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 Meiltchios

ir39

It remains to determine the place, time, and character of the Diasia. O. Band1
and A. Mommsen2 conclude in favour of the Ilissos-site, Not without reason ;
for here Zeus had been worshipped since the days of Deukalion3, and here, on
the north bank of the river, just outside the Themistoclean wall4, there was con-
venient space for the people to assemble5. They did so on Anthesterion 22 or 230,
which in the time of Plutarch would have corresponded with March 22 or
23r. The inference to be drawn from this dating is that the Diasia, like the
Lesser Mysteries of Agra {c. Anthesterion 20s) or the Pithoigia, C/ioes, and
Chytroi (Anthesterion 11—139), had a character at once chthonian and agrarian10.
Zeus Meiltchios, the buried king, was the giver of animal and vegetable life.

Kal xpvcry KoapL-qaas to dyaX/aa iKTeXecretv tov Aios, supra i. 2 n. 2). Imperial coppers of
Megara show a seated Zeus holding a Nike [Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Attica etc. p. 122
pi. 22, i=my fig. 959, Imhoof-Blumer and P. Gardner Num. Comm. Pans. i. 4 f. pi. a, 3,
Head Hist, num.'1 p. 394) or an eagle (Imhoof-Blumer and P. Gardner op. cit. i. 5),
which may be meant for Theokosmos' masterpiece, and a Zeus striding to the right with

Fig. 959. Fig. 960.

thunderbolt and eagle (Imhoof-Blumer and P. Gardner op. cit. i. 5 pi. a, 4 = my fig. 960,
Head Hist, num.- p. 394), in which—since the god sometimes has a base—we must
recognise another statue (cp. Paus. 1. 40. 6 Atos Kovlov in a context cited supra p. 257
n. 4, Paus. r. 43. 6 Kal iv Ttp vaip ry TrXrjalov Movcras Kal xaX/coCc Ala eiroirjcFe Avulttttos).

1 O. Band Die Attischen Diasien Berlin 1883 p. 11.

3 Mommsen Feste d. Stadt Athen p. 421 f.

3 Paus. 1. 18. 8, supra p. 420.

4 Schol. Aristoph. nub. 408 iopTrj Atos 'AdrjvrjUL to, Aidcria, iv y wavdrifj.ei ££w return's
crvvovres ioprd^ovcnv (a paraphrase of Thouk. 1. 126 cited supra p. 1138 n. 2) = Favorin.
lex. p. 492, 36 f.

5 See A. N. Skias in the UpaKT. dpx- er. 1893 pi. A.

The Ilissos-site is highly probable, but not absolutely certain ; for the Kephisos-site
(W. Judeich Topographic von Athen Miinchen 1905 p. 362 n. 5) likewise had claims to
high antiquity and convenient proximity. It is not, however, so aptly described by the
phrases w rrjs iroKews, reixovs, and its festal day appears to have been Hekatombaion
8 (supra p. 1091 f.).

6 Schol. Aristoph. nub. 408 AiaaioLCfiv • eoprq ''Adr\vy\<n MetXtxi'oii Aios. dyerai 8e /j-rjuos
AvdecrTrjpiwvos t) (pdivovros. This would be Anthesterion 22 or 23, according as that month

was 'full' (30 days) or 'hollow' (29 days): see the discussion and tables in A. Schmidt
Handbuch der griechischen Chronologie Jena e888 p. 200 ft'.

7 Plout. v. Still. 14 eXelv 5e rds 'Ad-qvas airos (priaiv iv rols virop-vqixaai (frag. 13 (Hist.
Rom. Irag. p. 131 Peter)) Maprt'cus KaXdvdais, rfris 'quepa. pLaXiara o~v/j,TriTrrei rrj vov/x-qvLa
tov 'AvdearrjpiQvos p.r]v6s, iv a /cara tvxVv vTrofxvrifj.aTa ttoWcl rod §td tt)v iwo/j.j3piav oXidpov
Kal rrjs (pdopds e/cetcTjs 5pG>cnv, ojs Tore /cat irepl tov xp0v0v iKeivov p.6.Xio~Ta tov Ko.Ta.KXvafj.ov
avfXTreo-dvTos, infra § 9 (h) ii (e).

8 Mommsen Feste d. Stadt Athen p. 406, supra i. 692 f.

9 Mommsen op. cit. p. 384 ft"., supra i. 684.

10 Supra i. 687.

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