DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14696#0872
and the trident of Poseidon 791
storm-god Rudra, as represented on coins of the Indo-Bactrian
kings1 (fig. 754)2 and—I may add—-as still to be seen in Civa-
shrines (fig. 755)3. That the trident of Poseidon was originally a
lightning-fork, later re-interpreted
as a fish-spear, is an opinion which
has commended itself to an increas-
ing number of scholars. C. Fries in
19114, Miss J. E. Harrison in 1912 "',
L. Malten in 1914", O. Gruppe in
19187 and 1921s, all accept this hy-
pothesis, which—-despite the efforts
of reactionary criticism—continues
to gain ground.
The arguments advanced in its
support are not all equally valid.
For instance, we must not, I think,
attach importance to the passage
cited from Homer ; for it may refer
to a sword of the usual pattern, not
to a trident at all. More to the
the holy ashes (burnt cow-dung), of which
something has been left from the last occasion
of worship.'
Fig- 754- FiS-
/03-
1 Id. ib. p. 55 f. figs. 28—30.
2 I figure the reverse of a gold coin of Huvishka (c. n 1 —129 A.D.) in my collection.
Cp. Brit. Mns. Cat. Coins Greek and Scythic Kings p. 159 f. pi. 29, 10. Civa, with three
faces and two arms, stands beside his bull Nandi {supra i. 637), holding a wreath and a
trident. The legend O H r^O = oesho, which may be a Prakrit *havesa representing the
Sanskrit bhavesa, 'the Lord of being,'—a title of Civa (E.J. Rapson in The Journal of
the Royal Asiatic Society 1897 p. 322 ff.).
3 The iron trident (tdlah) here shown was obtained for me by Mr H. B. Thompson of
Queens' College, Cambridge, who stated that it 'belongs to the worship of Siva,' but
held that it was of phallic origin. Height : 8|- ins.
4 C. Fries Die griechischen Goiter u/id Heroen voni astral/nythologischen Standpunkte
aus betrachtet Berlin 1911 p. 163 ff.
5 J. E. Harrison in the Class. Rev. 1912 xxvi. 197.
6 L. Malten in the jfahrb. d. kais. deutsch. arch. Inst. 1914 xxix. 191.
7 O. Gruppe in the Nene Jahrb.f. Mass. Altertuni 1918 xli. 297.
8 Gruppe Myth. Lit. 1921 p. 157.
storm-god Rudra, as represented on coins of the Indo-Bactrian
kings1 (fig. 754)2 and—I may add—-as still to be seen in Civa-
shrines (fig. 755)3. That the trident of Poseidon was originally a
lightning-fork, later re-interpreted
as a fish-spear, is an opinion which
has commended itself to an increas-
ing number of scholars. C. Fries in
19114, Miss J. E. Harrison in 1912 "',
L. Malten in 1914", O. Gruppe in
19187 and 1921s, all accept this hy-
pothesis, which—-despite the efforts
of reactionary criticism—continues
to gain ground.
The arguments advanced in its
support are not all equally valid.
For instance, we must not, I think,
attach importance to the passage
cited from Homer ; for it may refer
to a sword of the usual pattern, not
to a trident at all. More to the
the holy ashes (burnt cow-dung), of which
something has been left from the last occasion
of worship.'
Fig- 754- FiS-
/03-
1 Id. ib. p. 55 f. figs. 28—30.
2 I figure the reverse of a gold coin of Huvishka (c. n 1 —129 A.D.) in my collection.
Cp. Brit. Mns. Cat. Coins Greek and Scythic Kings p. 159 f. pi. 29, 10. Civa, with three
faces and two arms, stands beside his bull Nandi {supra i. 637), holding a wreath and a
trident. The legend O H r^O = oesho, which may be a Prakrit *havesa representing the
Sanskrit bhavesa, 'the Lord of being,'—a title of Civa (E.J. Rapson in The Journal of
the Royal Asiatic Society 1897 p. 322 ff.).
3 The iron trident (tdlah) here shown was obtained for me by Mr H. B. Thompson of
Queens' College, Cambridge, who stated that it 'belongs to the worship of Siva,' but
held that it was of phallic origin. Height : 8|- ins.
4 C. Fries Die griechischen Goiter u/id Heroen voni astral/nythologischen Standpunkte
aus betrachtet Berlin 1911 p. 163 ff.
5 J. E. Harrison in the Class. Rev. 1912 xxvi. 197.
6 L. Malten in the jfahrb. d. kais. deutsch. arch. Inst. 1914 xxix. 191.
7 O. Gruppe in the Nene Jahrb.f. Mass. Altertuni 1918 xli. 297.
8 Gruppe Myth. Lit. 1921 p. 157.