The Judgment of Animals in Classical Greece: Animal Sculpture and ...

dogs, highly esteemed for their exceptional ferocity, size, fine appearance, and also love
and devotion to their owners.
Daily proximity to the dog allowed for its behavior to be closely observed and its
loyalty to be seen as its trademark quality. In addition, other characteristics of canine
behavior, such vigilance, agility, and swiftness, were interpreted as signs of cunning, thus
recognizing a certain type of intelligence in the animal. It was, however, the ability to
display gentle and aggressive behavior at once (fawning, biting) that shaped the view of
the dog as a deceptive and untrustworthy animal. This view was further sustained by the
feeding behavior of the animal, identified in the sources as stealing and gobbling food.
These two acts constituted mental benchmarks in the collective conception of the dog that
contrasted sharply with its view as a loyal creature. In fact, so pervasive was this
contradiction in Classical Greek thought that it was frequently employed as a metaphor
for describing human behavior. Further, the dog was punished with beating for its
stealing of food. This act of physical aggression against it was perceived as behavior that
set Greek culture apart from others. The dog was also known for its scavenging
behavior, its ability to exercise forethought, and also its acute sense of smell. Its
scavenging behavior was a well-established idea in ancient Greek thought. It promoted
the fear of human flesh becoming part of canine diet, and caused the dog to be thought of
as a dangerous animal. Such views of the animal did not, however, deter Classical Greek
society from including canine flesh in its diet. Dog flesh was believed to have a curative
effect on the human body, and as such, featured prominently in the dietary treatment of
many diseases. Outside this medical context, dog flesh appears to have served only as
the food of the lowest strata of society. These circumstances notwithstanding, the
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