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)

Zeus Brontatos^ Brontbn, Brontesios 833

rain charm1. Sir J. G. Frazer added that the rattling of the car was
probably meant to imitate thunder2. We are not indeed told that
this was the car of Zeus: but, since Zeus was the Greek rain-god3,
that is a legitimate assumption; he appears, moreover, on later
coins of Krannon4.

A similar imitation of the thunders of Zeus by means of a
rattling chariot is found in the myth of Salmoneus, who likewise
hailed from Thessaly5.

Lastly, it will be remembered that the Thracian Zeus Zbclsoi'trdos
was at once a thunder-god and a charioteer (fig. 785)6.

(d) Zeus Brontaios, Bronton, Brontesios.

Zeus Brontaios, the god 'of Thunder,' figures in late literature7
and twice at least on monuments of the Kyzikos district. A marble
stele from Mihallitch, preserved at Constantinople8, is decorated with
a relief of s. ii or iii A.D. (fig. 793)y. It shows Zeus standing on a
broad pedestal, with a thunderbolt in his raised right hand, a sceptre
in his lowered left, and an eagle at his feet. Near him, on a smaller

the figs to ripen. Then, realising his fault, he caught the water-snake of the fountain,
brought it along with the bowl, and explained that the snake daily drank the water of the
fountain. Apollon punished him with thirst, as is stated by Aristotle [frag. 329 Rose] and
Archelaos in his 'ldicxpiirj) [A similar account is given by schol. Arat. phaen. 449, schol.
Caes. Germ. Aratea p. 419, 15 ff. Eyssenhardt, Ox. fast. 2. 2436°., Hyg. poet, astr. 2. 40,
Myth. Vat. 1. 115], Cramer anecd. Paris, i. 25, 20 ff. = Dionysios 7rept opv'idtav (When
Koronis was bearing Asklepios at Trikke, the raven was told to bring water. Instead of
that, he indulged in lust. Apollon in anger turned him black and so shaped his crop that
he cannot bring water to his chicks) [Cp. Hyg. fab. 202, poet. astr. 2. 40, Myth. Vat. 1.
115, 2. 22, 2. 128].

On the raven as a weather-prophet in antiquity see supra p. 518 n. 4.

1 Furtwangler Masterpieces of Gk'. Sculpt, p. 471 suggests the same use for the prob-
lematic Kesselwagen or ' caldron-chariots' of the late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age.
These are bowls mounted on carriages of four wheels apiece and frequently decorated with
birds or birds' heads. For examples and bibliography see J. Schlemm Worterbuch zur
Vorgeschichte Berlin 1908 pp. 282—286. Cp. also R. Kittel Studien zur hebraischen
Archiiologie und Religionsgcschichte Leipzig 1908 pp. 189—242 (' Die Kesselwagen des
salomonischen Tempels'—an interesting discussion leading up to the conclusion : ' Sie
sind die Symbole der regenspendenden Gottheit'), J. Dechelette Manuel cCarcheologie
prghistoriqtie Paris 1910 ii. 1. 284 ff. fig. 107, 442 ff. fig. 183.

2 Frazer Golden Bough3 : The Magic Art i. 309. 3 Infra § 9.

4 Brit. Mu's. Cat. Coins Thessaly etc. p. [7 pi. 2, 14, Head Hist, num? p. 294.

5 Infra Append. L sub fin. ti Supra p. 820.

7 Aristot. de tuundo 7. 401 a 17, Orph. h. Zeus 15. 9. Cp. Athena BeXovinr) daughter
of BpovTaios (Eudok. viol. 355), Athena BeXeW/o; daughter of Bpovraios (Favorin. lex.
p. 750, 19 f.), Athena BoXavU-q daughter of Bpovreas (Tzetz. in Lyk. Al. 111).

8 A. Joubin Muste itnperial ottoman: Catalogue des sculptures grecques, romaiues,
byzantines et franqtces Constantinople 1893 no. 126, G. Mendel Mustes Impdriaux Otto-
mans: Catalogue des sculptures grecques, romaines et byzantines Constantinople iii ('sous
presse').

9 Lebas—Reinach Voyage Arch. p. 115 pi. 133, 2 (=my fig. 793).

c 11. 53