which, with the kantharos, is his favourite vessel. The keramic art fitly commemorates the cult of the horned god. On the reverse of the same Vase he holds a keras in each hand, and another lies on the ground; and in the inside of the cup he is similarly represented, Satyroi and Mainades around.1

LVI. Satyroi and Deer.-A deer, standing between two Satyroi; the one in front running and waving his hands to drive it back. The reverse almost similar.2

LVII. Ariadne-Nymphaia offering a libation to Dionysos.-The god, ivy-tressed, and with long hair and beard, receives the libation in his kanthar, which he holds out in his right hand over an altar. Ariadne, daughter of Pasiphae the All-shining and the Phoenician Minos, and granddaughter of Helios the Sun, is nonAryan in origin, although the splendour of Hellenik beauty has been thrown over her. She is also described, and truly, as the daughter of the nymph Krete, a personification of the island, and, as might be anticipated of the bride of Dionysos, belongs to the Phoenician Cycle.

LVIII. The Satyr Tyrbas, the personification of Joyous-disturbance, pursuing the Mainad Oragie, who often appears in juxtaposition with him.4

LIX. Bakchik Thiasos.-In the centre Dionysos, with long hair and beard, clad as usual in tunic and robe, peplos, and holding the kanthar and ivy-branch. Behind him, a dancing Mainad, with diadem-bound tresses, waving her hands, and wearing tunic, robe, and panther's skin round the neck; over her head EVA. Behind her, a dancing Satyr, and behind him another dancing Mainad, playing on the castanets, her hair diademed with a snake, with forked tongue outstretched; in front of her face [E]VA. In front of Dionysos another Mainad, holding a

1 Brit. Mus. Vase Cat. 675.

2 Ibid. 692.

3 Ibid. 808.

4 Ibid. 813.

snake in both hands, and with a panther's skin hanging from her shoulders. Behind her an ithyphallic Satyr, with the keras in his right hand, and another dancing and castanet-playing Mainad.1

LX. Seilenos and Bull.-A crouching Seilenos, with outstretched hands, advances to meet a bull, which is rushing towards him.2

LXI. The Mainad Opora, the personification of the late summer-bloom, holding out a basket of fruit to another Mainad; a Satyr near, with keras.3

LXII. Bakchik Thiasos.-On a vine-shaded couch, over which is a panther's skin, recline Dionysos and Ploutos, the former with the thyrsos and usual adjuncts, the latter with a keras. On the right, a torch-bearing Seilenos leads forward Hephaistos staggering, as if intoxicated; on the left a Mainad and a Seilenos bring fruits to Dionysos, and a seated female beyond them holds a dish of fruit. Below the couch is Eros, playing with a swan. A faun-skin hangs from the arm of the Seilenos on the left, and the Seilenos on the right holds an axe, pelekys, in his left hand. This instance of the Thiasos affords an excellent example of kosmic grouping. In the centre the demiurgic Dionysos, Soul-of-the-world, reclines on his spotted skin, accompanied by Ploutos, representative of the buried treasures of the earth which are in the power of the Demiurge. Both are covered by the o'ershadowing vine, the green earth-mantle of Dionysos Ernesipeplos. A torch-bearing Seilenos, representative of life-heat vigour, leads towards them the staggering flame-god,5 maimed, limping, and deformed. But this only deals with the Aryan aspect of Hephaistos, as the deformed

god passed over into Hellas from Phoenicia1, yet mighty and irresistible, the natural servant and ally of the solar Demiurge. Satyro-Seilenoi and Mainades, representatives of the male and female principles, Kain-like, bring the fruits of the earth as a fit offering for the Earth-king, and sportive Love plays before him. But, it may be asked, is it supposed that the artist in designing the group had such occult symbolism in mind? In all probability not, and so much the more valuable is his testimony as that of an unconscious witness who faithfully reproduced preexisting ideas.

An infinite number of examples of Vase-illustrations of the Dionysiak Cycle might be cited in an almost exhaustless and varied monotony; but the above-mentioned are sufficient for the purpose, and show that the testimony of the Vases, like that of all other branches of Bakchik evidence, illustrate the Oriental and kosmogonico-solar character of the god. If we do not find the Mysteries of Eleusis fully depicted, the far more important mysteries of nature are freely pourtrayed.

