DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18720#0013
7
On the Kypsele we are told of the combat of Ajax and Hector after the
challenge, TrpoKhrjo-is, with the remark that between the combatants stood Eris, " most
ill-favoured of aspect, resembling the Eris in a painting of the Battle at the Ships,
by Calliphon of Samos, which was to be seen in the temple of Artemis at Ephesus."
But as there is no reference to Eris in the Battle at the Ships, in Iliad, xiii., nor
in the challenge of Ajax and Hector {Iliad, vii.), Calliphon must have introduced her
from some source other than the Iliad, and in any case it does not necessarily follow
that he had placed his Eris directly between the two combatants, though the comparison
of Pausanias and not a few representations on archaic vases would almost prove so
much. On one of the Clazomenae sarcophagi, as already said, stands a winged female
figure between the chariots who has been identified as Eris or Nike.1
Let us take next the Doloneia as represented on the upper band of PI. I., and
in two simple groups on the lower face of the cover (PI. VII.), a subject which has
already been made familiar by the Berlin sarcophagus.2 In PI. I. we have a
striking variation of the theme. On each side of the central group of Dolon is a
set of racing bigae approaching the centre, in contrast to the Berlin sarcophagus,
where a winged personification of the Homeric kind steps into her chariot to drive
away from the centre. Whatever the explanation of that figure may ultimately be,
it would almost seem from our sarcophagus that the Doloneia, though in the Iliad
it is merely a remarkable episode, must have originally, in some pre-Homeric lay,
included funeral games on the death of Dolon. Be this as it may, we have in the
winged figures which fly above each chariot a type of being which deserves special
consideration.
Beginning with the first of these winged figures on the left of PI. I. (upper band),
we are at once struck with its resemblance, as an artistic conception, to these nude flying
beings which occur on the early red-figure vases, as on our Kylix E. 13, and under
the name of Eros continue to be represented on Greek vases to the end, with
characteristic modifications as time went on. No wonder: it is a very beautiful con-
ception. We can hardly be wrong in regarding the figure on our sarcophagus as the
prototype of the others. But we must take into account also the other figures which
fly above the chariots. It will be seen that one of them holds a branch, apparently
of olive, which would suggest Nike. But these figures are nude and cannot be Nikae.
They would better represent Agon, the spirit of contest. On the other hand, if we
look to strictly archaic art for a comparison, we shall, perhaps, find it best in those
flying figures which occur on vases of the so-called Cyrene fabric, particularly on two
kylikes, on which we see a horseman on a large horse3 attended by one of these
winged beings. In one case the flying figure holds out a wreath, and this has led
to its identification as Nike, especially so since the short chiton was suggestive of
a female. But on our well-known kylix from Naucratis,4 figures, otherwise identical
1 The vase in Gerhard, A. V. iii. 199, gives one
of these winged, female figures approaching the
chariot of Achilles to which Hector is bound beside
the tumulus of Patroclos. She is there inscribed
as konijos ( = Konisalos), and is supposed to per-
sonify the dust with which the body of Hector was
to be besmirched (Iliad, xxii. 401 ; xxiv. 17).
2 Ant. Denkmaler, i. pi. 44.
3 Arch. Zeit. 1881, pi. 13, figs. 2-3.
4 Naturatis, i. pi. 8.
On the Kypsele we are told of the combat of Ajax and Hector after the
challenge, TrpoKhrjo-is, with the remark that between the combatants stood Eris, " most
ill-favoured of aspect, resembling the Eris in a painting of the Battle at the Ships,
by Calliphon of Samos, which was to be seen in the temple of Artemis at Ephesus."
But as there is no reference to Eris in the Battle at the Ships, in Iliad, xiii., nor
in the challenge of Ajax and Hector {Iliad, vii.), Calliphon must have introduced her
from some source other than the Iliad, and in any case it does not necessarily follow
that he had placed his Eris directly between the two combatants, though the comparison
of Pausanias and not a few representations on archaic vases would almost prove so
much. On one of the Clazomenae sarcophagi, as already said, stands a winged female
figure between the chariots who has been identified as Eris or Nike.1
Let us take next the Doloneia as represented on the upper band of PI. I., and
in two simple groups on the lower face of the cover (PI. VII.), a subject which has
already been made familiar by the Berlin sarcophagus.2 In PI. I. we have a
striking variation of the theme. On each side of the central group of Dolon is a
set of racing bigae approaching the centre, in contrast to the Berlin sarcophagus,
where a winged personification of the Homeric kind steps into her chariot to drive
away from the centre. Whatever the explanation of that figure may ultimately be,
it would almost seem from our sarcophagus that the Doloneia, though in the Iliad
it is merely a remarkable episode, must have originally, in some pre-Homeric lay,
included funeral games on the death of Dolon. Be this as it may, we have in the
winged figures which fly above each chariot a type of being which deserves special
consideration.
Beginning with the first of these winged figures on the left of PI. I. (upper band),
we are at once struck with its resemblance, as an artistic conception, to these nude flying
beings which occur on the early red-figure vases, as on our Kylix E. 13, and under
the name of Eros continue to be represented on Greek vases to the end, with
characteristic modifications as time went on. No wonder: it is a very beautiful con-
ception. We can hardly be wrong in regarding the figure on our sarcophagus as the
prototype of the others. But we must take into account also the other figures which
fly above the chariots. It will be seen that one of them holds a branch, apparently
of olive, which would suggest Nike. But these figures are nude and cannot be Nikae.
They would better represent Agon, the spirit of contest. On the other hand, if we
look to strictly archaic art for a comparison, we shall, perhaps, find it best in those
flying figures which occur on vases of the so-called Cyrene fabric, particularly on two
kylikes, on which we see a horseman on a large horse3 attended by one of these
winged beings. In one case the flying figure holds out a wreath, and this has led
to its identification as Nike, especially so since the short chiton was suggestive of
a female. But on our well-known kylix from Naucratis,4 figures, otherwise identical
1 The vase in Gerhard, A. V. iii. 199, gives one
of these winged, female figures approaching the
chariot of Achilles to which Hector is bound beside
the tumulus of Patroclos. She is there inscribed
as konijos ( = Konisalos), and is supposed to per-
sonify the dust with which the body of Hector was
to be besmirched (Iliad, xxii. 401 ; xxiv. 17).
2 Ant. Denkmaler, i. pi. 44.
3 Arch. Zeit. 1881, pi. 13, figs. 2-3.
4 Naturatis, i. pi. 8.