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 aigis and Gorg6?ieion of Athena 841

advocates of the view that the aigis was from the first a goat-skin
have sometimes been content to follow the lead of Herodotos1, but
have more often pointed out that the goat, normally taboo on the
Akropolis at Athens, was once a year driven up there for a solemn
sacrifice2 and have urged that the skin of the victim so slain, being
possessed of magical potency, was wrapped round the effigy of the
goddess3. It must, however, be objected that any derivation of the

1 Miss C. A. Hutton in the Journ. Hell. Stud. 1897 xvii. 314 f. (citing W. Reichel
Vber homerische Waffen Wien 1894 pp. 65—72) says of Athena's aigis: ' Probably, it
and the lion skin of Heracles were the sole survivals of a time when the only thing
available for protective armour was a skin, worn as a cloak in time of peace, and brought
round over the left arm in battle b> vpofiohr)'

SirW. Ridgeway, as reported in the Journ. Hell. Stud. 1900 xx p. xliv, claimed 'that
'he primitive garb over a wide Aegean area at an early date was a goat-skin, worn in
such a way that the head hung down in front of the wearer; the edges of this skin were
either themselves frayed or adorned with a fringe of leather; and the scalp was decorated
till it became yopyeLij kc^ciX?) Seipoio weXwpov. A Dyak's skin-costume, trimmed with
feathers and embellished with a plate of shell where the head should be, was exhibited in
support of the argument.' Id. The Origin of Tragedy with special reference to the Greek
Tragedians Cambridge 1910 p. 89 f.: 'Some years ago the present writer explained the
aegis and gorgoneion of Athena as nothing more recondite than the primitive goat-skin
covering used in ancient Athens as the ordinary dress. A slit was made in the back of
'he skin through which the wearer's head was put, and the grinning skin of the animal's
face hung down on the breast of the wearer.' Id. The Early Age of Greece Cambridge
'931 ii. 482 repeats the same contention, but produces no proof that a goat-skin was ever
'he ordinary dress' at Athens.

2 Varr. rer. rust. r. 2. 19 f. contra ut Minervae caprini generis nihil inmolarent
Propter oleam, quod earn quam laeserit fieri dicunt sterilem: eius enim salivam esse

uctuis venenum: hoc nomine etiam Athenis in 'arcem non inigi, praeterquam semel ad
necessarium sacrificium, ne arbor olea, quae primum dicitur ibi nata, a capra tangi possit.
t W, Robertson Smith Lectures on the Religion of the Semites3 London 1927 p. 437
"erodotus, when he speaks of the sacrifices and worship of the Libyans, is at once led
n to observe that the regis or goat-skin, worn by the statues of Athena, is nothing else
an the goat-skin, fringed with thongs, which was worn by the Libyan women; the
erence implies that it was a sacred dress.' Id. ii. n. 1 adds 'that the victims were
g°ats is suggested by the context, but becomes certain by comparison of Hippocrates, ed.
Jf~* ' Vl' 356' [Hippokr. de morbis 4 (ii. 375 Kiihn) koX tCiv p.h AijStW xpiovTai 01
"ffrot tw kt-qviwv Total nev Sipp-aaiv clvti lp.aTiuv, rrjai Si KoM-gcTw deri BvKataav].
Farnell Cults of Gk. States i. 100 'It would be quite in accord with the ideas of a
Pnmitive period, when the divinity and the worshipper and the victim were all closely
, ln, that Athena should be clothed in the skin of her sacred animal, and that in this, as
many other cases..., the sacrificial skin should possess a value as a magical charm.
InR used in the ritual of the war-goddess, it was natural that it should come to be of
fecial potency in battle; but the skin of the sacred animal of the tribe ought also to
ave a 'ife-giviiig power as well, and it is interesting to find that the a;gis in an Athenian
rernony possessed this character also, being solemnly carried round the city at certain
ho 6S t0 f"otect '' from plague or other evil, and being taken by the priestess to the
jj Ses °f newly married women, probably to procure offspring.' In the concluding
p Eq ^arne" Presumably had in mind Plout. prov. Alex. 2. 21 (E. L. von Leutsch—
t6\ ^cnne'dewin Paroemiographi Graeci Gottingae 1839 i. 339 app. crit.) [Afyis] irepl
v ■■■lv yodv] Mpeia tt]v lepav aiylSa 'A07ji'7)<u tplpovaa ayeipei [otto rijs aKpoiroXeus]