DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14697#0207
Orphic Theogonies and Cosmogonic Eros 1045
or a mere child (e.g. O. Rayet Monuments de Part antique Paris 1884 ii pi. (40),
7 with text, L. Heuzey Les figurines antiques de terre cuite du Muse'e du Louvre
Paris 1883 p. 21 pi. 35i!S, 5, M. Collignon in Daremberg—Saglio Diet. Ant. i.
1607 rig. 2i 88, E. Pottier Les statuettes de terre cuite dans Pantiquite' Paris 1890
p. 129 rig. 44, Winter Ant. Terrakotten iii. 2. 320 no. \2b a walking Eros, from
Tanagra, formerly in the Barre collection (no. 449), now in the Louvre, with his
chlamys drawn over his head : height o'oym) or even a babe (e.g. L. Stephani
in the Co7npte-rendu St. Pet. 1864 p. 202 f. Atlas pi. 6, 2, Winter Ant. Terra-
kotten iii. 2. 313 fig. 4 Eros clinging on to the neck of a swan, found at Kerch
and now in the Hermitage at Petrograd : height o'o75m) > and it is usually
assumed that his progressive diminution in size was the natural outcome of
fourth-century art with its well-defined penchant for youth and beauty (see e.g.
the clear and sensible statements of O. Waser in Pauly—Wissowa ReaPEnc. vi.
496 f, 502, 509). It must not, however, be forgotten that this tendency, which
was undoubtedly a vera causa, gave fresh effect to the very ancient belief in the
soul as a tiny winged form sent forth from the lover to compass his desires.
That is the ultimate reason—I take it—why Eros with crossed legs and torch
reversed became the commonest of all symbols for Death (A. Furtwangler in
Roscher Lex. Myth. i. 1369, M. Collignon in Daremberg—Saglio Diet. Ant. i.
1610 fig. 2192 f., O. Waser in Pauly—Wissowa Real-Enc. vi. 508 f, F. Liibker
Reallexikon des klassischen Alterticms* Berlin 1914P. 1028, C. Robert Thanatos
(Winckehnannsfest-Progr. Berlin xxxix) Berlin 1879 P- 44) Preller—Robert Gr.
Myth. i. 845, Gruppe Gr. Myth. ReP p. 1050 n. 5, supra p. 309): a resting Eros
meant a restful soul. Again, that is why Eros was so constantly associated with
Psyche (L. Stephani in the Compte-rendu St. Pet. 1877 pp. 53—219, M. Collignon
Essai sur les monuments grecs et romains relatifs au my the de Psyche' Paris 1877
(inadequate), A. Zinzow Psyche und Eros Halle 1881, A. Furtwangler in Roscher
Lex. Myth. i. 1370—1372, O. Waser in Pauly—Wissowa Real-Eftc. vi. 531—542
and in Roscher Lex. Myth. iii. 3237—3256): quasi-bird and ^a^z'-butterfly were
kindred conceptions of the soul. Finally, we may discover here one ground at
least for the astonishing variety of genre occupations attributed to Eros and the
Erotes in the Graeco-Roman age. Readers of these lines will probably remember
an eloquent passage in which J. W. Mackail Select Epigrams from the Greek
Anthology London 1890 p. 34 f. describes the wealth of imagination lavished by
a single writer, Meleagros, upon the figure of Eros. The poet's words could be
illustrated by scores of extant works of art, especially terra-cotta statuettes, en-
graved gems, and mural paintings. By way of relaxation at the end of a somewhat
stiff and stodgy Appendix I subjoin a few specimens.
Eros pervaded the universe and swayed all hearts from the highest to the
lowest. Time was when Alkibiades had given offence by carrying a shield of
gold and ivory with the device of Eros fulminant (Plout. v. Alcib. 16, Athen.
534 e), and an onyx at Berlin dating from the first half of s. iv (?) b.c. very possibly
shows this deity with his protege' (fig. 894 = 0. O. Miiller Denkmdler der alten
Kunst Gottingen 1835 2- 35 pi- 39> 45li Furtwangler Geschnitt. Steitie Berlin
p. 35 no. 355 pi. 7). But in s. i b.c. Eros was represented not merely holding a
thunderbolt (Furtwangler Geschnitt. Steiize Berlin p. 160 no. 3708 pi. 29 brown
paste : Eros leaning on a pillar with thunderbolt (?) in right hand, sceptre in
left and an altar (?) below, id. ib. p. 159 no. 3700 pi. 29 dark brown paste : Eros
with thunderbolt in right hand, trident in left) but actually breaking it across his
knee (fig. 895 = Furtwangler Ant. Gemmeu i pi. 30, 31, ii. 149 a cornelian in the
royal collection at The Hague, id. Geschnitt. Steine Berlin p. 90 no. 1628 pi. 17
or a mere child (e.g. O. Rayet Monuments de Part antique Paris 1884 ii pi. (40),
7 with text, L. Heuzey Les figurines antiques de terre cuite du Muse'e du Louvre
Paris 1883 p. 21 pi. 35i!S, 5, M. Collignon in Daremberg—Saglio Diet. Ant. i.