A few specimens of grotesque Dionysiak Vase art may be instanced:

LXIII. Cup terminating in the heads of a Seilenos and Mainad, placed back to back.-On it Dionysos, holding a bunch of grapes; and on the reverse, the androgynous Eros, also holding a grape-bunch.2

LXIV. Lekythos (oil-cruse), in the form of a Satyrik head, with mask-face, raised brows and wide open mouth.8

LXV. Lekythos, in the form of a of a seated pigmy Seilenos. Vases also occasionally occur in the shapes of wine-skins, ducks, human bodies and feet, fish, elephants, Gorgons' and negroes' heads, etc. The Janus-like cup

1 Cf. Herod. iii. 37.

2 Brit. Mus. Vase Cat. No. 1476.

3 Ibid. 1479.

4 Ibid. 1484.

symbolizes the character of the two-natured Iakchos,' attended by the sexless Eros. Among the recent Kypriot discoveries of General Cesnola are archaic Vases of various grotesque and fanciful forms. The grotesque is contrary to the indigenous Hellenik spirit, and is borrowed from the East, nor can it be found in any instance in early Hellas, except either within or under the influence of the Dionysiak Cycle. Ancient art also ran riot in the forms of Lamps, which frequently are of Satyrik shapes, or have Dionysiak subjects pourtrayed on them, but which call for no special notice.

LXVI. The celebrated karchesion, commonly called 'the two-handled cup of St. Denys.'-Dr. Birch, after remarking that the shape of the karchesion is not very intelligible from the descriptions of early writers, observes 'as, however, it was the sort of cup held by Dionysos and his "wassail rout" in the Pageant of Ptolemy Philadelphus, it was probably a kind of kantharos.' 2 Some critics consider the cup to belong to the time of Nero, others place it earlier. It was presented, in the ninth century, to the Abbey of St. Denys, and was always used to hold the wine at the coronation of the Kings of France. Its sculptures represent masks, vases, and other Bacchic emblems.' 3

Thus the general Vase attributes and adjuncts of Dionysos are his flowing locks, ivy-wreath, long tunic peplos, the vine, kanthar, keras, thyrsos, serpent, torn fawn, or goat, and long beard on the earlier Vases. Of animals, the panther, goat, bull and mule, or ass attend him. His train consists of Satyroi, Seilenoi, and Mainades; such as Oinos, Wine-personified; Hedyoinos, Sweet wine; Komos, Revel; Dithyrambos, the Dithyramb personified;

1 Cf. Wright, Hist. of Caricature and Grotesque in Literature and Art, cap. I.

2 Anct. Pottery, 380.

3 Westropp, Handbook of Archaeol. 279.

Opora, Latter-summer-bloom; Oreithyia, the free fresh life of the hills; 1 Oragie, mountain wildness; Gelos, Laughter; Briachos, a form of Iakchos; Phanope, Brighteyes; Xanthe, Golden-hair; Dorkis, Large-eyed; Klyto, Beauteous; Eros, Love; Himeros, Longing; Pothos, Desire; Simos, Flat-nosed; Tyrbas, Joyous-disturbance; Eudaimos, Luck-bringer; Euoia, a personification of the Bakchik cry Euoi; Kissos, Ivy; Nais, Water-nymph; Eirene, Peace; Galene, Calm; Chora, Dance-and-song ; and similar concepts. They drink, dance, leap, feast, play with animals at games, and on kettle-drums and castanets, chase each other, form processions, and generally serve and attend upon the god.

As there is no mystery about anything we thoroughly understand, and the conjurer's trick when explained appears simplicity itself; so the varied figures and complicated incidents of the Great Dionysiak Myth easily resolve themselves into harmonious order when once the kosmico-solar and pantheistic character of the divinity is recognised and admitted. Around the Spirit of Material Existence, their proper centre, sport the manifestations of the forces of nature and of man; and life, heat, sound, motion, and passion, find their appropriate representatives and fitting symbolism in the Bakchik train.

SECTION II.

DIONYSIAK STATUARY.

The upright stone preceded the pillar, and the pillar, the statue. Dionysos, ancient god, is known as Stylos the Pillar, and Perikionios the Column-twiner; 2 and Pillar

1 Cf. Milton: 'The mountain nymph, sweet Liberty,' Oreithyia, not

Oragie.

2 Vide inf. VIII. i. Perikionios.