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Themis, a study of the social origins of Greek ... - Warburg Institute

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168 The Dithyramb, Spring-Festival, etc. [oh.<br />

a crescent moon. If <strong>the</strong>re is any doubt what is meant we have<br />

only to turn to <strong>the</strong> gold signet-ring from <strong>the</strong> Acropolis treasure <strong>of</strong><br />

we have <strong>the</strong> Earth-goddess or her<br />

Mycenae in Fig. 36 l . Here<br />

priestess under her great fruit-bearing tree ; she holds poppies in<br />

her hand ; worshippers approach her bearing flowers and leaf-<br />

sprays ; behind her a woman ga<strong>the</strong>rs fruit, while above her is all<br />

<strong>the</strong> glory <strong>of</strong> Ouranos, Sun and Moon and Milky Way, and down<br />

from <strong>the</strong> sky come <strong>the</strong> powers <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sky, <strong>the</strong> thunder in its<br />

Fig. 36.<br />

double manifestation <strong>of</strong> shield-demon and battle-axe. The Earth<br />

is barren till <strong>the</strong> Thunder and <strong>the</strong> Rainstorm smite her in <strong>the</strong><br />

springtime— till in his Epiphany <strong>of</strong> Thunder and Lightning<br />

Keraunos comes to Keraunia, <strong>the</strong> Sky-god weds Semele <strong>the</strong> Earth,<br />

<strong>the</strong><br />

Bride <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bladed Thunder 2 .<br />

In <strong>the</strong> light <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> scene on <strong>the</strong> signet-ring we do not need to<br />

ask <strong>the</strong> significance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> axe hafted into <strong>the</strong> obelisk 3 . It is <strong>the</strong><br />

1 J.H.S. 1901.<br />

2 Eur. Hipp. 559 (3povrrj a/jupnTvpip roK-dda. Cf. Eur. Bacch. 3 2e/tA7? \oxevdcta<br />

a

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