Zeus : a study in ancient religion - Warburg Institute

39« Virbius as Dianus
Finally, in 1909^ Miss L. Morpurgo published a minute investigation
of the herm. She claims that the leaves on the breast of either figure
are beyond doubt those of the quercics robtir, that the beard of the
Wcirterb.'^ p. 478). Assuming that both Virbius and verbena were related to viridis (cp.
L. Morpurgo in the Mon. d. Line. 1903 xiii. 356 n. 9), Sir James Frazer had rendered
Vii-bitts, 'The Green One,' and I had suggested, 'He of the sacred branch.' These,
however, are uncertain conjectures ; and there is a tempting alternative (see infra
p. 42 if.).
-TTT/ T-?< UVK -ixTj /T^ L>^
V^^^^^
Fig. 302.
^ L. Morpurgo 'La rappresentazione figurata di Virbio' in Ausonia 1909 iv. 109— 127
with figs. I— 6 and pis. 5, A—c and 6, A— C ( = my pi. xxii, i— 3). Miss Morpurgo's results
are accepted by Stuart Jones Cat. Sculpt. Mus. Capit. Rome p. i5of. But W. Helbig
FiiJu-er durch die bffentlichen Saninihtngen klassischer Allertiimer in Rom'^ Leipzig 1912
i. 439'still advocates his own identification of the double bust as the lakes of Albano
and Nemi.