History of Ancient Pottery: Greek, Etruscan, and Roman. Volume 2 (of 2) by Walters et al.
3. THE DRAMA
697 words | Chapter 120
The relation of vase-paintings to the drama has already been discussed
in Chapter XI., in which it has been shown how the tragedies of
Euripides and the farces of Rhinthon influenced the artists of Southern
Italy. It may, however, be worth while to recapitulate here the actual
representations of actors or of scenes taking place on a stage,
together with some account of the numerous burlesques of mythical
subjects.
On one curious B.F. vase (probably late and imitative) we see a rude
representation of a tragic and a comic chorus,[1603] and occasionally
on vases of this period we find figures of actors dressed up as birds,
or otherwise in comic fashion.[1604] More important in this connection
are the fifth-century vases found on the site of the Cabeiric temple at
Thebes, several of which have parodies of well-known subjects, such as
Odysseus and Kirke, or Peleus bringing the young Achilles to
Cheiron.[1605] It seems probable that these scenes are actual
reproductions of burlesque performances connected with the worship of
the Kabeiri.
We look in vain for representations of scenes from Aristophanes and the
Old Comedy, though there are one or two vases which recall (if nothing
more) episodes in the _Acharnians_[1606] and _Frogs_.[1607] But for the
rest, these comic scenes are almost confined to the vases of Southern
Italy, especially those made at Paestum, with their presentations of
the φλύακες or fourth-century farces. A fairly exhaustive list of these
was made some years ago by Heydemann,[1608] and probably requires
little emendation as yet; we repeat below a number of the more
interesting subjects, and others may be collected from the foregoing
pages in which myths are burlesqued (the Judgment of Paris, the
apotheosis of Herakles, Oedipus and the Sphinx, etc.).[1609]
(1) Zeus visiting Alkmena: Schreiber-Anderson, 5, 8 = Heydemann,
_loc. cit._ p. 276: cf. B.M. F 150.
(2) Apollo healing the Centaur Cheiron: B.M. F 151.
(3) Herakles at Delphi; Apollo takes refuge on the roof of the
temple: Reinach, i. 153, 2 = Rayet and Collignon, p. 318.
(4) Combat of Hephaistos (Daidalos) and Ares (Enyalios): B.M. F 269.
(5) Herakles with the Kerkopes: Schreiber-Anderson, 5, 2 =
Heydemann p. 281.
(6) Herakles seizing Auge: Fig. 105, Vol. I. p. 474 = Reinach, i.
123 = Heydemann, p. 279.
(7) Burlesque of the story of Antigone: Reinach, i. 273.
(8) Rape of the Palladion: B.M. F 366.
(9) Death of Priam: Berlin 3045 = Reinach, i. 370, 8.
(10) Odysseus and Kirke: Jatta 901 = Heydemann, p. 271.
(11) Odysseus in Phaeacia: Reinach, i. 153, 1.
[Illustration: FIG. 134. SCENE FROM A FARCE (BRITISH MUSEUM, F 189).]
Other scenes represent single figures, such as Herakles,[1610] or Taras
on the dolphin[1611]; or subjects from farces of daily life, such as an
actor with a table of cakes[1612] or the drunken return from a
revel.[1613] Many scenes, again, have some reference to the Satyric
drama, as on the fine vase in Naples, where Dionysos and other figures
attend the preparations for a performance of that kind[1614]; or such
scenes as that of Hera and Iris attacked by Seileni,[1615] or those
relating to adventures of Herakles and Perseus with Satyrs.[1616] Other
subjects have no particular significance, such as an actor attired as a
Seilenos playing on the flute, or dancing, or with a Sphinx,[1617]
groups of actors[1618] (in one case dressing[1619]), a comic actor
among Satyrs and Maenads,[1620] and single figures.[1621] Some, which
are apparently mythological, defy explanation.[1622]
The influence of Tragedy on vase-paintings is an indirect one, and
entirely confined to the vases of Southern Italy on the one hand, and
to the plays of Euripides on the other. The subject has been discussed
at length elsewhere in this work,[1623] and it is unnecessary here to
give a list of the subjects on South Italian vases which can be traced
to the influence of Euripides. It has also been pointed out that this
influence made itself felt, not only in the actual choice of subjects,
but generally in their treatment and arrangement, in the
quasi-architectural setting of many scenes, and in the elaborate
costumes of the figures.
[Illustration: FIG. 135. ATHLETES ENGAGED IN THE PENTATHLON (BRITISH
MUSEUM, B 134).]
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