DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15091#0046
PLATE XL
A group of Bacchus and Ampelus. Before we enter into a descrip-
tion of this group, it will be necessary to give a short account of
Ampelus. He was born in Phrygia;(i) his mother was a nymph, and
he is said to have had more than one father among the Satyrs who
were attendants upon Bacchus.(2) Ampelus, as he grew up, became
extremely beautiful, (3) and was distinguished by Bacchus, who
regarded him with every mark of especial favour. So great indeed
was the partiality of Bacchus to this youth, that he was never happy
without the enjoyment of his society. (4) He took an interest in all
his boyish amusements, and even instituted contests between himself
and Ampelus, in which he purposely contrived that the latter should
be the victor.(5) Elated by these successes, and by the continual acts of
kindness bestowed on him by Bacchus, the confidence of Ampelus in
himself became excessive : he grew fearless of danger, and exposed his
person to considerable risk in assailing various kinds of wild beasts.(6)
1 Namely, on Mount Tmolus:
*Ajj.ve\og l/xspoets ravuft^Sso; \th; eAsyp^Ef •
T/xcoXiof 'ISa/ou tteXe tpepTEpog' Nonni Dionysiac. lib. x. v. 317.
* Ampelon intonsum, Satyris nymphaque creatum,
Fertur in Ismariis Bacchus amasse jugis. Ovid. Fast. lib. iii. v. 409.
3 *HS>) yip ^Ppvylr^ wro SsjpaSa xovpo; ccQupcov,
*A/x7reXoj tje^rjTO, veoTpstye; epvog Ipwrcav
OtiSe oi dfipb; TouAoj ipEuio[i,svoio yevelov,
"A^voa yiovEtii t-)(jx(>a.<T<jETO xvxAa %apEir^,
"H/3>)5 xgvtrsov uv$o$' OTrt(ySo7Topoto Se ^ainjf
BorpuE; e\\ixosvte$ W apyvQscav 6eov wfiuni
'AttXexeei- Nonni Dionysiac. lib. x. v. 177-
4 Kovpov vovfi ^evovtoc, ljxa.<Tcrsro Bax^oj oev/jj* Ibid. lib. x. v. 229.
5 Nixr;0>) Aio'vtxroj kxouiTiog. Ibid. lib. x. v. 375.
--ixoucnof umaTE vi'xijV Ibid. lib. XI. V. 55.
6 TXctvxu <pi\o<rxcn:s\u)v etteIeIxvue ma!\ywx drjpwv'
Tly fj.lv opscrnaSof Ao$»j? ETriSr)jjt,Evog apxrov,
Qripl; £7rsiyo(xev>;5 fl\o<rvprjV aVECTElpavz yahrfl '
rijj Se XeovteI^v Aacn'rjv ZTTEfj-utrTiE SsipyV
AAAote S«iSaXl>)v, ETro^rjjU.svoj i)<\i6$i vwroov,
'Acte/a^j aycthmv ETEpmsro rlygiv lAatwov* Ibid. lib. XL v. 65.
A group of Bacchus and Ampelus. Before we enter into a descrip-
tion of this group, it will be necessary to give a short account of
Ampelus. He was born in Phrygia;(i) his mother was a nymph, and
he is said to have had more than one father among the Satyrs who
were attendants upon Bacchus.(2) Ampelus, as he grew up, became
extremely beautiful, (3) and was distinguished by Bacchus, who
regarded him with every mark of especial favour. So great indeed
was the partiality of Bacchus to this youth, that he was never happy
without the enjoyment of his society. (4) He took an interest in all
his boyish amusements, and even instituted contests between himself
and Ampelus, in which he purposely contrived that the latter should
be the victor.(5) Elated by these successes, and by the continual acts of
kindness bestowed on him by Bacchus, the confidence of Ampelus in
himself became excessive : he grew fearless of danger, and exposed his
person to considerable risk in assailing various kinds of wild beasts.(6)
1 Namely, on Mount Tmolus:
*Ajj.ve\og l/xspoets ravuft^Sso; \th; eAsyp^Ef •
T/xcoXiof 'ISa/ou tteXe tpepTEpog' Nonni Dionysiac. lib. x. v. 317.
* Ampelon intonsum, Satyris nymphaque creatum,
Fertur in Ismariis Bacchus amasse jugis. Ovid. Fast. lib. iii. v. 409.
3 *HS>) yip ^Ppvylr^ wro SsjpaSa xovpo; ccQupcov,
*A/x7reXoj tje^rjTO, veoTpstye; epvog Ipwrcav
OtiSe oi dfipb; TouAoj ipEuio[i,svoio yevelov,
"A^voa yiovEtii t-)(jx(>a.<T<jETO xvxAa %apEir^,
"H/3>)5 xgvtrsov uv$o$' OTrt(ySo7Topoto Se ^ainjf
BorpuE; e\\ixosvte$ W apyvQscav 6eov wfiuni
'AttXexeei- Nonni Dionysiac. lib. x. v. 177-
4 Kovpov vovfi ^evovtoc, ljxa.<Tcrsro Bax^oj oev/jj* Ibid. lib. x. v. 229.
5 Nixr;0>) Aio'vtxroj kxouiTiog. Ibid. lib. x. v. 375.
--ixoucnof umaTE vi'xijV Ibid. lib. XI. V. 55.
6 TXctvxu <pi\o<rxcn:s\u)v etteIeIxvue ma!\ywx drjpwv'
Tly fj.lv opscrnaSof Ao$»j? ETriSr)jjt,Evog apxrov,
Qripl; £7rsiyo(xev>;5 fl\o<rvprjV aVECTElpavz yahrfl '
rijj Se XeovteI^v Aacn'rjv ZTTEfj-utrTiE SsipyV
AAAote S«iSaXl>)v, ETro^rjjU.svoj i)<\i6$i vwroov,
'Acte/a^j aycthmv ETEpmsro rlygiv lAatwov* Ibid. lib. XL v. 65.