DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47071#0109
THE LYRIC POETS
105
as part of a large group of Greeks and Centaurs. It is
also found on reliefs, such as those of the Theseum at
Athens and those of the temple of Apollo at Bassse near
Phigalia. All alike show the characteristic position of
Caeneus, upright but buried to the waist, exactly as Pindar
describes him. A common tradition must therefore under-
lie in this case the work both of the poet and the painter.
In Pindar’s close-packed mass of mythological allusions,
it is inevitable that many subjects should be touched upon
which also find their place upon vases. But as a rule there
is not the same scope for comparison between the two
versions. And the loftier the theme, the less it lends itself
to such comparison. Perhaps as magnificent a passage
as any to be found in Pindar is the description of the
birth of Athena (VL. VII. 71) : “ When by the craft of
Hephaestus, by the blow of his axe of beaten bronze
Athena sprung forth from the crown of her father’s
head, and shouted a cry exceeding loud, and the Ocean
shuddered at her and Mother Earth.” It is impossible
to associate this splendid description with the traditional
treatment of the theme upon Attic vases, where Athena
appears like a little doll issuing from her father’s head.
But it may well be that the designer of the great
pedimental group of the Parthenon, representing the
birth of Athena, was inspired more or less directly by the
words of Pindar.
In Pindar’s description of the strangling of the two
serpents by the baby Heracles the scene is described in
some detail (Nem. I. 57).—The poet tells how after the
birth of Heracles and his twin brother, “ He did not escape
the notice of Hera of the Golden Throne when he was
wrapped in saffron swaddling clothes. But the Queen of
the gods in hasty anger sent snakes at once. They, when
the doors were opened, went into the spacious recess of
105
as part of a large group of Greeks and Centaurs. It is
also found on reliefs, such as those of the Theseum at
Athens and those of the temple of Apollo at Bassse near
Phigalia. All alike show the characteristic position of
Caeneus, upright but buried to the waist, exactly as Pindar
describes him. A common tradition must therefore under-
lie in this case the work both of the poet and the painter.
In Pindar’s close-packed mass of mythological allusions,
it is inevitable that many subjects should be touched upon
which also find their place upon vases. But as a rule there
is not the same scope for comparison between the two
versions. And the loftier the theme, the less it lends itself
to such comparison. Perhaps as magnificent a passage
as any to be found in Pindar is the description of the
birth of Athena (VL. VII. 71) : “ When by the craft of
Hephaestus, by the blow of his axe of beaten bronze
Athena sprung forth from the crown of her father’s
head, and shouted a cry exceeding loud, and the Ocean
shuddered at her and Mother Earth.” It is impossible
to associate this splendid description with the traditional
treatment of the theme upon Attic vases, where Athena
appears like a little doll issuing from her father’s head.
But it may well be that the designer of the great
pedimental group of the Parthenon, representing the
birth of Athena, was inspired more or less directly by the
words of Pindar.
In Pindar’s description of the strangling of the two
serpents by the baby Heracles the scene is described in
some detail (Nem. I. 57).—The poet tells how after the
birth of Heracles and his twin brother, “ He did not escape
the notice of Hera of the Golden Throne when he was
wrapped in saffron swaddling clothes. But the Queen of
the gods in hasty anger sent snakes at once. They, when
the doors were opened, went into the spacious recess of