DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14697#0244
1082
Appendix L
gr. ii. 186 f. fig. 88). Svoronos Ath. Nationalmus. pp. 148—154 no. 173 f. pi. 31
(cp. my figs. 924, 925) has made out a strong case for supposing that they were
metopes from the temple of Asklepios, carved in s. iv B.C. On his showing the
one (fig. 924) represents Zeus seated on a throne, the arms of which are sup-
ported by winged sphinxes and end in rams'-heads. His right hand held a
sceptre; his left was extended. An ample himdtion, draped over the back of
the throne and round the legs of the god, left bare his broad chest. His head
wore a metal wreath (holes for attachment remain), and his feet were shod with
sandals of strap-work. Altogether he was an august and imposing figure. The
other relief (fig. 925) shows Asklepios, very similar in attitude and costume, but
curiously diverse in effect. A comfortable man with soft, podgy body, he sits
on a cushioned chair with easy back, crosses his feet, and talks with a gesture
of his right hand. He might be a Harley Street consultant prescribing for a
patient. The same humanity and affability are characteristic of Asklepios, even
when an attempt is made to emphasise his Zeus-hood by means of external
attributes. For instance, an alliance-copper of Pergamon and Ephesos, struck
by Commodus, has Asklepios standing, in his right hand the serpent-staff, in
his left a Nike, who offers a wreath to Artemis (Rasche Lex. Num. vi. 888,
Suppl. i. 295 : but cp. Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Mysia p. 164
pi. 33, 4), while coppers of Caracalla show Asklepios with
little Telesphoros to the left and the cosmic globe to the
right (Rasche Lex. Num. i. 158, Stevenson—Smith—
Madden Diet. Rom. Corns p. 775 f, Cohen Monn. emp.
rom.2 iv. 178 no. 329 f. P • M • TR • P • XVIII • IMP • III ■ COS •
IIII • P • P • s • c • first brass, cp. ib. iv. 179 no. 331 do. do.
without Telesphoros. Fig. 926 is from a second brass in
my collection. For other examples of Asklepios with the
globe see Rasche Lex. Num. Suppl. i. 298 f.: E. Loewe De Aesculapi figura
Strassburg 1887 p. 75 n. 7).
(4) Asklepios and the Snake.
Next we must note the constant association of this human Zeus with a snake.
Asklepios himself on occasion took that form. He travelled from Epidauros to
Sikyon as a snake drawn by mules ; and from the roof of his temple in the latter
town hung a small figure of Aristodama, the mother of his son Aratos, riding on
a snake (Paus. 2. 10. 3) : the creature so ridden was presumably none other than
the god, who was believed to have consorted with Aristodama in snake-form
(Paus. 4. 14. 7 f., cp. Gruppe Gr. Myth. Rel. p. 866 n. 1). Again, it was as a
snake that Asklepios came from Epidauros to Epidauros Limera on the east
coast of Lakonike : he slipped out of the ship and dived into the earth not far
from the sea at a place where altars, planted about with olive trees, were erected
to him (Paus. 3. 23. 7 : see F. W. Hasluck in the Ann. Brit. Seh. Ath. 1907—
1908 xiv. 179). At Lebena in Crete there was a famous temple of Asklepios
(Paus. 2. 26. 9, Philostr. v. Apoll. 4. 34 p. 152 f. Kayser), where incubation was
practised (Kaibel Epigr. Gr. no. 839, if. — Cougny Auth. Pal. Append, i. 303.
1 f.) : the divine snake sent by Asklepios to guide his priest the son of
Aristonymos to the temple-spring and forty-seven years later sent on a similar
errand to show Soarchos, priest in his father's room, how to replenish the failing
spring (see the interesting inscription from Lebena (Leda) published by T.
Baunackin Philologus 1890 xiix. 578 ff. and R. Meister ib. 1891 1. 570 ff.) should
probably be viewed 'als Inkarnation des Gottes selbst' (Gruppe Gr. Myth. Rel.
