Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 2,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (thunder and lightning): Text and notes (Cambridge, 1925)

170 The Delphic Omphalos

which certainly suits and possibly presupposes an actual pillar1.
It may be objected that of all the representations of the omphalos
in ancient art, and they are many, not one has it surmounted by
the pillar—an extraordinary omission, if my hypothesis is to stand.
To this I should reply that the omphalos shown to travellers and
multiplied throughout the Greek world was not the original, but a
replica in marble placed outside the temple at the eastern end of
the terrace (fig. 117)-, where indeed it has been duly discovered in
the course of the French excavations (fig. 118)3. The real omphalos,

Claud, in PI. Mallii Theodori consulatum prol- 16 Pythius axis {infra p. 179 n. 1). But
see infra § 3 (a) iii (0).

1 W. H. Roscher op. cit. p. 40ff. cites Iambi, de myst. 3. 11 p. 127 Parthey koX pjny
rj ye ev Ttpayxtdcus yvvrj xp?;o7/wo6s. etre pajibov exovaa ttjv irpwTUS vwb 8eov twos vapa-
ooOeiaav TrXrjpovTai rrjs deias avyrjs, etre eirl d^ovos Ka.6y]p.evr\ npoXeyei to /xe'AAof, etre tovs
wbbas 77 Kpaffireobv tl Tlyyovaa to) v5olti rj ex tov vocltos aTp.i£o/j.epr] 5exeTCU T0V Otbv, e£
inravTuv tovtwv eVir^Seta irapaaKeva'^ofxevy) wpbs tt)v VTrobox:<]v e^uidev avTov p.eTa\afj.j3di>ei
and contends that here too d^wv denotes the cosmic axis. But must we not then read
eirl <ro0> fifo^os? And in any case the mathematical &^wv is perfectly compatible with
a material kIqov (see Eustath. in Od. p. 1389, 59ff.): Lieut. Peary at the north pole set
up a flagstaff.

2 A red-figured amphora with volute handles from Ruvo (fig. 117 = 0. F. Jatta in the
Ann. d. Inst. 1868 xl. 235—248 pi. E, id. Catalogo del Mitseo Jatta Naples 1869 no- 239>
Baumeister Denkm. ii. 1009 f. nS- I2r5> P- Weizsacker in Roscher Lex. Myth. iii. 176
fig. 5, R. Engelmann Bilder-Atlas zum Homer Leipzig 1889 ii- 3 pi. 4, 18, J. H. Hud-
dilston Greek Tragedy in the light of Vase Paintings London 1898 p. 83 ff. fig. 10, Reinach
Rep. J'ases i. 321, 1, W. H. Roscher Omphalos Leipzig 1913 p. 103 pi. 2, 1) representing
the murder of Neoptolemos at Delphoi depicts the scene with some pretence to topo-
graphical accuracy. In the background stands a peripteral temple with decorated doors
ajar. This will do for the fourth-century building (though it had Doric columns outside, Ionic
inside) with its ivory doors. To the right of it sits A P 0 AAfl N with his bow, unmoved by
the tragedy. To the left the Pythian priestess with a filleted key over her shoulder starts
away in horror. In the foreground N EO P TO A EMOI, already wounded, takes refuge
on the altar; OP EXT AX, sword in hand, approaches him stealthily from behind the
omphalos; a Delphian, elsewhere called Machaireus (Roscher Lex. Myth. ii. 2226f.),
raises his lance to deal the fatal blow ; and the stones in the left-hand corner hint at the
fury of the populace (Eur. Andr. 1127 ff.). The altar here shown corresponds in position
with that of the Chians (Frazer Pausanias v. 309 f., 631, E. Bourguet Les mines de
Delphes Paris 1914 p. 175 ff.), and the omphalos with that described infra n. 3. The
palm-tree recalls the bronze palm dedicated by the Athenians out of the spoils won at the
battle on the Eurymedon (Frazer op. cit. v. 313, infra §"3 (a) iii (x)). The tripod on a
round base in the middle distance may be reminiscent of the famous tripod dedicated by
the Greeks who fought at Plataia (Frazer op. cit. v. 299 ff., E. Bourguet op. cit. p. 160 ff.).
Lastly, the tripod beside the palm-tree and the shield next to Apollon are samples of the
votive offerings with which the whole precinct was crowded.

3 Fig. 118, after a photograph by Rhomaides (Delphoi no. 41), represents an omphalos
of white marble found on the last turn of the Sacred Way close to the bases of Gelon
(E. Bourguet op. cit. p. 248 n. 1) and rightly identified with that described by Paus. 10.
16. 3 (see G. Karo in Daremberg—Saglio Diet. Ant. iv. 199 fig. 5404, H. Pomtow in
Philologns 1912 Ixxi. 59, W. H. Roscher Omphalos Leipzig 1913 p. 8r f. pi. 6, 1). That
this omphalos was a mere replica, is sufficiently proved by the agrenon (J. E. Harrison
' TEgis—ArPHNOX' in the Bull. Corr. Hell. 1900 xxiv. 254—262) carved in relief