Athos covers with its shade the Lemnian ox. The adage was used to be applied to any one injuring the character, or obscuring the fame of another. In the island of Lemnos, there was formerly the statue of an Ox, of an immense size. This, however, did not prevent its being obscured by the shadow of Mount Athos, which, though at a great distance, extended itself over a large portion of the island.