_Dagon_ was sometimes represented as _a man emerging from a fish's mouth_, and sometimes as half-man and half-fish.[82:9] It was believed that he came _in a ship_, and taught the people. Ancient history abounds with such mythological personages.[82:10] There was also a _Durga_, a fish deity, among the _Hindoos_, represented as _a full grown man emerging from a fish's mouth_[82:9] The Philistines worshiped Dagon, and in Babylonian Mythology _Odakon_ is applied to a fish-like being, who _rose from the waters of the Red Sea_ as one of the benefactors of men.[83:1]
On the coins of Ascalon, where she was held in great honor, the goddess Derceto or Atergatis is represented as a woman with her lower extremities like a fish. This is Semiramis, who appeared at _Joppa_ as a mermaid. She is simply a personification of the _Moon_, who follows the course of the _Sun_. At times she manifests herself to the eyes of men, at others she seeks concealment in the Western flood.[83:2]
The Sun-god Phoibos traverses the sea in the form of a fish, and imparts lessons of wisdom and goodness when he has come forth from the green depths. All these powers or qualities are shared by Proteus in Hellenic story, as well as by the fish-god, Dagon or Oannes.[83:3]
In the Iliad and Odyssey, Atlas is brought into close connection with Helios, the bright god, the Latin Sol, and our Sun. In these poems he rises every morning from a beautiful lake by the deep-flowing stream of Ocean, and having accomplished his journey across the heavens, plunges again into the Western waters.[83:4]
The ancient Mexicans and Peruvians had likewise semi-fish gods.[83:5]
Jonah then, is like these other personages, in so far as they are all _personifications of the Sun_; they all _come out of the sea_; they are all represented as _a man emerging from a fish's mouth_; and they are all _benefactors of mankind_. We believe, therefore, that it is one and the same myth, whether Oannes, Joannes, or Jonas,[83:6] differing to a certain extent among different nations, just as we find to be the case with other legends. This we have just seen illustrated in the story of "Little Red Riding-Hood," which is considerably mutilated in the English version.