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 aigts and Gorgoneion of Athena 853

and dignified by death (fig. 668)1. It will be seen that this final
type, under the influence of regal portraiture2, discards the full-face
for the profile view and thereby exchanges its old prophylactic
quality for a new ideal value.

Where prophylaxis was still required, the older horrors survived,
as on Greek relief-ware of the fourth century (fig. 670, a, b)z, or
might be made yet more horrible, as on Etruscan bronze-work of
the same period (fig. 671)4.

The entire range of these modifications could be illustrated by
a sequence of Greek and Roman coin-types, of which a few samples
are here given (figs. 672—6g^)5. And a similar series might equally
well be made out for vases, or gems, or other products of minor art.

formerly in the Laurenti and Blacas collections, now in the British Museum (C Lenor-
niant Nouvelle galerie mythologique (Tresor de numismatique et de glyptique) Paris 1850
P- 117 no. 1 pi. 28, Furtwangler Ant. Gcmmen i pi. 59, 2 ( = my fig. 667), ii. 266 'von
dert> pathetischem Typus,' Lippold Gemmen pi. 77, 1 p. 179, Brit. Mus. Cat. Gems'1
P- 333 no. 3542 pi. 36). Even the eyebrows are writhen and snaky. C. Davenport
Cameos London 1900 pi. 6 gives a fine coloured illustration of this amethyst and adds the
conjecture that it was one of a pair of phalerae.

A clouded chalcedony of Graeco-Roman date, found on the Caelian at Rome, later
ln the Strozzi (hence known as the ' Strozzi Medusa') and Blacas collections, now in the
British Museum (Brit. Mus. Cat. Gems p. 148 f. no. 1256 pi. H, ib? p. 195 no. 1829
P'- 23, Reinach Pierres Gravies p. 180 f. no. 63 pi. 137, Furtwangler Ant. Gemmen i
Pl< 40, 18 ( = my fig. 668), ii. 191 f., Lippold Gemmen pi. 77, 4 p. 179). The inscription
^OAflNOL behind the head is, as Furtwangler op. cit. ii. 192 concluded, a genuine
S1gnature of that Julian engraver (J. Sieveking in Pauly—Wissowa Real-Enc. iii a. 978 f.).
Medousa has twelve snakes in her hair.

Cp. the head of Alexander the Great on tetradrachms of Makedonia issued under
Aesillas and Sura (93—88 b.c.) (Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Macedonia, etc. p. 19 f. no. 84
% and no. 87 fig., Hunter Cat. Coins i. 355 pi. 24, 13, McClean Cat. Coins ii. 86
P1- '38, 10 and 11).

From a buff (?traces of black) moulded aryballos (height 4J ins.) in my collection.
Both sides, apart from the border-pattern, are alike. Cp. a series of black askoi with the
•"ask of Medousa in relief (Brit. Mus. Cat. Vases iv. 246 nos. G 54—G 61).

From a bronze /Ww-handle in my possession. The plate at either end is protected
y the relief of a Gorgdneion with flying hair (scale \). Equally gruesome is the bearded
ar»d snake-fringed Gorgoneion on two Etruscan kylikes in Leipzig and London (pi. lxv).
Fig. 672 a tetradrachm of Athens 510—507 b.c. (McClean Cat. Coins ii. 347
°- 579' pi. 204, 23). On the Gorgdneion as official Athenian badge see C. T. Seltman
'liens its History and Coinage before the Persian Invasion Cambridge 1924 p. 50 ff.
8- 37 f- pi. 4, a 54—57, 6of., 11, 55 (<-. 550—546 b.c.), p. 86 ff. fig. 52 pi. 14. a 208—213
(5io—-f07 u.c).

.. Fi8- 673 a bronze coin of Olbia, probably cast in s. vi—v b.c. (McClean Cat. Coins

• '53 no. 4274 pi. I55i 5) in imitation of the Gorgon-type at Athens (E. H. Minns
Whians and Greeks Cambridge 1913 p. 484 pi. 2, 1, C. T. Seltman op. cit. p. 132 ff.,

• Greek Coins London 1933 pp. 180, 303 pi. 40, 1). This was the earliest issue of
reek coinage in bronze.

Pig. 674 a bronze hemllitron of Kamarina c. 413—405 b.c. (Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins
r } y P- 39 from a cast). Cp. the hemllitra of Himera before c. 413 b.c. (McClean Cat.
Co"» i- *7* pl. 75, 6 and 7).