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

Goat instead of Bull

has long since been recognised as Tyche1, that late successor of
the old-world mother-goddess2. To the left a whole figure has
been carefully chiselled away from the background. Since that
part of the base on which it stood has been removed along with
it, we may surmise that it was carried off as being a piece of
exceptional beauty, to be set up again in some rich man's house.
And since the marks on the back-wall indicate a slender male
figure with something raised on the spectator's left, I have restored
it as Eros with wings3. Tyche carrying the horn of Amaltheia
was paired with a winged Eros at Aigeira4; and coins of the
town struck by Plautilla prove that the former stood grasping a
sceptre in her right hand, while the latter with crossed legs held
a long torch or staff pointing upwards in both hands5. Together
they would be appropriate witnesses of the ritual marriage.

Not less interesting is the fourth slab (pi. xl, 4), on which we
see Dionysos finally installed in his own theatre. He sits in an
attitude of easy dignity on a gorgeous marble throne, recalling
that of the priest who personated him in the front row of the
auditorium. The background shows the broken surface of the
Akropolis-rock, and above its edge rise the eight columns of the
Parthenon's fagade. It is probable that a thyrsos or sceptre once
rested against the god's left shoulder. Of the three figures before
him two are already known to us. His bride, the 'Queen,' still
fingering her veil, perhaps held out a wreath towards him. Tyche
is present, as before, with cornu copiae and sceptre. And between
them stands a short but sturdy figure with himdtion and club—
Theseus, the embodiment of the Athenian people assembled in
the theatre to pay homage to Dionysos on his throne.

The Greek genius even in its decline knew how to build old
materials into new and significant shapes. This series of reliefs
ostensibly illustrates the infancy, the advent, the marriage, and
the installation of Dionysos. But the art-types employed are
redolent of old associations. Thus the Kouretes take our thoughts

1 J. R. Wheeler loc. cit. p. 141.

2 Supra p. 136 n. 6, cp. p. 597 n. 4, infra ch. i § 8 (a).

3 It is tempting to conjecture that this was the very statue to which a famous but
of course apocryphal story attached : Athen. 591 a kcu UpaziT^Xys 8e 6 dyaX/nctTOTroibs
£p&v avrrjs (sc. Phryne) ttjv ~KvLdiav 'Kcppod'iTTjv d,7r' avrijs eirXdaaro, Kai iv rrj rov
"Epcoros /3d<rei rr\ vtto rrjv o~k7}v7]v rod dedrpov £ir£ypa^>em Upa^LriXrjs op £ira<Txe
dirjKpi^waev gptora, | e£ idirjs cXkcop apx^rvirov Kpadc-qs, | Qpvvri ixiadbv efxe7.o 8i8oi/s i/xi.
(piXrpa 8e fidXXio | oi)/c^r' d'CcTetiuv, dXX' dTevi£6p.evos (cp. Anth. Plan. 204 Simonides !).
See, however, W. Klein Praxiteles Leipzig 1898 p. 219 ff.

4 Paus. 7. 26. 8. See further Gruppe Gr. Myth. Pel. p. 1086 n. 3 med.

5 Imhoof-Blumer and P. Gardner Num. Comm. Paus. ii. 91 pi. S, 8 f., Frazer
Pausanias iv. 179 fig. 24.