he people who
were styled [Greek: ophiogeneis], or the Serpent races, actually
retained a physical affinity with the snakes with whom they were
popularly identified, [Greek: "entautha mytheuousi tous Ophiogeneis
syngenneian tina echein pros tous oseis."]--STRABO, lib. xiii. c. 588.

PLINY alludes to the same fable (lib. vii.). And OVID, from the incident
of Cadmus' having sown the dragon's teeth (that is, implanted
Ophiolatria in Greece), calls the Athenians _Serpentigenae_.]

But whatever were the peculiarities of religion which distinguished the
aborigines from their conquerors, the attention of Wijayo was not
diverted from his projects of colonisation by any anxiety to make
converts to his own religious belief. The earliest cares of himself and
his followers were directed to implant civilisation, and two centuries
were permitted to elapse before the first effort was made to supersede
the popular worship by the inculcation of a more intellectual faith.

* * * * *

NOTE.

DESCRIPTION IN THE MAHAWANSO OF THE LANDING OF WIJAYO.

The landing of Wijayo in Ceylon is related in the 7th chapter of the
_Mahawanso_, and Mr. TURNOUR has noticed the strong similarity between
this story and Homer's account of the landing of Ulysses in the island
of Circe. The resemblance is so striking that it is difficult to
conceive that the Singhalese historian of the 5th century was entirely
ignorant of the works of the Father of Poetry. Wijayo and his followers,
having made good their landing, are met by a "devo" (a divine spirit),
who blesses them and ties a sacred thread as a charm on the arm of each.
One of the band presently discovers the princess in the person of a
devotee, seated near a tank, and she being a magician (Yakkhini)
imprisons him and eventually the rest of his companions in a cave. The
_Mahawanso_ then proceeds: "all these persons not returning, Wijayo,
becoming alarmed, equipping himself with the five weapons of war,
proceeded after them, and examined the delightful pond: he could
perceive no footsteps but those leading down into it, and there he saw
the princess. It occurred to him his retinue must surely have been
seized by her, and he exclaimed, 'Pray, why dost not thou produce my
attendants?' 'Prince,' she replied, 'from attendants what pleasure canst
thou derive? drink and bathe ere thou departest.' Seizing her by the
hair with his left hand, whilst with his right he raised his