DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.25180#0019
44
On the Site of the Homeric Troy.
with 100 idols of the owl-faced Minerva. (See Plate VII. fig. 1.) The vase further
contained a golden a/x7rvtj, called now “belle Helene,” four most artistically
made golden long earrings, fifty-six golden earrings of most fantastical shape,
six golden bracelets, 8,750 small perforated objects of gold, in form of prisms,
cubes, chariot-axles, etc., of which the larger part are ornamented with eight
or sixteen engraved lines; the silver vase contained, besides, two goblets, one
of which is of gold, the other of electron. I further found in the treasure two
beautiful small silver vases, with cylindrical loops placed vertically on each side
for suspension by a string, a goblet and shallow cup of the same metal (see
Plate VII. fig. 2), and thirteen bronze lances, fourteen bronze battle-axes, seven
bronze daggers, a large bronze knife, some fragments of a bronze sword, and
another bronze weapon of unknown use. All these objects were once contained
in a quadrangular wooden box, of which they had preserved the shape. The
large copper key which I found there proves that the wooden box once existed.
It appears that in the catastrophe of the city one or other of the chief’s or king’s
family tried to escape with the treasure, hut being prevented on the wall, either
by the fire or by the enemy, he was forced to abandon it there.
I further found in the rooms of the last chief’s or king’s palace a large number
of beautiful vases: one of them two feet high, representing the owl-faced Minerva,
ornamented with a large necklace and a broad engraved girdle. (See Plate VI. fig. 2.)
And here I must pause to inquire what is the meaning of the Homeric
epithet <y\avKcoTri<z. It has been said by a great scholar/ that, whatever else it
may mean, it cannot mean owl-headed, unless we suppose that Hera /3o£>7was
represented as a cow-headed monster. But it is not difficult to prove that this
goddess had originally a cow’s face, from which her Homeric epithet /3oa>7m
was derived. When in the battle between the gods and the giants the former
took the shape of animals, Hera took the form of a white cow, “ nivea Saturnia
vacca” (Ovid, Metam. v. 330). We find a cow’s head on the coins of the
Island of Samos, which contained the most ancient temple of Hera, and was
celebrated for its worship of this goddess (Mionnet, Descr. des Med. Ant.
pi. Ixi. 6). We further find the cow’s head on the coins of Messene, a
Samian colony in Sicily (Millingen, Anc. Coins of Greek Cities, tab. ii. 12).
The relation of Hera to the cow is further proved by the name Ev/3olcl, which was
at once her epithet (Pausanias, ii. 22), the name of one of her nurses (Plut. Qusest.
Conviv. 3, 9, 2; Et. M. 388, 56), and the name of the island in which she was
brought up (Plut. fr. Daedal. 3). But in the name of Evfioia is contained the
a Professor Max Muller.—-Academy, January 10, 1874.
On the Site of the Homeric Troy.
with 100 idols of the owl-faced Minerva. (See Plate VII. fig. 1.) The vase further
contained a golden a/x7rvtj, called now “belle Helene,” four most artistically
made golden long earrings, fifty-six golden earrings of most fantastical shape,
six golden bracelets, 8,750 small perforated objects of gold, in form of prisms,
cubes, chariot-axles, etc., of which the larger part are ornamented with eight
or sixteen engraved lines; the silver vase contained, besides, two goblets, one
of which is of gold, the other of electron. I further found in the treasure two
beautiful small silver vases, with cylindrical loops placed vertically on each side
for suspension by a string, a goblet and shallow cup of the same metal (see
Plate VII. fig. 2), and thirteen bronze lances, fourteen bronze battle-axes, seven
bronze daggers, a large bronze knife, some fragments of a bronze sword, and
another bronze weapon of unknown use. All these objects were once contained
in a quadrangular wooden box, of which they had preserved the shape. The
large copper key which I found there proves that the wooden box once existed.
It appears that in the catastrophe of the city one or other of the chief’s or king’s
family tried to escape with the treasure, hut being prevented on the wall, either
by the fire or by the enemy, he was forced to abandon it there.
I further found in the rooms of the last chief’s or king’s palace a large number
of beautiful vases: one of them two feet high, representing the owl-faced Minerva,
ornamented with a large necklace and a broad engraved girdle. (See Plate VI. fig. 2.)
And here I must pause to inquire what is the meaning of the Homeric
epithet <y\avKcoTri<z. It has been said by a great scholar/ that, whatever else it
may mean, it cannot mean owl-headed, unless we suppose that Hera /3o£>7was
represented as a cow-headed monster. But it is not difficult to prove that this
goddess had originally a cow’s face, from which her Homeric epithet /3oa>7m
was derived. When in the battle between the gods and the giants the former
took the shape of animals, Hera took the form of a white cow, “ nivea Saturnia
vacca” (Ovid, Metam. v. 330). We find a cow’s head on the coins of the
Island of Samos, which contained the most ancient temple of Hera, and was
celebrated for its worship of this goddess (Mionnet, Descr. des Med. Ant.
pi. Ixi. 6). We further find the cow’s head on the coins of Messene, a
Samian colony in Sicily (Millingen, Anc. Coins of Greek Cities, tab. ii. 12).
The relation of Hera to the cow is further proved by the name Ev/3olcl, which was
at once her epithet (Pausanias, ii. 22), the name of one of her nurses (Plut. Qusest.
Conviv. 3, 9, 2; Et. M. 388, 56), and the name of the island in which she was
brought up (Plut. fr. Daedal. 3). But in the name of Evfioia is contained the
a Professor Max Muller.—-Academy, January 10, 1874.