DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0424
chap, xviii.] SOULS IN CHARGE OF GOOD AND EVIL SPIRITS. 319
pillars, where the figures are represented almost or entirely
naked, and armed with sword and shield. In attitude and
action they are in general spirited and expressive ; a few
are graceful. One of these scenes is remarkably fine and
spirited, approximating more closely to the Greek than
any other in the tomb.7 With truth may these paintings
be regarded as the germs of that native genius of Btruria,
which more fully developed itself in Luca Signorelli and
Michael Angelo.8
The mythological scenes are yet more curious and inte-
resting. They represent numerous souls, in the form of
men, robed in white, conducted into the other world by
genii of opposite characters, the good being depicted red
or flesh-colour, the evil black, like the Furies of Grecian
fable ; 9 both alike in human form, but with wings, red or
white, at their shoulders.10 Sometimes a good and evil
7 It has been copied by Micali (Ant.
Pop. Ital. tav. LXVL), and from him
by Mrs. Gray (Sepulchres of Etruria,
p. 203). According to Sir W. Gell
(Rome,&c.,I. p. 376), "many of these
figures are positively the same as those
represented in the Phigaleian marbles,
and particularly the group in which one
warrior prevents another from killing
his wounded foe." I confess myself
unable to perceive any close resem-
blance between the groups, though it
exists between particular figures.
8 Lanzi, Sagg. II. p. 252.
9 jEsehylus (Eumen, 52) describes the
Furies as " black and utterly horrible "
—(cf. Orph. Hym. 69, 6.—Kvav6xpwToi.
Eurip. Orest. 321.—/leAayxpSres), and
so they were always represented on
the Greek stage, .ffischylus also describes
them as clad in sable robes (Eumen.
375.—fie\aye(iiores, cf. 352. Choeph.
1049—i£cuoxf™c«). Inghirami (Mon.
Etr. I. p. 277, et seq.) opposed the idea
that the demons in this tomb were genii,
good and bad ; and pronounced them all
to be Furies. But though many have
the attributes of the Eumenides, even
as they are represented on Etruscan
monuments, the distinctive, nay anta-
gonistic, character is clearly set forth.
10 Byres has drawn these figures with
wings at their ankles, sometimes fastened
to the leg, and sometimes like those at
their shoulders, growing from the flesh
—in both which ways the talaria of
Mercury and Perseus are represented
on ancient monuments. Nothing of
this sort could I perceive ; it was mani-
fest to me that these were not talaria,
but simple buskins with peaked flaps,
such as are commonly depicted on vases
of the archaic Greek style, and on the
legs of Roman Lares in the paintings of
Pompeii. This faet is most clearly
marked, for where the flesh is black, as
in the case of the evil spirits, the flaps
and all the leg below them are red ;
and where the flesh is red, the buskins
are black. Talaria, however, would
pillars, where the figures are represented almost or entirely
naked, and armed with sword and shield. In attitude and
action they are in general spirited and expressive ; a few
are graceful. One of these scenes is remarkably fine and
spirited, approximating more closely to the Greek than
any other in the tomb.7 With truth may these paintings
be regarded as the germs of that native genius of Btruria,
which more fully developed itself in Luca Signorelli and
Michael Angelo.8
The mythological scenes are yet more curious and inte-
resting. They represent numerous souls, in the form of
men, robed in white, conducted into the other world by
genii of opposite characters, the good being depicted red
or flesh-colour, the evil black, like the Furies of Grecian
fable ; 9 both alike in human form, but with wings, red or
white, at their shoulders.10 Sometimes a good and evil
7 It has been copied by Micali (Ant.
Pop. Ital. tav. LXVL), and from him
by Mrs. Gray (Sepulchres of Etruria,
p. 203). According to Sir W. Gell
(Rome,&c.,I. p. 376), "many of these
figures are positively the same as those
represented in the Phigaleian marbles,
and particularly the group in which one
warrior prevents another from killing
his wounded foe." I confess myself
unable to perceive any close resem-
blance between the groups, though it
exists between particular figures.
8 Lanzi, Sagg. II. p. 252.
9 jEsehylus (Eumen, 52) describes the
Furies as " black and utterly horrible "
—(cf. Orph. Hym. 69, 6.—Kvav6xpwToi.
Eurip. Orest. 321.—/leAayxpSres), and
so they were always represented on
the Greek stage, .ffischylus also describes
them as clad in sable robes (Eumen.
375.—fie\aye(iiores, cf. 352. Choeph.
1049—i£cuoxf™c«). Inghirami (Mon.
Etr. I. p. 277, et seq.) opposed the idea
that the demons in this tomb were genii,
good and bad ; and pronounced them all
to be Furies. But though many have
the attributes of the Eumenides, even
as they are represented on Etruscan
monuments, the distinctive, nay anta-
gonistic, character is clearly set forth.
10 Byres has drawn these figures with
wings at their ankles, sometimes fastened
to the leg, and sometimes like those at
their shoulders, growing from the flesh
—in both which ways the talaria of
Mercury and Perseus are represented
on ancient monuments. Nothing of
this sort could I perceive ; it was mani-
fest to me that these were not talaria,
but simple buskins with peaked flaps,
such as are commonly depicted on vases
of the archaic Greek style, and on the
legs of Roman Lares in the paintings of
Pompeii. This faet is most clearly
marked, for where the flesh is black, as
in the case of the evil spirits, the flaps
and all the leg below them are red ;
and where the flesh is red, the buskins
are black. Talaria, however, would