DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9184#0089
Chap. III.] Mycenae and tlie Islands.
67
discovery is announced in the Eplieineris* for 1S91.
Among the fragments of silver vessels found by Schlie-
mann in tomb No. 4 on the Acropolis was one at the time
thrown aside as uninteresting. But recently, on removing
the oxide with which it was encrusted, Mr. Kumanudcs
has revealed a scene of no small interest engraved on it,
and here repeated. A city with lofty walls is being
attacked by some enemy, who unfortunately does not
appear in the limits of the fragment. We see the women
on the housetops stretching out their arms in encourage-
ment to friend or supplication to foe : they seem to be clad
in garments with sleeves. Before the walls is a hill
planted with olives, and there the defenders of the city
who have issued forth from the gates take their stand.
Most of them are naked, armed with bow or with sling,
but two bear large shields and spears, and in the fore-
ground is a warrior who wears a conical helmet with tuft
at top, and a jerkin covering his body and his upper arms
and legs. Also some unarmed figures are kneeling, per-
haps the elders of the city.
In the Hesiodic Shield of HerakUs is a passage which
might almost pass for a description of this remarkable
fragment.f Mention is there made of the contending hosts
of defenders and attackers, " and the women on the well-
built towers were crying with shrill voice and tearing their
checks, life-like, made by the hands of glorious Hephaes-
tus. And the men who were elders and stricken in years
were without the gate assembled, holding up their hands
to the blessed gods, in fear for their children who were in
the combat."
After Dr. Schlicmann's excavations at Mycenae had
come to an end, the place proved to be no exhausted
mine. Further investigations carried on since 1887 on the
Ephemeris Archaiologike, 1891, pi. 2, 2.
t Line 237, &c. Quoted by Mr. Tsountas irfthe Ephemeris, 1. c.
F 2
67
discovery is announced in the Eplieineris* for 1S91.
Among the fragments of silver vessels found by Schlie-
mann in tomb No. 4 on the Acropolis was one at the time
thrown aside as uninteresting. But recently, on removing
the oxide with which it was encrusted, Mr. Kumanudcs
has revealed a scene of no small interest engraved on it,
and here repeated. A city with lofty walls is being
attacked by some enemy, who unfortunately does not
appear in the limits of the fragment. We see the women
on the housetops stretching out their arms in encourage-
ment to friend or supplication to foe : they seem to be clad
in garments with sleeves. Before the walls is a hill
planted with olives, and there the defenders of the city
who have issued forth from the gates take their stand.
Most of them are naked, armed with bow or with sling,
but two bear large shields and spears, and in the fore-
ground is a warrior who wears a conical helmet with tuft
at top, and a jerkin covering his body and his upper arms
and legs. Also some unarmed figures are kneeling, per-
haps the elders of the city.
In the Hesiodic Shield of HerakUs is a passage which
might almost pass for a description of this remarkable
fragment.f Mention is there made of the contending hosts
of defenders and attackers, " and the women on the well-
built towers were crying with shrill voice and tearing their
checks, life-like, made by the hands of glorious Hephaes-
tus. And the men who were elders and stricken in years
were without the gate assembled, holding up their hands
to the blessed gods, in fear for their children who were in
the combat."
After Dr. Schlicmann's excavations at Mycenae had
come to an end, the place proved to be no exhausted
mine. Further investigations carried on since 1887 on the
Ephemeris Archaiologike, 1891, pi. 2, 2.
t Line 237, &c. Quoted by Mr. Tsountas irfthe Ephemeris, 1. c.
F 2