Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1888-05-18
{ THE MILKY WAY.
1T HAS BEEN THE SUBJECT OF MANY
STRANGE BELIEFS.


STRANGE BELIEFS.
Its Name Among the Earlier Nations.
What the Pythagoreans said-An Old
I Legend-Some Popular Traditions-An-
! other Class of Names.
Z Like the rainbow, that beautiful occasional
visitor in the heavens the Milky Way has
been the subject of many strange beliefs. 1t
is, perhaps, the most prominent constant ap-
pearance in the armament, and could not
fail to give rise to much conjecture as to its
origin, its composition and its raison d'etre.
It's name among the earlier nations of
Europe indicates the popular belief in its
fabulous origin, and has descended to many
snodern languages. 1t was called by the
Greeks 'Milk,n Heavenly Milk" Galaxy"
milky and "Milk Circle" the two last
named appellations being applied to it by the
Romans. 1t was also called 'Milky River'
IN Latin, and ''Milky Way" The latter
name is its ordinary one in italian, French,
German, Dutch, Gaelic, Welsh, Flemish,
Magyar, Romance, Arab and Amharic. 1t
Is called Galaxy in English, italian and
Westphalian, and this was its name in France
in the Eighteenth century, and in the Lower
Latin empire.
In middle age German and Westphalian
dialects the bright band was called "Milk
Street." in North Germany, 'Milk Ray" and
A'Milk PATH" while the name "Road as
White as Milk in Heaven" was given to it in
Poland. An old Scotch name, the "Milk-
maids PATH" would seem to have its origin
in some other legend
The path thus formed across the heavens
became, in Greek belief, the celestial road
travelled by the gods Pythagoreans said
that souls dwelt therein, and that by this
road they descended TO men in dreams.
Manicheans believed that pure souls only
abode in the bright path, and by it assembled
and descended to and from the earth. Thus
the Milky Way like the rainbow, was a
bridge of souls by night, as the latter was by
day. Magyars call it sNight Rainbow"
Many modern names recall these ancient be-
liefs. It is the Heavenly PATH in West
phalia, and Magyars call it the ''Way of
Heaven also Bassouto Africans name it
the ''Path of the Gods" and an Iroquois ap-
pellation for the brilliant meteor was the
Continuous Road in the Sky" italian
legends indicate it as the path followed by
the Madonna in her assumption, and
Magyar name for it is the ''Road of Jesus"
In Loango, Africa, it is the "Road to God,'
and Swabian legend says it is the sPath
of God,n by which he leads his armies and
governs the stars.
An old legend asserts that the galaxy is the
ladder by which Jacob saw the angels de-
scend and ascend in Ills dreams. In Swabian
belief they still use It as a way to earth, but
no one sees them. Lafitau says many Ameri-
can tribes call it the 'sWay of Souls" Waltz
tells us that the Oils of Africa name it the
IF lie md +1at1 o1vit +l,o
will ascend to heaven. Patagonians say the
stars are the souls of old Indians, and the
galaxy a road by which they chase ostriches
It is called the ''Road to Rome,' in Par
mesan, in middle age German, and in Czech
In parts of England it is the London Road
while in Germany, it goes under the various
names of "Frankfort Road, r." "Cologne Road,n
etNierenberg Road" and "Road to Aix-la
Chapelle" A common Turkish name for the
bright track is the "Pilgrim's Road Ito
Mecca.) 1t is called the s'Wagon Path" in .
North Germany, and was the 'Winter Road"
in ancient Morse, while Magyar peasants
name it the ''Tsiganes Way" A second
Turkish name is the "Road of the Trembling
Wanderers" and Welsh tradition gives it the
appellation of the ''Road of the Prodigal
Son." In Swabian and Magyar folk nomen-
clature, the broad way is the ''Army Road"
Sometimes popular tradition connects the
galaxy with animals, instead of men or gods.
Thus it becomes the ''cow path" and the
t'game path" in north Germany, and the
s'fox's trail" in parts of England Siamese
legends, which connect many things with
their favorite animal designate it as the
the "Road of the White Elephant" Sim
iiarly, in Polynesia it is the "Blue Shark"
and is thought to be nourished by the clouds.
,clo, Al.
shining track across the heavens with the
fight of birds 1t is called "Bird's PATH in
Wendic Lithuanian, Esthonian and Finnish
Wendic legends go further still, and assert
that it guides the migratory birds in their
fight from cline to cline
Another class of traditional names charac-
terizes the broad shining tract as river
flowing through the celestial regions. The
great Humboldt recorded the fact that the
Arabs SO designated it, and named the con-
stellation Sagitarius, "the animal that is
going to water" part of that group of stars
lying across the Galaxy. Peasants in Cyprus
call it the Jordan River' or the sShadow
of Jordon." An old Greek poem of the Eff
tenth century alludes to it by the same
name. Siberian Koriaks called it the ''Broad
River" and its name among the Gingis, an
Australian tribe, is 'Worambul," Simplifying
great river flowing by rich Eden full Of
fruits, where it is believed the souls of the
good go after death. Another Australian
tribe calls it "Paracostu," and say it is
stream on whose banks the soul resorts after
death, to be washed white. Chinese call the
starry band the Celestial River" Annamese
the s'Silver River" and its name in Scotch
Gaelic was the ''White River of the Stars"
The natives of English Guiana call the
Milky Way the "Sea. Globe Democrat
Soft, thin, waxed paper is found to an
swer the purpose of oiled silk or muslin in
the majority of dressings and is much