DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7416#0114
104
coins of the Macedonian kings ; sometimes sitting on the prow of
a ship, as lord of the waters, or Bacchus Hyes sometimes on
the cortina, the veiled cone or egg ; and sometimes leaning upon a
tripod; but always in an androgynous form, with the limbs,
tresses, and features of a woman ; and holding the bow or arrow,
or both, in his hands.1 The double attribute, though not the
double sex, is also frequently signified in figures of Hercules ;
either by the cup or cornucopiai held in his hand, or by the chap-
let of poplar or some other symbolical plant, Worn upon his head ;
whilst the club or lion's skin indicates the adverse power.
134. In the refinement of art, the forms of the lion and goat
were blended into one fictitious animal to represent the same mean-
ing, instances of which occur upon the medals of Capua, Panti-
capaeum, and Antiochus VI. king of Syria, as well as in the frieze
of the temple of Apollo Didymajus before mentioned. In the
former, too, the destroying attribute is further signified by the
point of a spear held in the mouth of the monster ; and the pro-
ductive, by the ear of corn under its feet.3 In the latter, the re-
sult of both is shown by the lyre, the symbol of universal harmony,
which is supported between them ; and which is occasionally given
to Hercules, as well as to Apollo. The two-faced figure of Janus
seems to have been a composite symbol of the same kind, and
to have derived the name from lao or Iduiv, an ancient mystic title
of Bacchus. The earliest specimens of it extant are on the coins
of Lampsacus and Tenedos, some of which cannot be later than
the sixth century before the Christian cera ; and in later coins of
the former city, heads of Bacchus of the usual form and charac-
ter occupy its place.
1 £EA\i)vts) Kai Toy iuovvtxov, 'Ytji', ws Kvpiov rtjs iypas tpvatus, ovx' trepov ovra tov
OeripiSos (itaXoiwi). Plutarch, de Is. et Osir.
2 See medals of Antigonus, Antiochus I., Seleucus II. and III., and other
kings of Syria; and also of Magnesia ad Marandrum, and ad Sipylum.
The beautiful figure engraved on plates xliii. and iv. of vol. i. of the
Select Specimens is the most exquisite example of this androgynous
Apollo... -f'ljjfiL-j ;»,! Dui/i'™ :i. ;-rif' •!■•'I
3 Nuinm, I'embrok. tab. v. fig. 12.
coins of the Macedonian kings ; sometimes sitting on the prow of
a ship, as lord of the waters, or Bacchus Hyes sometimes on
the cortina, the veiled cone or egg ; and sometimes leaning upon a
tripod; but always in an androgynous form, with the limbs,
tresses, and features of a woman ; and holding the bow or arrow,
or both, in his hands.1 The double attribute, though not the
double sex, is also frequently signified in figures of Hercules ;
either by the cup or cornucopiai held in his hand, or by the chap-
let of poplar or some other symbolical plant, Worn upon his head ;
whilst the club or lion's skin indicates the adverse power.
134. In the refinement of art, the forms of the lion and goat
were blended into one fictitious animal to represent the same mean-
ing, instances of which occur upon the medals of Capua, Panti-
capaeum, and Antiochus VI. king of Syria, as well as in the frieze
of the temple of Apollo Didymajus before mentioned. In the
former, too, the destroying attribute is further signified by the
point of a spear held in the mouth of the monster ; and the pro-
ductive, by the ear of corn under its feet.3 In the latter, the re-
sult of both is shown by the lyre, the symbol of universal harmony,
which is supported between them ; and which is occasionally given
to Hercules, as well as to Apollo. The two-faced figure of Janus
seems to have been a composite symbol of the same kind, and
to have derived the name from lao or Iduiv, an ancient mystic title
of Bacchus. The earliest specimens of it extant are on the coins
of Lampsacus and Tenedos, some of which cannot be later than
the sixth century before the Christian cera ; and in later coins of
the former city, heads of Bacchus of the usual form and charac-
ter occupy its place.
1 £EA\i)vts) Kai Toy iuovvtxov, 'Ytji', ws Kvpiov rtjs iypas tpvatus, ovx' trepov ovra tov
OeripiSos (itaXoiwi). Plutarch, de Is. et Osir.
2 See medals of Antigonus, Antiochus I., Seleucus II. and III., and other
kings of Syria; and also of Magnesia ad Marandrum, and ad Sipylum.
The beautiful figure engraved on plates xliii. and iv. of vol. i. of the
Select Specimens is the most exquisite example of this androgynous
Apollo... -f'ljjfiL-j ;»,! Dui/i'™ :i. ;-rif' •!■•'I
3 Nuinm, I'embrok. tab. v. fig. 12.