DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14698#0114
68 The Clouds personified in Cult and Myth
a palm-branch1. In front of her sits Paris; behind stands Hermes;
above are Athena and Aphrodite—all with their usual attributes.
It seems clear that the vase-painter, wishing to give an individual
turn to a common type2, has made Paris award the prize of beauty,
not—as tradition prescribed'—to Aphrodite, nor even—as patriotism
might suggest—to Athena, but to Hera, the Hera of Polykleitos.
The rival goddesses are relegated to the far corners of the scene,
and the chef-d'ceuvre of the sculptor queens it in the centre. Doubtless
the vase-painter showed his ingenuity by treating the pomegranate
in Hera's hand as if it were the apple of discord that Paris had just
presented to the fairest. In short, the vase as a whole forms an
amusing parallel to the epigram by Martial already quoted.
But whether the second half of the name Nephelo-kokkygia was
or was not inspired by the Argive cult, it is certain that the first half
owed much to the common Greek conception of Zeus enthroned
above the clouds. Above them rather than upon them. Prometheus,
arriving in Cloudland, is terribly afraid that Zeus will see him
'from above3.' Hence his ludicrous umbrella. And Pisthetairos,
aspiring to the home and the very couch of Zeus, must needs bear
his bride upwards from the celestial city on pinions that soar to yet
higher heights4. After all, that is as it should be. The clouds, if
strictly described, are of the aer; and the aer is a lower stratum
than the aitherh. The realm of the sky-god was rightly pictured by
Homer as
Broad heaven in the aither and the clouds0.
(d) The Clouds personified in Cult and Myth.
From the ritual of Zeus Aktatos we have inferred that in early
days Greek rain-makers clothed themselves in sheep-skins by way
Overbeck Gr. Kunstmyth. Hera p. 141 ff. (m) Atlas pi. 10, 7, Turk in Roscher Lex. Myth.
iii. 1615 fig. 6) and is usually explained as symbolising the sovereignty of Asia (Eur. Tro.
927 f., Isokr. Hel. 41, alii.). These adjuncts recall another statue of Hera at Argos: Tert.
de cor. mil. 7 Iunoni vitem Callimachus induxit (perhaps the seated Hera Nvfupevofxhri at
Plataiai, made by Kallimachos (Paus. 9. 2. 7)). ita et Argis signum eius palmite redimitum,
subiecto pedibus eius corio leonino, insultantem ostentat novercam de exuviis utriusque
privigni (sc. Dionysos and Herakles).
1 Mr H. B. Walters in the Brit. Mus. Cat. Vases iv. 61 says: 'Before Hera hovers
Iris or Nike, with wings spread,' etc. But, if Nike were hovering in the air, her feet
would point downwards : see e.g. F. Studniczka Die Sicgesgottin Leipzig 1898 pi. 3, 19 ff.
2 Cp. P. Gardner A Grammar of Greek Art London 1905 pp. 244—253 = ^. The
Principles of Greek Art New York 1914 pp. 297—309.
3 Aristoph. av. 1551 avaSev, cp. ib. 1509.
4 Id. ib. 1759 ff.
5 Supra i. 101 f. pi. ix, 2.
6 //. 15. 192 (cited supra i. 25 n. 5, iii. 34).
a palm-branch1. In front of her sits Paris; behind stands Hermes;
above are Athena and Aphrodite—all with their usual attributes.
It seems clear that the vase-painter, wishing to give an individual
turn to a common type2, has made Paris award the prize of beauty,
not—as tradition prescribed'—to Aphrodite, nor even—as patriotism
might suggest—to Athena, but to Hera, the Hera of Polykleitos.
The rival goddesses are relegated to the far corners of the scene,
and the chef-d'ceuvre of the sculptor queens it in the centre. Doubtless
the vase-painter showed his ingenuity by treating the pomegranate
in Hera's hand as if it were the apple of discord that Paris had just
presented to the fairest. In short, the vase as a whole forms an
amusing parallel to the epigram by Martial already quoted.
But whether the second half of the name Nephelo-kokkygia was
or was not inspired by the Argive cult, it is certain that the first half
owed much to the common Greek conception of Zeus enthroned
above the clouds. Above them rather than upon them. Prometheus,
arriving in Cloudland, is terribly afraid that Zeus will see him
'from above3.' Hence his ludicrous umbrella. And Pisthetairos,
aspiring to the home and the very couch of Zeus, must needs bear
his bride upwards from the celestial city on pinions that soar to yet
higher heights4. After all, that is as it should be. The clouds, if
strictly described, are of the aer; and the aer is a lower stratum
than the aitherh. The realm of the sky-god was rightly pictured by
Homer as
Broad heaven in the aither and the clouds0.
(d) The Clouds personified in Cult and Myth.
From the ritual of Zeus Aktatos we have inferred that in early
days Greek rain-makers clothed themselves in sheep-skins by way
Overbeck Gr. Kunstmyth. Hera p. 141 ff. (m) Atlas pi. 10, 7, Turk in Roscher Lex. Myth.
iii. 1615 fig. 6) and is usually explained as symbolising the sovereignty of Asia (Eur. Tro.
927 f., Isokr. Hel. 41, alii.). These adjuncts recall another statue of Hera at Argos: Tert.
de cor. mil. 7 Iunoni vitem Callimachus induxit (perhaps the seated Hera Nvfupevofxhri at
Plataiai, made by Kallimachos (Paus. 9. 2. 7)). ita et Argis signum eius palmite redimitum,
subiecto pedibus eius corio leonino, insultantem ostentat novercam de exuviis utriusque
privigni (sc. Dionysos and Herakles).
1 Mr H. B. Walters in the Brit. Mus. Cat. Vases iv. 61 says: 'Before Hera hovers
Iris or Nike, with wings spread,' etc. But, if Nike were hovering in the air, her feet
would point downwards : see e.g. F. Studniczka Die Sicgesgottin Leipzig 1898 pi. 3, 19 ff.
2 Cp. P. Gardner A Grammar of Greek Art London 1905 pp. 244—253 = ^. The
Principles of Greek Art New York 1914 pp. 297—309.
3 Aristoph. av. 1551 avaSev, cp. ib. 1509.
4 Id. ib. 1759 ff.
5 Supra i. 101 f. pi. ix, 2.
6 //. 15. 192 (cited supra i. 25 n. 5, iii. 34).