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chap. xi.i.] THE ETRUSCAN CHARUN. 207
with the death of Clytemnestra, described at page 179, and as on a
purely Etruscan vase from Vulci, in which Ajax is depicted immolating
a Trojan captive, while " Charun" stands by, grinning with savage
delight. Mon. Ined. Inst. II. tav. 9.
He is also often represented as the messenger of Death, leading or
driving the horse on which the soul is mounted (ut supra, pp. 194—6); or,
as on a vase at Rome, and another from Bomarzo, now at Berlin,
accompanying the car in which the soul is seated (Ann. Inst. 1837, 2.
p. 261; cf. vol. I. p. 320); or attending the procession of souls on foot
into the other world, as shown in the Grotta de' Pompej, of Corneto
(Vol. I. pp. 310 etseq. cf. Ann. Inst. 1834, p. 275) ; though this scene
both Braun and Ambrosch regard as not so much a real representation of
the infernal minister and his charge, as a sort of theatrical masquerade,
such as were used in Bacchic festivals.
Charun, in the Etruscan mythology, is also the tormentor of guilty
souls ; and his hammer or sword is the instrument of torture. Such
scenes are represented in the Grotta Cardinale at Corneto (Vol. I. p. 320;
cf. Byers' Hypogsei of Tarquinia, Pt. II. pi. 6, 7, Pt. III. pi. 5, 6 ;
Inghir. Mon. Etrus. IV. tav. 27.); and in the Grotta Tartaglia at the
same place (Vol. I. p. 348 ; Dempst. II. tab. 88 ; Inghir. IV. tav. 24),
as well as on a Nolan vase in the Museo Mastrilli, and on another in the
Musee Pourtales-Gorgier ; in all which instances the victim is supplicating
for mercy (Ann. Inst. 1837, 2. p. 268).
In many of these scenes it is difficult to distinguish between Charun
and other infernal demons, his attendants, with hammers or other
analogous attributes. Por two or more are sometimes introduced in
the same scene, as in that which forms the frontispiece to this volume,
and as in the Grotta Cardinale at Corneto, where many such beings, of
both sexes, are similarly armed. They may generally be supposed the
attendants on Charun. Miiller, indeed, takes many of these demons
on Etruscan monuments to represent Mantus, the King of Hades
(Etrusk. III. 4, 10), as the Romans introduced a figure of Pluto,
armed with a hammer, at their gladiatorial combats, to carry off the
slain (Tertull. ad Nat. 1.10). Gerhard also (Gottheit. d. Etrusk. pp. 16,
56, taf. VI. 2, 3) thinks it is Mantus that is often represented on these
urns, especially where he is crowned, though he distinguishes the beings
with hammers and other attributes generally by the name of Charun.
Both Miiller and Gerhard refer the origin of the " Manducus" (Fest. ap.
P. Diac. sub wee; Plaut. Rud. II. 6, 51), the ridiculous effigy, with
wide jaws and chattering teeth, borne in the public games of the
Romans, to this source, and consider it as a caricature of the Etruscan
with the death of Clytemnestra, described at page 179, and as on a
purely Etruscan vase from Vulci, in which Ajax is depicted immolating
a Trojan captive, while " Charun" stands by, grinning with savage
delight. Mon. Ined. Inst. II. tav. 9.
He is also often represented as the messenger of Death, leading or
driving the horse on which the soul is mounted (ut supra, pp. 194—6); or,
as on a vase at Rome, and another from Bomarzo, now at Berlin,
accompanying the car in which the soul is seated (Ann. Inst. 1837, 2.
p. 261; cf. vol. I. p. 320); or attending the procession of souls on foot
into the other world, as shown in the Grotta de' Pompej, of Corneto
(Vol. I. pp. 310 etseq. cf. Ann. Inst. 1834, p. 275) ; though this scene
both Braun and Ambrosch regard as not so much a real representation of
the infernal minister and his charge, as a sort of theatrical masquerade,
such as were used in Bacchic festivals.
Charun, in the Etruscan mythology, is also the tormentor of guilty
souls ; and his hammer or sword is the instrument of torture. Such
scenes are represented in the Grotta Cardinale at Corneto (Vol. I. p. 320;
cf. Byers' Hypogsei of Tarquinia, Pt. II. pi. 6, 7, Pt. III. pi. 5, 6 ;
Inghir. Mon. Etrus. IV. tav. 27.); and in the Grotta Tartaglia at the
same place (Vol. I. p. 348 ; Dempst. II. tab. 88 ; Inghir. IV. tav. 24),
as well as on a Nolan vase in the Museo Mastrilli, and on another in the
Musee Pourtales-Gorgier ; in all which instances the victim is supplicating
for mercy (Ann. Inst. 1837, 2. p. 268).
In many of these scenes it is difficult to distinguish between Charun
and other infernal demons, his attendants, with hammers or other
analogous attributes. Por two or more are sometimes introduced in
the same scene, as in that which forms the frontispiece to this volume,
and as in the Grotta Cardinale at Corneto, where many such beings, of
both sexes, are similarly armed. They may generally be supposed the
attendants on Charun. Miiller, indeed, takes many of these demons
on Etruscan monuments to represent Mantus, the King of Hades
(Etrusk. III. 4, 10), as the Romans introduced a figure of Pluto,
armed with a hammer, at their gladiatorial combats, to carry off the
slain (Tertull. ad Nat. 1.10). Gerhard also (Gottheit. d. Etrusk. pp. 16,
56, taf. VI. 2, 3) thinks it is Mantus that is often represented on these
urns, especially where he is crowned, though he distinguishes the beings
with hammers and other attributes generally by the name of Charun.
Both Miiller and Gerhard refer the origin of the " Manducus" (Fest. ap.
P. Diac. sub wee; Plaut. Rud. II. 6, 51), the ridiculous effigy, with
wide jaws and chattering teeth, borne in the public games of the
Romans, to this source, and consider it as a caricature of the Etruscan