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

Grene, who says “little figures.” 514 Powell, in contrast, maintains that zw|&dion means
“picture,” 515 and so does Waterfield, who translates these zw|di/wn as “pictures.” 516
The meaning of zw|di/wn has not been discussed independently from speculations
regarding the technique of their manufacture. In their reference to Herodotus’ passage,
Liddell and Scott, for example, point out that zw|di/wn should be defined as painted or
carved figures. 517 In addition, Godley understands the term to mean figures that were
graven, perhaps carved or engraved, on the rim of the krater. 518 The lack of a specific
term within the passage that supports this technical aspect of zw|di/wn, and the distinct
silence of Godley on the matter suggest that he considered this aspect a factor that
partook in the meaning of the term. Similarly, How and Wells, who also understand
zw|di/wn to mean figures, draw attention to the technique employed for their manufacture
by suggesting that they are figures in relief. 519 As with Godley, however, these authors
provide no corresponding term to this specific technique, which implies that they also
saw the latter as being incorporated into the meaning of the term.
Herodotus’ krater and its zw|&dia have been at the center of a search for
archaeological parallels. Andreas Rumpf was the first scholar (1954; 1957) to identify
this krater as a volute krater of the Vix type. 520 The latter refers to a bronze volute krater
of exceptional size (1.63m high; 1.27m diameter of body; 1m. diameter of mouth; 208.6
kg weight) and craftsmanship that was found in 1953 in a fifth-century, Celtic tomb at the
514
De Sélincourt and Marincola, Herodotus. The Histories 31; Grene, The History. Herodotus 65.
515
Powell, A Lexicon to Herodotus 159, s.v. zw|&dion.
516
R. Waterfield, Herodotus. The Histories (Oxford and New York, 1997) 31.
517 9
LSJ , 758, s.v. zw|&dion.
518
Godley, Herodotus 1 85.
519
How and Wells, A Commentary on Herodotus 92.
520
A. Rumpf, “Zum Krater von Vix,” BABesch 29 (1954) 10-11; also “Krath&r Lakwniko&j,” in
Schauenburg, ed., Charites 131.
271