DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1021#0354
Fig. 156. Wall Painting (Mycenae)
RELIGION 301
tongues lolling out of their mouths, and a pole over their
shoulders. Judging from other kindred designs tins pole
— if the fresco were in-
tact—would have game
dangling at either end.
On other gems and on
the Cypriote vessel we
meet with similar mon-
sters, bearing objects in
their hands; and on a
gem from Vaphio (Fig.
157) we have two mon-
sters meeting, each with
a pitcher in hand as if to water a plant which stands be-
tween them.
These monuments are hard to read, but the most proba-
ble interpretation takes the creatures upon
them for demons of forest, moan- gpintsof
tain, and stream, such as later
Greek mythology recognizes in various hy-
brid forms, most familiarly in that of the
Satyr. Greek art never so far humanized
these as to take them quite out of their connection and
companionship with the brutes; and like the Centaurs they
occupy themselves very much as do the creatures on these
Mycenaean monuments, with mountain ranging, hunting
and the like.
We may then take the ass-headed* creatures returning
with the spoils of the chase, and others of that ilk, for
archetypes of the Satyr and kindred demons. The pitcher-
bearers probably represent the genii of streams. The an-
cient Greeks, we know, were fond of likening their rivers
to different animals — as the serpent, ram, wolf — in view
RELIGION 301
tongues lolling out of their mouths, and a pole over their
shoulders. Judging from other kindred designs tins pole
— if the fresco were in-
tact—would have game
dangling at either end.
On other gems and on
the Cypriote vessel we
meet with similar mon-
sters, bearing objects in
their hands; and on a
gem from Vaphio (Fig.
157) we have two mon-
sters meeting, each with
a pitcher in hand as if to water a plant which stands be-
tween them.
These monuments are hard to read, but the most proba-
ble interpretation takes the creatures upon
them for demons of forest, moan- gpintsof
tain, and stream, such as later
Greek mythology recognizes in various hy-
brid forms, most familiarly in that of the
Satyr. Greek art never so far humanized
these as to take them quite out of their connection and
companionship with the brutes; and like the Centaurs they
occupy themselves very much as do the creatures on these
Mycenaean monuments, with mountain ranging, hunting
and the like.
We may then take the ass-headed* creatures returning
with the spoils of the chase, and others of that ilk, for
archetypes of the Satyr and kindred demons. The pitcher-
bearers probably represent the genii of streams. The an-
cient Greeks, we know, were fond of likening their rivers
to different animals — as the serpent, ram, wolf — in view