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)

Zeus as god of the Dark Sky 957

contest with the Amazons. The pedestal was adorned with an
elaborate composition in gold. In the centre Aphrodite rose from

the foreparts of lions (i. 61 fig. 36), or it might have leonine legs (iii. 663 fig. 474, 664
%• 475> 665 fig. 476, 668 fig. 480, 684 fig. 495, 716 fig. 530, 810 fig. 619) or leonine
claws (i. 747 fig. 54.5, iii. fi-4 fig. +8j; 680 fig. 491), or at least a footstool with leonine
feet (i pi. j). And the usage could be traced further afield. Solomon's chryselephantine
throne had lions standing beside the stays and on each of the six steps (1 Kings 10. 19 f.).
Egyptian chairs of state often have leonine legs and arm-rests in the shape of lions
(J- G. Wilk inson Manners and Customs of the Ancient Egyptians London 1837 ii. 196
w>th col. pi. 11). The finest example is the throne of Tut-ankh-Amen, which has leonine
N»S surmounted by lion-heads of chased gold (H. Carter—A. C. Mace The Tomb of
Tut-ankh-Amen London 1923 i. 117 ff. with pis. 2, 62—64). In India too the lion is
a symbol of royalty (A. de Gubernatis Zoological Mythology London 1872 ii. 153 ff.).
Mr L\ J. Thomas draws my attention to the Hindu Simhasana or 'Lion-seat' (Sir
M. Monier-Williams A Sanskrit-English Dictionary2 Oxford 1899 p. 1213 'Siwhasana,
"lion's-seat," "king's seat," "a throne," MBh.; Kav. &c.'), the thirty-two statuettes
°f which related to king Bhoja thirty-two tales about their former owner king Vikrama
(F. Edgerton 'A Hindu Book of Tales: the Vikramacarita' in the Am. fourn. Phil. 1912
xxxui. 249 ff., id. Vikrama's Adventures or The Thirty-two Tales of the Throne Cambridge,
Mass. 1926 vols, i and ii (Text, Translation, and Notes)). A Hittite god at Carchemish
Was enthroned on a pedestal representing two lions controlled by a servitor (G. Contenau
Manuel d'archeologie orientate Paris 1931 iii. 1136 fig- 747). The archaic goddess from
iv""a 'n ^rete was similarly enthroned on a base adorned with a frieze of lionesses
I • Lowy in the Jahresh. d. oesl. arch. Inst. 1909 xii. 246 fig. 123, V. Chapot in
^Weinberg—Saglio /j»V/. Ant. v. 280 with fig. 6917). The huge gilded throne in the
'tgnaura at Constantinople was guarded by lions with movable tongues, which could
J0ar and lash their tails (Liudprand of Cremona antapodosis 6. 5 p. 154 J. Becker3
(cxxxvi. 895 a—b Migne)).

Such parallels are hardly fortuitous. Behind them all we can dimly discern that
e taeniultur of which L. Frobenius Kulturgeschichte Afrikas Zurich 1933 pp. 63—101
]j^S- ' 20 has much to say. Among the Baganda and allied tribes of Bantu speech the
be" 1S a r°yal totem (J' R°scoe The Baganda London 1911 pp. 128, 187), and it is
wv.6^ ''lat kings after death are reborn as lions, their mortal remains breeding maggots
p- ^ turn int0 'ion-cubs (J. Roscoe The Banyankole Cambridge 1923 pp. 27, 54,
The 1 . ^" Witch-bound Africa London 1923 p. 151 (chiefs of the Ba-Kaonde)).

j vlnS> then, as such was a lion. And I should conjecture that his throne with leonine
BS originally emphasised his claim by transforming the human biped into the animal
(Aisch"'36'''' ^e''CS °^ these forgotten or half-forgotten beliefs may be found in prophecies

Ag- 1223 ff., 1258 ff.), dreams (Hdt. 6. 13 r, Plout. v. Per. 3, Artemid. oneirocr.

p 218 ff^' ^C'lmes 0"e>rocr- 267 («* tGw Ylepcrdf Kal XlyvTrrluv irepl \iovros [/cai flijpiii/])
Cp pj ' Drexl), and popular locutions (Aristoph. thesm. 514 \tuiv \tusv aoi yiyovev,
°f Al ' V' C' ^a<7'^s W"'' yiyov(v). Much ancient lore gathered about the birth
''''^aMo'1111'61^ C>'out- v- Alex. 2 r) p.iv ovv pifi<pTj, irpb rrjs vvktSs 5 ffwelpx^rjiraf els tov
*8p ap"' ftpwrrjt yevop^v-qs epiiretreTv airijs 7-3 yaarpl Kepavvbv, en Si rr\s ir\-qyfjs iroKii
Xpbvu <t'^'^''' e^Ta PVyti/Mov els <p\6yas Travr-f) (pepofifras Sta^vdijfai. 0 Si <Pi\nnros iiartptp
y\v^T<l ~*°~^ov e^ev o.vtov eirifiaWoiiTa <t(ppay?5a Ty yacrrpl rijs yvvatKds- ij

T*?1' 6\L ^* ^PO'tttSos, uiy tfero, Xeovroy elxev elxbva. rujv Si dWwv ixavrewv Otpopwpiii/uif
^eX|u ' ' aKPlP€aTtpas <pv\aKijs Seop-ivuv Tip 4>i\iV7ra twv wept rbv ydfiov, ' A-plaravSpos 6
®"Poet$~ "! Kuea' i<Pv tt)v &vdpunrov, ovdiv yap d.iroo,(ppayl!;eada.l rwv Kev&v, Kai Kveu> waiSa
^sippoa ( ^eo"T'^'? T'?'' whose leonine looks were successfully rendered by

unsucc°S ^'out- Alex. Mag. fort, out virt. 2. 2) and—it may be added—most
Etc. p t y y tne kter numismatic die-sinkers (e.g. Brit. A/us. Cat. Coins Macedonia,

* Coi** 86 nos. 3716 and 3717 pi. 138, ro and 11).