Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 3,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (earthquake, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorits): Text and notes (Cambridge, 1940)

Zeus and the Clouds in Art

37

Eros appearing behind his right shoulder points downwards to some
cause of interest, not improbably to Ganymedes or some other of
the god's numerous flames1. Above the pair stretches the arc of
a rainbow, beyond which, half-hidden by the clouds, is perched an
eagle looking towards its master. So much is certain. But further,
a comparison of this fresco with 'Apulian' vase-paintings2 or with
the relief by Archelaos of Priene3 raises a suspicion that here, as
there, Zeus is really couched on a mountain-top, say the cloudy
summit of Olympos. Be that as it may, the painter has managed
to combine a variety of Hellenistic motifs—the recumbent Zeus4, the
prompting Eros5, the expectant eagle6—in a fairly consistent and
effective whole.

Somewhat similar is thedesign that adorned the central medallion
in the barrel-ceiling of Room 60, the famous Volta Dorata, of Nero s
Golden House (fig. o,)7. Here against a circular field of blue is seen

1 F. G. Welcker loc. cit. p. 104 held that Eros is directing attention to the sceptre of
Zeus, O. Benndorf loc. cit. p. 444 that he is indicating the heart as the seat of the god s
malady. E. Braun loc. cit. had come nearer to the truth, when he assumed that Eros is
pointing downwards to some human fair.

2 Supra i. 127 fig. 96, i. 128 f. pi. xii.

3 Supra i. 131 fig. 98 pi. xiii.

1 With the works of art recorded in the two preceding notes cp. a numismatic type
*"pra i. 116 fig. 85. See further Overbeck Gr. Kunstmyth. Zeus p. 161, supra 1. I»5

5 The history of the type is worth tracing. Its several stages are enumerated and
exemplified infra Append. Q.

0 Supra i. 34 Frontispiece and pi. i, 35 pi. ii, 42 pi- vi> '3' P1- xiii and fi2- °8' 5°8 n- 1
fig. 461, 752 fig. 552, ii. i5 f. figs. 4—6, 285 n. o fig. 184 f., 400 m 11 fig. 3°3> 575 fig- 4»!>
576 fig. 484, 705 fig. 635, 707 figs. 639, 640, 754 n. 2 fig. 694, 771 fig- 735. 798 fig- 701'
833 fig. 793. 895 n. 1 fig. 821, 956 n. o fig. 846, 1125 n. 1 fig. 951, "43 fig- 964» "0
fig- 969, 1230 fig. 1024, 1232 tailpiece. Sometimes the eagle hovers (ii. 7°8 fig- °43<-
°r is perched on a cornu copiae(n. 1225 fig. 1023) or grape-bunch (i. 596 fig- 4SW or "ee
(ii- 282 n. 2. pi. xix) or on the reins of a car (ii. 285 n. o fig. 180) or in the pediment 01
a temple (ii. 285 n. o fig. 186) or on a globe (ii. 95 fig. 54. <>> 57« n. 1 fig- 49' <?)> or noWS
a wreath (i. +j fig. I2, 276 fig. 202 (?), ii. 232 n. o fig. 160 (?), 754 »• 2 fig- 695). 01 15
duplicated to flank a throne (ii. 754 n. 1 fig. 693, cp. 1102 n. o fig. 939). or mounts guai
over the regalia (ii. 811 fig. 778), or appears in relief on an altar (i. 713 fig- S«). 1 c
same bird attends upon Sarapis (i. 188 fig. 137) and Iupiter Dolichenus (i. 611 f. figs-4_8°'
48i), and upon emperors who play the part of Zeus, e.g. Domitian (ii. 811 n. 5 fig- 777J-
Commodns (ii. 1185 fig. 987), Geta (ii. 1185 t fig. 988). Caracalla (ii. ltS6 fig. 989)-

See further K. Sittl Der Adler und die Weltkugel als Attribute des Zeus <^s°n<le
Abdruck aus dem vierzehnten Supplementbande der Jah.biicher fiir classische 1 niloiogi ;
Le'Pzig 188+ pp. 3_42.

' IJ- S. Bartoli_G. P. Bellori Lc pillure antiche del Sepolcro de Nasomi neUa rw
*{«»<inia Roma ,68o p. 6 (•/« un foglio si rappresenta la testudine di una ^m r
<£"Wa i„ ripartimtnti di vari colori, nel cui mezzo in una sfera celeste scno d,pmte U
,:ze * Gime, il quale sopra una nubbe, abbraccia Giunone con Amort che ""ca«"".
"<'uno strale. Ewi incontro Pallade, e Mercurio col vaso delP ambrosia), G. ^
A *"<isc on ancient painting London ,74° P- «7« P>- '° °" H!S w3

J""o, probably, because Minerva is there; yet he was wont to receive his Daugn