DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14699#0086
1044
Appendix R
(fig. 839)1 about which strange things were said, and in the other a cuckoo-
sceptre which Pausanias2 explains by the story of Zeus' metamorphosis.
But was the Jiierbs gamos at Argos represented by definite rites? W. H.
Roscher3 has collected various facts which point towards that conclusion. On
the right hand side of the prdnaos or vestibule of the Heraion stood a couch
known as Hera's couch4. A sacrifice offered to the goddess was called by the
Argives Lec/u'rna6, a name presumably related to the word Ifohos 'a bed.' In
the story of Kleobis and Biton the priestess of Hera had to visit her temple on
a car drawn by white oxen0—a circumstance suggestive of a bridal procession7.
1 Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Peloponnesus p. 149 nos. 155 and 156 pi. 28, 16 (my fig. 839
is from a cast) Antoninus Pius, p. 150 no. 159 L. Verus, p. 151 no. 164 Septimius
Severus, cp. p. 152 no. 172 pi. 28, 24 Caracalla, Htmter Cat. Coins ii. 154 no. 23
Antoninus Pius, Overbeck Gr. Kunstmyth. Hera p. 44 ff. Miinztaf. 3, 2 Iulia Domna,
Imhoof-Blumer and P. Gardner Num. Comm. Pans. i. 34 pi. 1, 12 Antoninus Pius,
Midler—Wieseler—Wernicke Ant. Denkm. ii. 1. 130 pi. 12, 5 Iulia Domna.
2 Paus. 2. 17. 4 (cited supra p. 65 n. 2).
3 W. H. Roscher Juno and Hera Leipzig 1875 p. 79 f., id. in his Lex. Myth. i. 2101 f.
4 Paus. 2. 17. 3 Kklvt) t77s Spas, cp. Poll. 3. 43 kXIvtj tis uwo/irifero yafUK^.
S. Casson in the Journ. Hell. Stud. 1920 xl. 137—142 developed the curious view
that the central figure of the 'Ludovisi Throne' is Hera, who annually recovers her
virginity by bathing in the spring Kanathos (Paus. 1. 38. 2 : supra p. 224 n. 3). She is
successively TeXefa and Hapdivos (cp. Paus. 8. 22. 2). As TeXda she is immersed with
breasts covered by a cloth symbolic of matronhood. As Hapdhos she emerges with cloth
lowered and virginal breasts fully displayed. The figures on the side-arms are typical
of TeXtia and HapO&os.
J. N. Svoronos 'Le lit de la Hera d'Argos ceuvre de Polyclete ou le "trone Ludovisi"
avec son "pendant' a Boston' in the Journ. Intern. cCArch. Num. 1920—21 xx. 108—159
pi. 3 f. goes further and fares worse. He contends that the ' Ludovisi Throne' and its
Boston pendant were the actual couch of Hera seen by Pausanias in the Heraion, and
that every detail of their relief-decoration has reference to the hiertis gdmos of the goddess.
He cites as relevant Philarg. expl. in Verg. eel. 4. 63 (H. Hagen Appendix Serviana
Lipsiae 1902 p. 88, 6 ff.) pueris nobilibus editis in atrio Iunoni Lucinae lectus ponitur,
Herculi mensa, Myth. Vat. I. 177 templum Iunonis fuit, in quo mensam Hercules et
Diana lectum habuit; ubi portabantur pueri ut de ipsa mensa ederent et inde acciperent
fortitudinem, et in lecto Dianae dormirent ut omnibus amabiles fierent et illorum generatio
succresceret. But Philargyrius is obviously alluding to a Roman custom (Class. Rev. 1906
xx. 374), and the Vatican mythographer is copying him with a blunder or two thrown in.
Neither writer says a word about the Argive Heraion.
6 Hesych. Aex^Pva' ^7r'° 'Apyciuv 7] dvala. iiriTt\ov)iivn rrj "Hpj.
8 Supra i. 447 f.
7 Phot. lex. s.v. fcvyos rip.wviKbv r) fioeiKbv fc^apres tt)V \eyon4vnv nXtvlba., f/ iaTiv
bp.ola bUbpip, tt]p rrjs i>vp.(p7is p.£6obov Troi.ovvTa.l4 k.t.\. M. Collignon in Daremberg—
Saglio Diet. Ant. iii. 1651.
Fig- 839.
Fig. 840.
