DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.9187#0157
126 ATHENS : PERIODS AND FORMS OF MONUMENTS
the slab bear low reliefs which are much injured, but the
subjects of which are of interest. On the front is a young
horseman, evidently the denizen of the tomb, who rides to
the right on a horse, holding spear and shield: a second
horse is represented by a mere doubling of the outlines.
On one of the narrower sides stands the father of the
horseman, in an attitude of grief: on the other side are
two mourninsf women, no doubt his near relatives. To
these mourning relatives we may find abundant parallels
among the vases which represent the lying in state of the
corpse and its removal to the place of burial
It will be observed that the sphinx of the terra-cotta has
human arms. This, and her female sex, bring her into close
connexion with other female monsters, who also are winged
and have the arms of women, the Harpies and the Sirens.
Harpy and Siren are, in fact, not clearly distinguished in
art; both are human-headed birds. And both are daemons
destructive to human life, since, according to the legends,
the Harpies were notable for foul and ravenous habits, the
Sirens for a passion for the blood of the sailors whom they
drew to them by the sweetness of their singing. As sphinx
and Siren were thus both alike the ministers of early or
untimely death, it will not greatly surprise us to find that
on later monuments Sirens appear in the place of sphinxes.
An instance from the museum at Athens is figured (Fig. 47) -;
the woman-bird is human from head to waist, and is occupied
with playing on her lyre. The tomb on which she stood
perhaps belonged to some young girl or boy who perished by
an untimely death.
Yet this is by no means certain. For the Siren of Attic
tombs has greatly modified her nature under the kindly
influence of Attic poetry and art. She came from the East,
1 Chap. I, above.
2 Athens Cat. No. 775.
the slab bear low reliefs which are much injured, but the
subjects of which are of interest. On the front is a young
horseman, evidently the denizen of the tomb, who rides to
the right on a horse, holding spear and shield: a second
horse is represented by a mere doubling of the outlines.
On one of the narrower sides stands the father of the
horseman, in an attitude of grief: on the other side are
two mourninsf women, no doubt his near relatives. To
these mourning relatives we may find abundant parallels
among the vases which represent the lying in state of the
corpse and its removal to the place of burial
It will be observed that the sphinx of the terra-cotta has
human arms. This, and her female sex, bring her into close
connexion with other female monsters, who also are winged
and have the arms of women, the Harpies and the Sirens.
Harpy and Siren are, in fact, not clearly distinguished in
art; both are human-headed birds. And both are daemons
destructive to human life, since, according to the legends,
the Harpies were notable for foul and ravenous habits, the
Sirens for a passion for the blood of the sailors whom they
drew to them by the sweetness of their singing. As sphinx
and Siren were thus both alike the ministers of early or
untimely death, it will not greatly surprise us to find that
on later monuments Sirens appear in the place of sphinxes.
An instance from the museum at Athens is figured (Fig. 47) -;
the woman-bird is human from head to waist, and is occupied
with playing on her lyre. The tomb on which she stood
perhaps belonged to some young girl or boy who perished by
an untimely death.
Yet this is by no means certain. For the Siren of Attic
tombs has greatly modified her nature under the kindly
influence of Attic poetry and art. She came from the East,
1 Chap. I, above.
2 Athens Cat. No. 775.