Winds

(Latin, Venti ). The impersonations of the winds were held in high veneration, especially by the A then i ans. The four principal were Eurus or Vulturn us, the east or south-east wind; Auster, the south wind, the Notus of the Greeks, pernicious to plants and men; Zephyr us, the son of Aurora and father of Carpus (fruit), a genial, health-bearing breeze, called also ζωηφόρος, life-bearing; and Boreas, the strong north wind, usually represented with the feet of a serpent, his wings dripping with golden dewdrops, and the train of his garment sweeping along the ground. Inferior winds were Solanus, in Greek Apeliotes, answering to the east, and represented as a young man holding fruit in his lap; Africus, south-west, represented with black wings and melancholy countenance; Corus, north-west, drives clouds of snow before him; Aquilo, north-east by north, equally dreadful in appearance, from aquila, an eagle, type of swiftne and impetuosity.