Demonology and devil-lore . The Greeks of Pontusalso ascribed the origin of the Scythian race, the scourgeof all nations, to a serpent-woman, who, having stolenaway the mares which Herakles had captured from Gergon,refused to restore them except on condition of having children by him. From theunion of Herakles with this half virgin, half viper, sprangthree sons, of whom theyoungest was Scythes. Not only are feminineseductiveness and liability toseduction represented in thelegends of female demonsand devils, but quite as muchthe jealousy of that sex. Ifthe former were weaknesseswhich might over
Demonology and devil-lore . The Greeks of Pontusalso ascribed the origin of the Scythian race, the scourgeof all nations, to a serpent-woman, who, having stolenaway the mares which Herakles had captured from Gergon,refused to restore them except on condition of having children by him. From theunion of Herakles with this half virgin, half viper, sprangthree sons, of whom theyoungest was Scythes. Not only are feminineseductiveness and liability toseduction represented in thelegends of female demonsand devils, but quite as muchthe jealousy of that sex. Ifthe former were weaknesseswhich might overthrow king-doms, the latter was a speciesof animalism which coulddevastate the home and society. Although jealousy issometimes regarded as venial, if not indeed a sign of truelove, it is an outcome of the animal nature. The Japanesehave shown a true observation of nature in portrayingtheir female Oni (devil) of jealousy (Fig. 28) with sharperect horns and bristling hair. The raising of the orna- 1 Herodotus, Clio, 7-14, Fig. 28.—^Jealousy (Japanese). NOAHS WIFE. 411 mental plumes by many birds during their courtship/mentioned by Mr. Darwin, is the more pleasing aspect ofthat emotion which, blending with fear and rage, puffs outthe lizards throat, ruffles the cocks neck, and raises thehair of the insane.^ An ancient legend mingles jealousy with the myth ofEden at every step. Rabbi Jarchi says that the serpentwas jealous of Adams connubial felicity, and a passage inJosephus shows that this was an ancient opinion. Thejealousy of Adams second wife felt by his first (Lilith)was by many said to be the cause of her conspiracy withthe serpent. The most beautiful mediaeval picture of herthat I have seen was in an illuminated Bible in Strasbursf,in which, with all her wealth of golden hair and herbeauty, Lilith holds her mouth, with a small rosy applein it, towards Adam. Eve seems to snatch it. Thenthere is an old story that when Eve had eaten the appleshe saw the angel of death,
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