History of Ancient Pottery: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. Volume 2 (of 2)Walters, H. B. (Henry Beauchamp)
History
History of Ancient Pottery: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. Volume 2 (of 2)
Walters, H. B. (Henry Beauchamp)
Mythology, Classical, in art; Pottery, Ancient; Pottery, Etruscan; Pottery, Greek; Pottery, Roman
A feature of the numerous Dionysiac subjects on vases is the tendency
to individualise Satyrs and Maenads by means of names, sometimes
meaningless, sometimes names otherwise known in mythology, and
frequently personifications of abstract conceptions, such as we shall
see later to be very common on vases of all periods; in these cases
they usually have some relation to the character or occupation of the
personages to whom they are attached. The Satyrs Marsyas and Olympos
sometimes appear in the larger compositions[774]; the former has been
already mentioned in another connection. There is also a curious
representation of Akratos,[775] the deity of unmixed wine (a liquid
which to the Greeks implied an extravagance of revelry, owing to the
intoxicating nature of the undiluted beverage). A type of Seilenos
covered from head to foot with shaggy skin, and known as Papposeilenos,
is often found on the later vases.[776] It is difficult to distinguish
in all cases between Seileni and Satyrs on the vases, and the exact
differences between the various types have not yet been properly
elucidated, so that the terms are of necessity somewhat
conventional.[777] The equine type of Satyr, with horse’s hoofs as well
as tail, which is so frequently found on the sixth-century Ionic vases,
has been noted elsewhere.[778] The young beardless Satyr is mostly
found in the later period.
The number of vases on which Satyrs and Maenads are distinguished by
name is very large, but only a few of the more important need be
mentioned, along with some of the more curious names from the isolated
instances.[779] On a vase in Berlin[780] no less than ten Maenads are
named—Anthe (Flower), Choro (Dance), Chrysis (Gold), Kale (Beauty),
Kisso (Ivy), Makaria (Blessed), Naia, Nymphe, Phanope, and Periklymene
(Renowned); on one at Leyden[781] six—Dorkis, Io, Klyto, Molpe (Song),
Myro, and Xantho (Fair-hair). On the former vase a Seilenos is
expressly so named, and on the latter are four Satyrs with names; on a
kylix by Brygos in the British Museum[782] the Seileni attacking Iris
are styled Babacchos, Dromis, Echon, Terpon, etc.[783]
Other Satyr-names are Briacchos,[784] Dithyrambos,[785] Demon,[786]
Hedyoinos (Sweet Wine),[787] Hybris (Insolence),[788] Hedymeles (Sweet
Song),[789] Komos (Revelry),[790] Kissos (Ivy),[791] Molkos,[792]
Oinos,[793] Oreimachos,[794] Simos (Snub-nose),[795] Tyrbas (Rout).[796]
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