.).In fact, the purple-shell was ** the maiden and also the sow :in other words it was Aphrodite. The use of the term maiden for the PtcToccra suggests a similar identification. To completethis web of proof it may be noted that an old writer has called themandrake the plant of Circe, the sorceress who turned men intoswine by a magic draught.^ Thus we have a series of shells, plants,and marine creatures accredited with identical magical properties, andeach of them known in popular tradition as the maiden. They areall culturally associated with Aphrodite. I shall have occasion {jLiifr
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