DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.786#0212
chap, xli.] THE PASSAGE OF SOULS. 195
inverted, takes the lead.4 The slave with a sack on his
shoulder generally follows this funeral procession, and
refers either to the length of the journey which requires
such provision, or to the articles of domestic use with
which the tomb was furnished, as he often carries a vase
or pitcher in his hand. In some cases a vase, in others a
Phrygian cap, lies under the horse's feet, as if to express
that the delights and pursuits of this world were for ever
abandoned, and cast aside as worthless; and on one urn
a serpent occupies the same place, intimating the funeral
character of the scene.5
As the good and bad demons on these urns are not to
be distinguished by their colour, as in the painted tombs,
they are to be recognised either by their attributes, by
their features and expression, or by the offices they are
performing. The good are handsome and gentle, the
evil ill-favoured and truculent. Charun, in particular, has
satyresque features and brute's ears, and in one case a horn
on his forehead. The hammer or sword are his usual
attributes, as well as those of his ministers ; some of whom
bear a torch instead, the general emblem of Furies.6 But
the good spirits, in many cases, also hold a torch ; indeed,
this seems merely a funereal emblem, to distinguish between
the living and the dead. As the flame symbolises the
vital spark, the demon, in these farewell scenes, who stands
4 The genius is not always intro- Ann. Inst. 1837, 2, p. 260. This would
duced. Inghirami takes it to repre- be more likely in tav. 33, 34. The
sent, sometimes a Fury, sometimes one demons are not always in the same
of the Virtues ! (I. pp. 80, 139). scene with the other figures; as where
5 For illustrations of these urns, see a muffled soul on horseback occupies
Inghir. Mon. Etrus. I. tav. 7, 8, 14, 15, the front of the urn, Charun one of its
17, 18, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 32, 37; ends, and a genius, with torch inverted,
Micali, Ital. av. Rom. tav. 26 ; Gori, the other. Micali, Ant. Pop. Ital. tav.
I- tab. 84 ; III. cl. 3, tab. 11 ; cl. 4, 104, 2, 3.
tab. 24. In one of these reliefs (Ingh. 6 For the characteristics of the
I. tav. 28), Dr. Braun recognises the Etruscan Charun, see the Appendix to
re-meeting of souls in the other world. this Chapter.
o
o
inverted, takes the lead.4 The slave with a sack on his
shoulder generally follows this funeral procession, and
refers either to the length of the journey which requires
such provision, or to the articles of domestic use with
which the tomb was furnished, as he often carries a vase
or pitcher in his hand. In some cases a vase, in others a
Phrygian cap, lies under the horse's feet, as if to express
that the delights and pursuits of this world were for ever
abandoned, and cast aside as worthless; and on one urn
a serpent occupies the same place, intimating the funeral
character of the scene.5
As the good and bad demons on these urns are not to
be distinguished by their colour, as in the painted tombs,
they are to be recognised either by their attributes, by
their features and expression, or by the offices they are
performing. The good are handsome and gentle, the
evil ill-favoured and truculent. Charun, in particular, has
satyresque features and brute's ears, and in one case a horn
on his forehead. The hammer or sword are his usual
attributes, as well as those of his ministers ; some of whom
bear a torch instead, the general emblem of Furies.6 But
the good spirits, in many cases, also hold a torch ; indeed,
this seems merely a funereal emblem, to distinguish between
the living and the dead. As the flame symbolises the
vital spark, the demon, in these farewell scenes, who stands
4 The genius is not always intro- Ann. Inst. 1837, 2, p. 260. This would
duced. Inghirami takes it to repre- be more likely in tav. 33, 34. The
sent, sometimes a Fury, sometimes one demons are not always in the same
of the Virtues ! (I. pp. 80, 139). scene with the other figures; as where
5 For illustrations of these urns, see a muffled soul on horseback occupies
Inghir. Mon. Etrus. I. tav. 7, 8, 14, 15, the front of the urn, Charun one of its
17, 18, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29, 32, 37; ends, and a genius, with torch inverted,
Micali, Ital. av. Rom. tav. 26 ; Gori, the other. Micali, Ant. Pop. Ital. tav.
I- tab. 84 ; III. cl. 3, tab. 11 ; cl. 4, 104, 2, 3.
tab. 24. In one of these reliefs (Ingh. 6 For the characteristics of the
I. tav. 28), Dr. Braun recognises the Etruscan Charun, see the Appendix to
re-meeting of souls in the other world. this Chapter.
o
o