Zeus : a study in ancient religion - Warburg Institute

262 Dionysos displaced by Apollon
and Dionysos—the early Delphic triad—in thoroughly characteristic
surroundings.
Another fourth-century vase, likewise found at Jiiz Oba and
preserved at Petrograd\ is a red-figured k^ater, which has for
obverse design a judgment of Paris^ comparable with that depicted
on the hydria at Karlsruhe-' and for reverse the arrival of Apollon
at Delphoi (pi. xvii)*. The scene is marked by the oniphalos with
its fillets and bay-wreath, the palm-tree^ and the tripods Dionysos
—a kingly figure bearded, wreathed with ivy, clad in fine under-
chiton, richly decorated upper-^/^zV^«, and hinidtion, and holding his
thyrsos like a sceptre— is evidently lord of the locality'. Round
him is his retinue, three naked Satyrs and three Maenads, who with
flutes, lyre, and timbrel make music as their master extends the
right hand of fellowship* to the youthful Apollon, a simpler personage
in a dotted Jiividtion with bay-wreath and bay-branch. One
of the Maenads prepares a seat for him beside the omphalos—
sufficiently significant action. The guest has come to stay. And it
may be added that Zeus and Themis, the original occupants of the
place, are already relegated to the other side of the vase.
A later moment is represented on a red-figured \>€\\-kr'ater of
design some commonplace subject (draped youths, etc.) unconnected with the obverse.
That is true. But there are notable exceptions (e.g. Compte-rendu St. Pit. 1859 p. 32 ff.
Atlas pi. I f. = Reinach Ri^p. Vases i. i, i f., 2, 2 or Collignon—Couve Cat. Vases
d' Athenes p. 590
f. no. 1854), and this may well be one. Robert op. cit. p. 190 is not
averse from connecting the two sides of our vase.
1 Stephani Vaseiisamml. St. Petersburg \\. 339 ff. no. 1807. Height 0'49'".
2/«/;-^§9(h)ii(^).
^ Supra i. 125 f. pi. xi.
* L. Stephani in the Conipte-rendu St. Pit. 1861 p. 33 ff. Atlas pis. 3 and 4 ( = my
pi. xvii) = Reinach Rep. Vases i. 7, 5 f. , 8, i, L. Weniger in the Arc/i. Zeit. 1866 xxiv.
185 ff. pi. 211, Overbeck Gr. Kitnstniyth. Apollon pp. 331 no. 73, 333 Atlas pi. 21, 25
(central group only), Farnell Cults of Gk. States iv. 3t6 pi. 17, Harrison Proleg. Gk. Rel."^
p. 390
f. fig. 122, ead. Themis p. 443 f. fig. 137.
* Recalling the bronze palm at Delphoi (Plout. v. Nic. 13, de Pyth. or. 8, Paus. 10.
15. 4 f.). On the relation of palms to Apollon see L. Stephani in the Compte-rendu
St. Pit. 1 86 1 p. 68 f.
^ Omphalos, palm, and tripod are all found on the amphora from Ruvo {supra
p. 170 n. 2).
' Miss Harrison is a trifle less dogmatic in her Proleg. Gk. Rel.^ p. 390 f.: ' Ii is
perhaps not quite certain which is regarded as the first comer, but the balance is in favour
of Dionysos as the sanctuary is already peopled with his worshippers.'
^ L. Weniger in the Areh. Zeit. 1866 xxiv. 190 f. and Farnell Cults oj Gk. States
iv. 316 suggest that Dionysos is greeting Apollon on his return from the Hyperboreans^-
a possible interpretation. L. Stephani in the Coinpte-rendu St. Pit. t86i p. 114 after
many pages reaches the wrong conclusion, viz. that Apollon and Dionysos grasp each
other's hand merely to show their essential similarity 'Eine...rein theoretische, nicht
dramatische Anwendung des Handschlags '—or, if the gesture has any reference to the
particular occasion, their unanimity in regard to the judgment of Paris.