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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

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https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14698#0973

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872 Thunderbolt of Zeus transferred to Athena

713)1. And it appealed of course to Domitian (fig. 714)2, a
notorious devotee of Minerva3.

If Athena thus borrowed the thunderbolt of Zeus, while Zeus
appropriated the aigis of Athena, small wonder that the populace
came to regard the goddess as second self to the god4, and assoc-
iated the two in not a few Hellenistic cults5. A sample will serve.
P. Aelius Aristeides, himself apparently a priest of Zeus6 and not
likely to minimise the honour due to his deity, in 164 A.D.7 pro-
nounced an encomium of Athena at Pergamon where Daughter
and Sire were worshipped side by side8. I translate a few
sentences from beginning and end of the oration just to show his
drift:

'It seems to me that she was the deity actually foremost in honour, or
assuredly one of the few who then stood first. That is why Zeus could not
have ordered all things aright, had he not set Athena by his side as partner and
counsellor. She alone wears the aigis perpetually. She alone arrays herself for

1 Fig. 712 is from the Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Greek and Scythic Kings p. 44 pi. II, 7
Menandros; fig. 713, from id. p. 78 pi. 18, 2 Azes.

See further J. P. Vogel ' rhudes de Sculpture Bouddhique iv, Le Vajrapani Greco-
Bouddhique' in the Bulletin de I'Ecole Francaise d' Extrhne-Orient 1909 ix. 15 ff->
A. Griinwedel ' Athene-Vajrapani' in the Jahrbuch der kdniglich preuszischen Kunst-
sammlungen 1916 xxxvii. 174—180 with 5 figs.

Mr C. T. Seltman first drew my attention to the seal-impression of Athena fulminant,
found at Niya in Chinese Turkestan, which is figured on the title-page of several works
by Sir Aurel Stein, e.g. M. A. Stein Sand-buried Ruins of Khotan London i9°3
p. 396 f. title-vignette and fig. a on p. 395 a Kharoshthi document on a double oblong
tablet (n. xv. 166) with clay impress of a Hellenistic gem, which shows an archaising
Athena to right with uplifted thunderbolt and Gorgon-shield.

- Brit. Mus. Cat. Rom. Coins Emp. ii. 447 Index. Fig. 714 is from an aureus of
83 a.d. published ii. ii. 306 no. 42 pi. 60, 10.

3 Preller—Jordan Rom. Myth? i. 297 f., Stevenson—Smith—Madden Diet. Rom-
Coins p. 558, G. Wissowa in Roscher Lex. Myth. ii. 2990, id. Rel. Kult. Rom? p- 255-
Among the passages quoted in support are Mart. ep. 8. 1. 4 Pallas Caesariana, Suet-
Dom. 15 Minervam, quam superstitiose colebat, somniavit excedere sacrariot nega11'
temque (Stephanus corr. negantem F. van Oudendorp cj. negantem quoque C.L- R01'1
assumes lacuna before negantemque) ultra se tueri eum posse, quod exarmata esset a Iovd
Dion Cass. 67. 1 dewv fxh yap tt)v 'K.6r\vav h ra ficCKicrTa. -qyaWa, k.t.X., 67. 16 (DormtiaI'
dreamed) tt\v 'h.8y\va.v, ijv iv t$ Koir&vi lSpvii{vr)v «xe> T<* Sir\a airofjefiXriKe'vai koX "
ap/xaros 'i-rnruy /j.e\avoiv es x<*<r/ta iairlirreiv, Philostr. V. Apoll. 7. 24 p. 142 Kayse^r
irtpov 8' ai ip-qaavroi ypa<f>7]v tj>evyeiv, eTeiSrj dvuiv iv Tdpavn, o5 VPXe> P-V Tpoa£8yKe Ta's
Synovial! evxaTs, Sri Aop.enavbs 'kdrivas et-q wais, " av fnh (fjij0?js," Itptj, " P-V &v ^
'A.6rjvav t£k&v, irapBtvov ofio~av rbv det xP&ov, 7}yv6eis 5', ofytcu, on 7] debs aiirf] 'A.6yv(t^°L
TTore Spa-KOVTa £reKe."

4 C^. supra p. 737. .
6 F. Dtimmler in Pauly—Wissowa Real-Enc.- ii. 2001 f., Gruppe Gr. Myth. & '

p. 1217 ff.

6 Supra ii. 127.

7 W. Christ Geschichte der griechischen Litteratur1' Miinchen 1924 ii. 1. 7°2> '494-

8 Supra i. n8f., ii. 955.
 
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