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

Triptolemos

22 1

sun-god in the sky—hovers Triptolemos on his winged car. A
bell-crater from Santa Agata de' Goti, now in the British Museum
(fig. 164)1, again depicts Demeter seated and Persephone standing
beside her—the one with a sceptre, the other with a torch. Tripto-
lemos on his wheeled seat, which is fitted with large wings and
snakes, faces towards and converses with Demeter. To this
Eleusinian company two daidoiAtchoi (perhaps we may venture
to regard them as Eubouleus and Eumolpos) are about to
introduce Herakles and the Dioskouroi. Herakles has his club;

. Fig. 164.

one of the Dioskouroi is accompanied by his star; all three wear
wreaths and carry the mystic bdcchoi. In the background, over a
hill, appears a Doric building and two Doric columns: these may
be taken to represent the Telesterion. In the foreground is set a
stool (?), near which lie two uncertain objects of oblong shape,
possibly tablets (?) required by the initiates.

The later group of fourth-century vases is decorated with a
scene probably drawn from the theatre, not the Telesterion, though

P&kxos appears on silver [Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Attica, etc. p. 29 pi. 8, 3, p. 73 pi. 13, 6)
and copper coins of Athens (id. p. 23 pi. 6, 14 f., pp. 81, 91 pi. 15, 17), and on copper
coins of Eleusis (ib. p. 112 ff. pi. 20, 1—4). It is also carved on the frieze of the small
Propylaea (Durm Baukunst d. Gr.2 p. 118 coloured plate) and on that of the great altar
at Eleusis (Daremberg-Saglio Diet. ant. ii. 561 fig. 2633), as well as on that of the altar
from the Eleusinio7i at Athens [ib. ii. 570 fig. 2638).

1 Brit. Mus. Cat. Vases iv. 45 f. no. F 68, Lenormant—de Witte op. at. iii. i8of.
pi. 63 A, E. Gerhard Gesanunelte akademische Abhandlungen Berlin 1868 pi. 71, 1,
Overbeck op. cit. Atlas pi. 18, 19.