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)

The superannuation of Zeus 747

and rise again thanks to his father's nature. This transparent little
allegory may or may not have been invented by Platon1. In any
case it offered possibilities to the allegorists of a later age2, and was
obviously susceptible of a Christian re-interpretation. A. von
Sallet3 first drew attention to the fact that a medallion, finely
struck by Giovanni Cavino 'the Paduan ' (i 500— 1570 A.n.) in dark
c°pper with a border of brass (fig. 536), has for obverse design
a head of Christ inscribed PORVS CONSILII FILIVS, and acutely
recognised in this legend the Latin rendering of the Platonic
' Poros son of Metis4.'

So in the long run the oracle concerning Metis came true, and
"eus> despite his most desperate shifts, found himself superseded
y a Son of divine ' Wisdom,' One who was indeed the ' Way'—
ar>d the Truth, and the Life.

(X.) The attributes of Athena.

The affiliation of the pre-Hellenic Athena to the Hellenic Zeus
Produced a goddess whose powers, as evidenced by her attributes,

^e<;ent 1'terature includes J. A. Stewart The Myths of Plato London 1905 p. 428,
32 ft" if ^eysuch einer Grundlegung der platonischen Mythofoiie Zurich 1925 pp. 26 ff.,
Pari ' Reinha''dt Platons Mythen Bonn 1927 p. 68 ff., P. Frutiger Les mythes dc Platon

[*PdT°r°S 1S aS °kl aS Alkm- fraS- 23- '3 ff- Bergk4> »• '3ff- Dieh1' '• !3ff- Edmonds
Ts&f^' "*aP ^■aa irairrQv \ [ko.1 II6po]j yepairaroi \ [ai&v d7r]^5i\os dXicd with the
\v)1jcl"la B'oss 6V1 roy llbpov elpriKe rbv avTov Tip vwb rod Haiddov fieiLvSev/nivip Xdei, on
a p^Ce °' n°fer in Roscher Lex. Myth. iii. 2775—2778.

Wj^ " Ka^ Hvra-pKovs k.t.X.), Plotin. enn. 3. 5. 5 ff. (\6ym St eXtyero rfir rdvrav 6 Hdpos
"y>iip^nieXi' lT> w'"c'1 Zeus's Aphrodite is Tpvxh, Penia is BX17). Cp. Porph. de antr.

3a'*

W. rj* ' V°n SaIlet in tlle Zeitschr. f. Num. 1881 viii. 118—120 with fig. ( = my fig. 536),
4 p?X'er in Roscher Lex. Myth. ii. 2941.
tt. sytnp. 203 B 6 rijs Mt;7i5os vlbs llbpos.