Appendix R
(fig. 839)1 about which strange things were said, and in the other a cuckoo-
sceptre which Pausanias2 explains by the story of Zeus' metamorphosis.
But was the Jiierbs gamos at Argos represented by definite rites? W. H.
Roscher3 has collected various facts which point towards that conclusion. On
the right hand side of the prdnaos or vestibule of the Heraion stood a couch
known as Hera's couch4. A sacrifice offered to the goddess was called by the
Argives Lec/u'rna6, a name presumably related to the word Ifohos 'a bed.' In
the story of Kleobis and Biton the priestess of Hera had to visit her temple on
a car drawn by white oxen0—a circumstance suggestive of a bridal procession7.
1 Brit. Mus. Cat. Coins Peloponnesus p. 149 nos. 155 and 156 pi. 28, 16 (my fig. 839
is from a cast) Antoninus Pius, p. 150 no. 159 L. Verus, p. 151 no. 164 Septimius
Severus, cp. p. 152 no. 172 pi. 28, 24 Caracalla, Htmter Cat. Coins ii. 154 no. 23
Antoninus Pius, Overbeck Gr. Kunstmyth. Hera p. 44 ff. Miinztaf. 3, 2 Iulia Domna,
Imhoof-Blumer and P. Gardner Num. Comm. Pans. i. 34 pi. 1, 12 Antoninus Pius,
Midler—Wieseler—Wernicke Ant. Denkm. ii. 1. 130 pi. 12, 5 Iulia Domna.
2 Paus. 2. 17. 4 (cited supra p. 65 n. 2).
3 W. H. Roscher Juno and Hera Leipzig 1875 p. 79 f., id. in his Lex. Myth. i. 2101 f.
4 Paus. 2. 17. 3 Kklvt) t77s Spas, cp. Poll. 3. 43 kXIvtj tis uwo/irifero yafUK^.
S. Casson in the Journ. Hell. Stud. 1920 xl. 137—142 developed the curious view
that the central figure of the 'Ludovisi Throne' is Hera, who annually recovers her
virginity by bathing in the spring Kanathos (Paus. 1. 38. 2 : supra p. 224 n. 3). She is
successively TeXefa and Hapdivos (cp. Paus. 8. 22. 2). As TeXda she is immersed with
breasts covered by a cloth symbolic of matronhood. As Hapdhos she emerges with cloth
lowered and virginal breasts fully displayed. The figures on the side-arms are typical
of TeXtia and HapO&os.
J. N. Svoronos 'Le lit de la Hera d'Argos ceuvre de Polyclete ou le "trone Ludovisi"
avec son "pendant' a Boston' in the Journ. Intern. cCArch. Num. 1920—21 xx. 108—159
pi. 3 f. goes further and fares worse. He contends that the ' Ludovisi Throne' and its
Boston pendant were the actual couch of Hera seen by Pausanias in the Heraion, and
that every detail of their relief-decoration has reference to the hiertis gdmos of the goddess.
He cites as relevant Philarg. expl. in Verg. eel. 4. 63 (H. Hagen Appendix Serviana
Lipsiae 1902 p. 88, 6 ff.) pueris nobilibus editis in atrio Iunoni Lucinae lectus ponitur,
Herculi mensa, Myth. Vat. I. 177 templum Iunonis fuit, in quo mensam Hercules et
Diana lectum habuit; ubi portabantur pueri ut de ipsa mensa ederent et inde acciperent
fortitudinem, et in lecto Dianae dormirent ut omnibus amabiles fierent et illorum generatio
succresceret. But Philargyrius is obviously alluding to a Roman custom (Class. Rev. 1906
xx. 374), and the Vatican mythographer is copying him with a blunder or two thrown in.
Neither writer says a word about the Argive Heraion.
6 Hesych. Aex^Pva' ^7r'° 'Apyciuv 7] dvala. iiriTt\ov)iivn rrj "Hpj.
8 Supra i. 447 f.
7 Phot. lex. s.v. fcvyos rip.wviKbv r) fioeiKbv fc^apres tt)V \eyon4vnv nXtvlba., f/ iaTiv
bp.ola bUbpip, tt]p rrjs i>vp.(p7is p.£6obov Troi.ovvTa.l4 k.t.\. M. Collignon in Daremberg—
Saglio Diet. Ant. iii. 1651.
Fig- 839.
Fig. 840.