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)

39*

Virbius as Dianus

Finally, in 19091 Miss L. Morpurgo published a minute investigation
of the herm. She claims that the leaves on the breast of either figure
are beyond doubt those of the quercus robur, that the beard of the

Worterb? p. 478). Assuming that both Virbius and verbena were related to viridis (cp.
L. Morpurgo in the Mon. d. Line. 1903 xiii. 356 n. 9), Sir James Frazer had rendered
Virbius, 'The Green One,'and I had suggested, 'He of the sacred branch.' These,
however, are uncertain conjectures; and there is a tempting alternative (see infra
p. 421 f.).

Fig. 302.

1 L. Morpurgo ' La rappresentazione figurata di Virbio' in Ausonia 1909 iv. 109—127
with figs. 1—6 and pis. 5, a—c and 6, a—c (= my pi. xxii, 1—3). Miss Morpurgo's results
are accepted by Stuart Jones Cat. Sculpt. Mus. Capit. Koine p. 150 f. But W. Helbig
Fiihrer durch die offentlichen Sammlungen klassiseher Altertinner in Rom3 Leipzig 1912
i. 439 still advocates his own identification of the double bust as the lakes of Albano
and Nemi.