DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.7897#0053
( 35 )
PLATE XIV.
This composition is taken from a vase in the British Museum, and which for-
merly belonged to Sir William Hamilton. It has been engraved in the collec-
tion of his vases published by D'Hancarville (i), but without any explanation.
The subject represents the death of Procris , inadvertently killed by
Cephalus, one of the most popular Attic fables (2), and a story highly ro-
mantic and affecting.
Cephalus, one of the descendants of Hellen (3), married Procris, daughter
of Erectheus, king of Athens. They resided at Thoricos in Attica, and lived
in perfect union for some time, till Aurora enamoured of the beauty of
Cephalus, carried him away. Finding him constant in his affections to
Procris, the goddess suffered him to return. Her insinuations, however, in-
spired Cephalus with jealous doubts , and his rash attempt to ascertain the
fidelity of Procris , proved fatal to their mutual happiness. After a long
separation, and various adventures, they were, however, again reconciled,
and returned to their former residence.
Cephalus always passionately fond of the chase , rose daily with the sun,
and ranged the neighbouring forests of Hymettus in pursuit of game. His
frequent absence at length excited the jealousy of Procris, and her suspicions
being encreased by insidious reports, she one day followed him secretly to
observe his steps. Cephalus after the fatigue of the chase, was wont to retire for
shelter and repose into a shady valley. Here as he was lying, oppressed with
toil and heat, he frequently, in the figurative language of antiquity, invoked
a cloud (Nephele in Greek) (4), to temper the ardour of the sun, and refresh
the air with gentle showers. Procris who was concealed in a neighbouring
(1) Vases d'Hamilton, torn. 11, pi. 126.
(2) Pherecydes. Fragm. pag. 122. Apollo-
dorus. lib. 1. cap. 9. et lib. nr. cap. i5. Pausan.
lib. 1. cap. 37. Hyginus. Fab. 189. Ovid. Me-
tamorph. lib. vn. vers. 800.
Sophocles and Eubulus composed tragedies
of which the title was Procris.
(3) The ancients vary in their accounts of
the parents of Cephalus; some suppose him
to have been the son of Deion, others of
Mercury and Herse; hence some modern au-
thors have supposed, but without sufficient
reasons , the existence of two personages of
the name of Cephalus. See Heyne, observationes
ad Apollod. torn. 11. pag. 58 & 323. Clavier,
Notes sur Apollodore, torn. 11. pag. 479-
(4) Ovid in his description of this story,
has substituted Aura, or the gentle breeze,
instead of Nephele; doubtless from the neces-
sity of preserving in the Latin language the
ambiguity of expression which occasioned the
catastrophe.
PLATE XIV.
This composition is taken from a vase in the British Museum, and which for-
merly belonged to Sir William Hamilton. It has been engraved in the collec-
tion of his vases published by D'Hancarville (i), but without any explanation.
The subject represents the death of Procris , inadvertently killed by
Cephalus, one of the most popular Attic fables (2), and a story highly ro-
mantic and affecting.
Cephalus, one of the descendants of Hellen (3), married Procris, daughter
of Erectheus, king of Athens. They resided at Thoricos in Attica, and lived
in perfect union for some time, till Aurora enamoured of the beauty of
Cephalus, carried him away. Finding him constant in his affections to
Procris, the goddess suffered him to return. Her insinuations, however, in-
spired Cephalus with jealous doubts , and his rash attempt to ascertain the
fidelity of Procris , proved fatal to their mutual happiness. After a long
separation, and various adventures, they were, however, again reconciled,
and returned to their former residence.
Cephalus always passionately fond of the chase , rose daily with the sun,
and ranged the neighbouring forests of Hymettus in pursuit of game. His
frequent absence at length excited the jealousy of Procris, and her suspicions
being encreased by insidious reports, she one day followed him secretly to
observe his steps. Cephalus after the fatigue of the chase, was wont to retire for
shelter and repose into a shady valley. Here as he was lying, oppressed with
toil and heat, he frequently, in the figurative language of antiquity, invoked
a cloud (Nephele in Greek) (4), to temper the ardour of the sun, and refresh
the air with gentle showers. Procris who was concealed in a neighbouring
(1) Vases d'Hamilton, torn. 11, pi. 126.
(2) Pherecydes. Fragm. pag. 122. Apollo-
dorus. lib. 1. cap. 9. et lib. nr. cap. i5. Pausan.
lib. 1. cap. 37. Hyginus. Fab. 189. Ovid. Me-
tamorph. lib. vn. vers. 800.
Sophocles and Eubulus composed tragedies
of which the title was Procris.
(3) The ancients vary in their accounts of
the parents of Cephalus; some suppose him
to have been the son of Deion, others of
Mercury and Herse; hence some modern au-
thors have supposed, but without sufficient
reasons , the existence of two personages of
the name of Cephalus. See Heyne, observationes
ad Apollod. torn. 11. pag. 58 & 323. Clavier,
Notes sur Apollodore, torn. 11. pag. 479-
(4) Ovid in his description of this story,
has substituted Aura, or the gentle breeze,
instead of Nephele; doubtless from the neces-
sity of preserving in the Latin language the
ambiguity of expression which occasioned the
catastrophe.