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
Among other abstract ideas are those of _Arete_ (Virtue) and _Hedone_
(Pleasure), which have been suggested as represented on one vase.[1083]
On a R.F. vase in Vienna, _Dike_ (Justice) is seen overcoming _Adikia_
(Injustice)[1084]; _Apate_ (Deceit) on the vase with Dareios in council
beguiles the goddess Asia with bad advice,[1085] and also leads Tereus
astray[1086]; _Phobos_ (Fear) drives the chariot of Ares when he
assists Kyknos against Herakles[1087]; he is specially associated with
the god of war, the idea being that of inducing panic among enemies;
and in many cases his head appears, like that of the Gorgon, as a
device on shields.[1088] In one instance he appears as a lion-headed
monster.[1089] Artemis, in the capacity of _Aidos_ (Shame), hinders
Tityos from carrying off Leto.[1090] _Eris_ (Strife) appears on B.F.
vases as a winged female figure running, in scenes of combat,
chariot-races, etc., or as a single figure.[1091] But the
identification is not always certain; in some combat scenes it is
possible that Ate or a Ker is meant, and in those of an agonistic
character we may see Agon, the personification of athletics (see above,
p. 89).[1092]
* * * * *
VIII. The metaphysical ideas next to be discussed are almost
exclusively punitive agencies, either connected with scenes in the
under-world (Ananke, Poinae, and the Furies), or bringing down
penalties and disasters on the heads of wrong-doers, such as the
personifications of madness which occur in many of the tragic subjects
on Apulian vases.
In the first group we reckon _Ananke_ (Necessity) and the _Poinae_
(Punishments), who appear with the Furies in a scene from the
under-world,[1093] _Ate_ or _Ker_ (Destiny), a winged figure seen at
the death of Hector[1094] and at the madness of Lykourgos[1095]; and
_Nemesis_ (Vengeance) in the scene between Atreus and Thyestes,[1096]
with reference to its fate-fraught character. In less tragic
circumstances the latter is present in a bridal scene, with attributes
of a flower and an apple.[1097] The Moirae or Fates have already been
mentioned (p. 83), as has Themis or Divine Ordinance (p. 74).
The second group includes _Lyssa_ (Frenzy), who drives Aktaeon,
Hippolytos, and Lykourgos to madness or destruction[1098]; _Mania_
(Madness), who similarly drives Herakles to slay his children[1099];
and _Oistros_ (_E.g._ a Gad-fly), who performs similar functions when
Medeia is about to slay hers.[1100]
* * * * *
IX. Personifications relating to social enjoyments, such as games, the
drama, or banquets, are closely analogous to many of those described
under headings III. and VI., and occur in the same connection. Thus in
Dionysiac scenes we find Choro (Dance), Molpe (Song), Dithyrambos,
Hedymeles (Sweet Song), Komos (Revelry), Komodia and Tragoedia (Comedy
and Tragedy), and Pannychis and Kraipale, typifying all-night revels
and their consequences.[1101]
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