Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 2,2): Zeus god of the dark sky (thunder and lightning): Appendixes and index (Cambridge, 1925)

Zeus Meilichios

1107

escape and asked him how much money he had. Xenophon told him on oath that
he would not even have enough to take him home, unless he sold his horse and
personal belongings. Eukleides did not believe him. But when the men of
Lampsakos sent gifts by way of welcome to Xenophon and he offered sacrifice to
Apollon, he bade Eukleides stand beside him. And he on seeing the victims said
that he believed in Xenophon's lack of funds. "But I know," he added, "that
even if funds are ever forthcoming there is some hindrance in your way—yourself,
if nothing else." To this Xenophon agreed. "The fact is," said Eukleides, "Zeus
Meilichios is hindering you." And he went on to ask if Xenophon had already
sacrificed to that deity "as I," said he, "used at home to have sacrifice made and
to present whole burnt-offerings on your behalf." Xenophon replied that since
leaving home he had not sacrificed to this god. So Eukleides counselled him to
have sacrifice made to the god in his usual manner and declared that things
would improve. Next day Xenophon advanced to Ophrynion : there he had
sacrifice made and presented whole burnt-offerings of pigs in accordance with his
ancestral custom, and the omens were favourable1. That very day Bion and
Nausikleides arrived with money for the troops. They were entertained by
Xenophon and, as to the horse which he had sold at Lampsakos for fifty darics,
hearing that it was a favourite mount and suspecting that he had parted with it
through poverty, they bought the animal back again and handed it over to its
master, refusing to take the purchase-money from him.'

That the god who thus sent wealth in return for whole burnt-offerings of pigs
was in fact an Underworld power appears further from other votive reliefs, nine
or more in number, found in 1878 near the north-east angle of the Munichian
Gate2. These show the same deity in the guise of a monstrous snake3, usually
bearded (figs. 944*, 9455) and towering above his human worshippers (fig. 946)°.
P. Fouqart, to whom we are indebted for the first collection and discussion of
" these reliefs, pointed out that in no case is the name of the dedicator accompanied
by that of his deme. It follows that the worshippers were strangers, resident

1 edvero koI tlAo/cat/rei xoipovs ti2 irarpLqi (irarpuHx) cod. Eton. etc.followed by Bornemann)
f6fJ.Lt}, teal eicaWiepei (Xen. an. 7. 8. 5).

2 P. Foucart in the Bull. Corr. Hell. 1883 vii. 507 ff. draws up the list.

3 On the chthonian character of the snake see supra pp. 1060, 1061.

4 Ant. Skulpt. Berlin p. 270 no. 722 with fig., R, Kekule von Stradonitz Die griech-
ische Skulptur2 Berlin 1907 p. 202, P. Foucart in the Bull. Corr. Hell. 1883 vii. 509
no. 6, Harrison Proleg. Gk. Bel.2 p. 17 f. fig. 1 a stile of Hymettian marble inscribed in

lettering of s. iv. B.C.---Ait MetXtxtwt {Corp. inscr. Alt. ii. 3 no. 1581). Height 0-58™,

breadth 0-31™. I am again indebted to Miss Harrison for the photograph from which my
fig. 944 is drawn.

P. Foucart in the Bull. Corr. Hell. 1883 vii. 509 no. 7 describes a relief in the Louvre
representing a snake reared upright, with the inscription 'Acrickrjw 10.87]$ \ ''Ao-Kkr)irio5wpov \
Ait'MtXtx^wi (Corp. inscr. Alt. ii. 3 no. 1580).

5 Svoronos Ath. Nationalmus. p. 438 pi. 70, 3 ( = my fig. 945), P. Foucart in the Bull.
Corr. Hell. 1883 vii. 510 no. 8 with fig., id. in Daremberg—Saglio Diet. Ant. iii. 1700 f.
fig. 4892, Harrison Proleg. Gk. Bel.2 p. 20 fig. 4 a relief inscribed in lettering of s. iv. B.C.
'H.pa.KXeia'rjs twi dewi (Corp. inscr. Att. ii. 3 no. 1583). Height 0'33m, breadth oi9m.
J. N. Svoronos loc. cit. notes that tGji deQ>i might mean either Ait MeiXixi'wi or' Ask\7]tvlG>i
(id. in the Journ. Intern, d''Arch. Num. 1901 iv. 503—507).

6 Ant. Skulpt. Berlin p. 271 no. 723 with fig., R. Kekule von Stradonitz Die griech-
ische Skulptur2 Berlin 1907 p. 202, P. Foucart in the Bull. Corr. Hell. 1883 vii. 509
no. 5, Harrison Proleg. Gk. Bel? pp. 17, 19 fig. 2, Reinach Be'p. Reliefs ii. 31 no. 4 a stile
of Hymettian marble without inscription. My fig. 946 is from a transparency in the col-
lection of Newnham College, Cambridge. Height 0'42m, breadth o-23m to o-25m. The
gigantic snake approached by a woman and two men might, again, be either Zeus Mei-
Xixios or Asklepios.

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