Appendix L
gr. ii. 186 f. fig. 88). Svoronos Ath. Nationalmus. pp. 148—154 no. 173 f. pi. 31
(cp. my figs. 924, 925) has made out a strong case for supposing that they were
metopes from the temple of Asklepios, carved in s. iv B.C. On his showing the
one (fig. 924) represents Zeus seated on a throne, the arms of which are sup-
ported by winged sphinxes and end in rams'-heads. His right hand held a
sceptre; his left was extended. An ample himdtion, draped over the back of
the throne and round the legs of the god, left bare his broad chest. His head
wore a metal wreath (holes for attachment remain), and his feet were shod with
sandals of strap-work. Altogether he was an august and imposing figure. The
other relief (fig. 925) shows Asklepios, very similar in attitude and costume, but
curiously diverse in effect. A comfortable man with soft, podgy body, he sits
on a cushioned chair with easy back, crosses his feet, and talks with a gesture
of his right hand. He might be a Harley Street consultant prescribing for a
patient. The same humanity and affability are characteristic of Asklepios, even
when an attempt is made to emphasise his Zeus-hood by means of external
attributes. For instance, an alliance-copper of Pergamon and Ephesos, struck
by Commodus, has Asklepios standing, in his right hand the serpent-staff, in
his left a Nike, who offers a wreath to Artemis (Rasche Lex. Num. vi. 888,
Suppl. i. 295 : but cp. Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Mysia p. 164
pi. 33, 4), while coppers of Caracalla show Asklepios with
little Telesphoros to the left and the cosmic globe to the
right (Rasche Lex. Num. i. 158, Stevenson—Smith—
Madden Diet. Rom. Corns p. 775 f, Cohen Monn. emp.
rom.2 iv. 178 no. 329 f. P • M • TR • P • XVIII • IMP • III ■ COS •
IIII • P • P • s • c • first brass, cp. ib. iv. 179 no. 331 do. do.
without Telesphoros. Fig. 926 is from a second brass in
my collection. For other examples of Asklepios with the
globe see Rasche Lex. Num. Suppl. i. 298 f.: E. Loewe De Aesculapi figura
Strassburg 1887 p. 75 n. 7).
(4) Asklepios and the Snake.
Next we must note the constant association of this human Zeus with a snake.
Asklepios himself on occasion took that form. He travelled from Epidauros to
Sikyon as a snake drawn by mules ; and from the roof of his temple in the latter
town hung a small figure of Aristodama, the mother of his son Aratos, riding on
a snake (Paus. 2. 10. 3) : the creature so ridden was presumably none other than
the god, who was believed to have consorted with Aristodama in snake-form
(Paus. 4. 14. 7 f., cp. Gruppe Gr. Myth. Rel. p. 866 n. 1). Again, it was as a
snake that Asklepios came from Epidauros to Epidauros Limera on the east
coast of Lakonike : he slipped out of the ship and dived into the earth not far
from the sea at a place where altars, planted about with olive trees, were erected
to him (Paus. 3. 23. 7 : see F. W. Hasluck in the Ann. Brit. Seh. Ath. 1907—
1908 xiv. 179). At Lebena in Crete there was a famous temple of Asklepios
(Paus. 2. 26. 9, Philostr. v. Apoll. 4. 34 p. 152 f. Kayser), where incubation was
practised (Kaibel Epigr. Gr. no. 839, if. — Cougny Auth. Pal. Append, i. 303.
1 f.) : the divine snake sent by Asklepios to guide his priest the son of
Aristonymos to the temple-spring and forty-seven years later sent on a similar
errand to show Soarchos, priest in his father's room, how to replenish the failing
spring (see the interesting inscription from Lebena (Leda) published by T.
Baunackin Philologus 1890 xiix. 578 ff. and R. Meister ib. 1891 1. 570 ff.) should
probably be viewed 'als Inkarnation des Gottes selbst' (Gruppe Gr. Myth. Rel.