Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 1): Zeus god of the bright sky (Cambridge, 1914)

The Blue Globe

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holding a shield above Iupiter and the globe—later transformed
into a vase—resting on a high base to the left of Iuno1. It would
thus seem that the Iupiter Capitoliniis of the Borghese relief pre-
supposes a statue with Victory behind and a pedestalled globe at
its side. That Vorbild can hardly have been other than the cult-
image of Vespasian's temple.

The god enthroned with the globe as his footstool was a type
readily adopted by Christian art. A gilded glass of the fourth
century, found in one of the Roman catacombs (fig. 22)2, shows
a beardless figure of Our Lord (CRISTVS) seated with his foot on a

Fig. 22.

starry globe. He takes a scroll from its case at his side and
instructs S. Stephen (iSTEFANVS). The Godhead with a nimbus
in the background, who raises his hands to bless both Master and
disciple, recalls the Victory appearing behind Valentinianus i and
his son.

1 Robert in Hermes 1887 xxii. 4631". and in his Sark.-Relfs. iii. r. 42 f. condemns the
whole work as a forgery, arguing that it was made about 1615 a.d. in free imitation of
the Borghese relief. But in view of what is said by Raoul Rochette op. cit. p. 401 f.
further investigation seems desirable. In any case the Capitoline replica may fairly be
used (Robert uses it so himself) as evidence of the original aspect of the Borghese
composition.

2 F. Buonarruoti Osservazioni sopra alcunifra?nmenti di vasi antichi di vetro Firenze

i 716 p. Iioff. pi. 17, i. DIGNITAS AMICORVM VIVAS CVM TVJS FELICITER.

C.

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