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

380 From Daimon to Olympian [ch.
liados to slay the shrivelled ugly figure leaning on his stick and
inscribed yr/pas, Old Age 1 .
We blossom like the leaves that, come in spring,
What time the sun begins to flame and glow,
And in the brief span of youth's gladdening
Nor good nor evil from the gods we know,
But always at the goal black Keres stand
Holding, one grievous Age, one Death within her hand 2 .
We understand also now why constant emphasis is laid on
the fact that Herakles was initiated. On a cinerary urn in the
Museo delle Terme 3
Herakles leaning on his club stands in the
presence of Demeter and fondles the sacred snake that is twined
about her. The scholiast on the Ploutos A of Aristophanes tells
us that the mysteries at Agrae were founded in order that
Herakles might be initiated. He is the prototype, the pro-
jection, of the initiate youth, he as Alexikakos defends the boy
in his rite de passage to and through the perils of manhood 5 .
Later the initiation into the tribe is viewed as initiation into a
' mystery.'
And, finally, we see the reality and significance of what has
hitherto seemed a somewhat frigid conceit, the marriage of
Herakles and Hebe. In the Nekuia 6 Odysseus sees Herakles
in Hades and is perplexed, for orthodoxy demanded that Herakles
should be in Olympos feasting w r ith his bride Hebe. Odysseus,
or rather the poet, betrays his embarrassment
Next Herakles' great strength I looked upon
His shadow—for the man himself is gone
To join him with the gods immortal ; there
He feasts and hath for bride Hebe the fair.
Herakles the Ephebos, the Kouros, is fitly wedded to Hebe,
1 See the two vases reproduced in Prolegomena, Figs. 17 and 18. When I
discussed them (op. cit. pp. 160, 174) I did not at all understand the significance of
Herakles as Greatest Kouros.
2 Mimnermos, 2.
3 Helbig Cat. 1168. Lovatelli, Ant. Mon. illustr. p. 25 ff. tav. n.—iv. Repro-
duced Prolegomena, p. 547, Figs. 155, 156.
4 Ad v. 845.
5 In previously discussing the initiation of Herakles (Primitive Athens, 1906,
p. 147) I have, I thiuk, over-emphasized the fact that he was always regarded as an
immigrant ; foreign elements entered undoubtedly into his cult, but I now believe
him to be in the main home-grown.
» Horn. Od. xi. 601.
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