DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7897#0038
( 20 )
favourite subject Avith Greek artists. It was represented on tiic eastern pedi-
ment of the celebrated temple of Jupiter at Agrigentum (17); on the walls of
the Acropolis at Athens (18); on the Heraeum or temple of Juno near Myce-
nae (19), and in several other places. Near the temple of Ceres in the vicinity
of the Peiraic gate at Athens (20), Neptune was represented on horseback,
hurling his spear against the giant Polybotes. Pausanias, who describes
the monument, adds , that the inscription ascribed the figure of Neptune
to another person.
The greatest number of ancient fables are the productions of superstitious
fears, of a wild imagination and fancy, or of the natural propensity of man-
kind for the marvellous : consequently, all attempts to explain them must be
fruitless. Some however may be excepted, that are evidently founded on mo-
ral or physical truths. In this number, may be reckoned the war of the giants
against the gods, of which earthquakes and volcanic eruptions were doubt-
less the origin. At an early period, these calamitous events were frequent in
the Grecian states; several islands were raised out of the sea, while others
disappeared under it. An ancient tradition (21) stated, that the islands of
Cos and Nisyros had been once united, but separated by an earthquake; a
calamity to which the latter island seems to have been extremly subject,
and which at one time destroyed all its inhabitants (22). These physical
revolutions may be considered as the origin of the present fable ; and
hence , Neptune the supposed cause of all concussions of the earth (23), was
the divinity peculiarly revered at Nisyros (24).
The form of the vase is represented plate VIII, n° 1. The reverse, 11° 2,
offers the figure of a warrior armed only with a helmet, spear and shield;
the latter is ornamented with a tripod, emblem of the warrior. This subject
has no reference to that on the opposite side, being merely intended to occupy
the vacant space, and requires no explication.
(17) Diodor Sicul. lib. xni, cap. 82.
(18) Pausan. lib. 1, cap. 25.
(19) Idem, lib.xi, cap. 17.
(20) Idem. lib. 1, cap. 1.
(21) Strabo./^.x.Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. v cap.36.
(22) Diodorus Siculus. lib. v, cap. 54-
(23) Whence the epithets of Evvomymos and
Evo<j£-/8wv so frequently given to Neptune by
Homer and other authors.
(24) Haym. Tes. Brit. torn. i,page 229.
favourite subject Avith Greek artists. It was represented on tiic eastern pedi-
ment of the celebrated temple of Jupiter at Agrigentum (17); on the walls of
the Acropolis at Athens (18); on the Heraeum or temple of Juno near Myce-
nae (19), and in several other places. Near the temple of Ceres in the vicinity
of the Peiraic gate at Athens (20), Neptune was represented on horseback,
hurling his spear against the giant Polybotes. Pausanias, who describes
the monument, adds , that the inscription ascribed the figure of Neptune
to another person.
The greatest number of ancient fables are the productions of superstitious
fears, of a wild imagination and fancy, or of the natural propensity of man-
kind for the marvellous : consequently, all attempts to explain them must be
fruitless. Some however may be excepted, that are evidently founded on mo-
ral or physical truths. In this number, may be reckoned the war of the giants
against the gods, of which earthquakes and volcanic eruptions were doubt-
less the origin. At an early period, these calamitous events were frequent in
the Grecian states; several islands were raised out of the sea, while others
disappeared under it. An ancient tradition (21) stated, that the islands of
Cos and Nisyros had been once united, but separated by an earthquake; a
calamity to which the latter island seems to have been extremly subject,
and which at one time destroyed all its inhabitants (22). These physical
revolutions may be considered as the origin of the present fable ; and
hence , Neptune the supposed cause of all concussions of the earth (23), was
the divinity peculiarly revered at Nisyros (24).
The form of the vase is represented plate VIII, n° 1. The reverse, 11° 2,
offers the figure of a warrior armed only with a helmet, spear and shield;
the latter is ornamented with a tripod, emblem of the warrior. This subject
has no reference to that on the opposite side, being merely intended to occupy
the vacant space, and requires no explication.
(17) Diodor Sicul. lib. xni, cap. 82.
(18) Pausan. lib. 1, cap. 25.
(19) Idem, lib.xi, cap. 17.
(20) Idem. lib. 1, cap. 1.
(21) Strabo./^.x.Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. v cap.36.
(22) Diodorus Siculus. lib. v, cap. 54-
(23) Whence the epithets of Evvomymos and
Evo<j£-/8wv so frequently given to Neptune by
Homer and other authors.
(24) Haym. Tes. Brit. torn. i,page 229.