1607 rig. 2i 88, E. Pottier Les statuettes de terre cuite dans Pantiquite' Paris 1890
p. 129 rig. 44, Winter Ant. Terrakotten iii. 2. 320 no. \2b a walking Eros, from
Tanagra, formerly in the Barre collection (no. 449), now in the Louvre, with his
chlamys drawn over his head : height o'oym) or even a babe (e.g. L. Stephani
in the Co7npte-rendu St. Pet. 1864 p. 202 f. Atlas pi. 6, 2, Winter Ant. Terra-
kotten iii. 2. 313 fig. 4 Eros clinging on to the neck of a swan, found at Kerch
and now in the Hermitage at Petrograd : height o'o75m) > and it is usually
assumed that his progressive diminution in size was the natural outcome of
fourth-century art with its well-defined penchant for youth and beauty (see e.g.
the clear and sensible statements of O. Waser in Pauly—Wissowa ReaPEnc. vi.
496 f, 502, 509). It must not, however, be forgotten that this tendency, which
was undoubtedly a vera causa, gave fresh effect to the very ancient belief in the
soul as a tiny winged form sent forth from the lover to compass his desires.
That is the ultimate reason—I take it—why Eros with crossed legs and torch
reversed became the commonest of all symbols for Death (A. Furtwangler in
Roscher Lex. Myth. i. 1369, M. Collignon in Daremberg—Saglio Diet. Ant. i.
1610 fig. 2192 f., O. Waser in Pauly—Wissowa Real-Enc. vi. 508 f, F. Liibker
Reallexikon des klassischen Alterticms* Berlin 1914P. 1028, C. Robert Thanatos
(Winckehnannsfest-Progr. Berlin xxxix) Berlin 1879 P- 44) Preller—Robert Gr.
Myth. i. 845, Gruppe Gr. Myth. ReP p. 1050 n. 5, supra p. 309): a resting Eros
meant a restful soul. Again, that is why Eros was so constantly associated with
Psyche (L. Stephani in the Compte-rendu St. Pet. 1877 pp. 53—219, M. Collignon
Essai sur les monuments grecs et romains relatifs au my the de Psyche' Paris 1877
(inadequate), A. Zinzow Psyche und Eros Halle 1881, A. Furtwangler in Roscher
Lex. Myth. i. 1370—1372, O. Waser in Pauly—Wissowa Real-Eftc. vi. 531—542
and in Roscher Lex. Myth. iii. 3237—3256): quasi-bird and ^a^z'-butterfly were
kindred conceptions of the soul. Finally, we may discover here one ground at
least for the astonishing variety of genre occupations attributed to Eros and the
Erotes in the Graeco-Roman age. Readers of these lines will probably remember
an eloquent passage in which J. W. Mackail Select Epigrams from the Greek
Anthology London 1890 p. 34 f. describes the wealth of imagination lavished by
a single writer, Meleagros, upon the figure of Eros. The poet's words could be
illustrated by scores of extant works of art, especially terra-cotta statuettes, en-
graved gems, and mural paintings. By way of relaxation at the end of a somewhat
stiff and stodgy Appendix I subjoin a few specimens.
Eros pervaded the universe and swayed all hearts from the highest to the
lowest. Time was when Alkibiades had given offence by carrying a shield of
gold and ivory with the device of Eros fulminant (Plout. v. Alcib. 16, Athen.
534 e), and an onyx at Berlin dating from the first half of s. iv (?) b.c. very possibly
shows this deity with his protege' (fig. 894 = 0. O. Miiller Denkmdler der alten
Kunst Gottingen 1835 2- 35 pi- 39> 45li Furtwangler Geschnitt. Steitie Berlin
p. 35 no. 355 pi. 7). But in s. i b.c. Eros was represented not merely holding a
thunderbolt (Furtwangler Geschnitt. Steiize Berlin p. 160 no. 3708 pi. 29 brown
paste : Eros leaning on a pillar with thunderbolt (?) in right hand, sceptre in
left and an altar (?) below, id. ib. p. 159 no. 3700 pi. 29 dark brown paste : Eros
with thunderbolt in right hand, trident in left) but actually breaking it across his
knee (fig. 895 = Furtwangler Ant. Gemmeu i pi. 30, 31, ii. 149 a cornelian in the
royal collection at The Hague, id. Geschnitt. Steine Berlin p. 90 no. 1628 pi. 17