Originalveroffentlichung in: Britannia 11, 1980, S. 2 8 9 - 3 0 1
A Reconsideration of some Fourth-Century British Mosaics
By R E I N H A R D S T U P P E R I C H
R
o m a n B r i t a i n in late a n t i q u i t y is a n area o f special interest t o the a r c h a e o l o g i s t , because life w a s flourishing peacefully there at a t i m e w h e n w e hear a b o u t disorder a n d d e s t r u ct i o n afflicting the n e a r b y p r o v i n c e s o n the c o n t i n e n t . Nevertheless - a n d this p e r h a p s increases t h e interest - w e k n o w very little a b o u t cultural life, a b o u t the state o f e d u c a t i o n a n d k n o w l e d g e i n t h e British p r o v i n c e s at this time. T h e C h a n n e l , w h i c h protected B r i t a i n f r o m t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e invaders, m i g h t seem t o h a v e h a d its effect a l s o o n the c u l t u r a l influx f r o m G a u l . T h e literary sources, w h i c h very s e l d o m m e n t i o n B r i t a i n after t h e Severi, p r o v i d e scarcely a n y useful i n f o r m a t i o n . T h e r e is virtually n o o n e p r o m i n e n t in literary o r even political life k n o w n t o h a v e c o m e f r o m B r i t a i n . N o r d o we k n o w a n y t h i n g a b o u t the cultural effect o f t h e c o u r t o f t h e British usurpers o r o f t h e presence o f C o n s t a n t i u s C h l o r u s a n d his s o n
C o n s t a n t i n e .1
A . A . Barrett h a s recently considered this p r o b l e m a n d has rehearsed all t h e q u o t a t i o n s a n d reminiscences w h i c h give evidence o f the influence o f classical literature in Britain.2T h i s is v e r y h e l p f u l , b u t is t o o restrictive f o r t h e general q u e s t i o n o f t h e degree o f e d u c a t i o n t o b e f o u n d i n f o u r t h - c e n t u r y Britain. O n e h a s t o l o o k f o r m o r e t h a n purely literary reflections, f o r o t h e r traces i n d i c a t i n g k n o w l e d g e ultimately derived f r o m traditional e d u c a t i o n o r t h e r e a d i n g o f classical a u t h o r s . A wider f o r m u l a t i o n o f the question will necessarily lead t o a less precise yet nonetheless interesting answer.
T h e evidence b e a r i n g o n this question h a s a l w a y s been sought a m o n g objects o f ancient art,
1 The following abbreviations are used:
ASR Die antiken Sarkophagreliefs. Ed. C. Robert, G. Rodenwaldt, F. Matz (Berlin 1890 ff.).
Curtius Curtius, L., Die Wandmalerei Pompejis (Leipzig 1929).
Dunbabin Dunbabin, K., The Mosaics of Roman North Africa. Studies in Iconography and Patronage (Oxford 1978).
Kraus Kraus, Th. and L. von Matt, Pompeji und Herculaneum. Antlitz und Schicksal zweier antiker Stadte (K61n 1977).
Levi Levi, D., Antioch Mosaic Pavements (Princeton 1947).
Rainey Rainey, A., Mosaics in Roman Britain. A Gazetteer (Newton Abbot 1973).
Reinach Reinach, S., Repertoire de Peintures Grecques et Romaines (Paris 1922).
Smith 1969 Smith, D. J., The Mosaic Pavements.' In: A. L. F. Rivet (Ed.), The Roman Villa in Britain (London 1969), 71-125.
Smith 1977 Smith, D. J., 'Mythological Figures and Scenes in Romano-British Mosaics.' In: J. Munby and M. Henig (Eds.), Roman Life and Art in Britain. A Celebration in Honour of the Eightieth Birthday of J. Toynbee (Oxford 1977: BAR. 41), 105-58, pi. i-xxxm.
Toynbee 1962 Toynbee, J. M. C , Art in Roman Britain (London 1962).
Toynbee 1964 Toynbee, J. M. C , Art in Britain under the Romans (Oxford 1964).
VCH Victoria County History.
1 would like to thank M. Ma »»ust and Professor S. S. Frere for reading a draft of this paper and correcting my English.
No illustrations have been included, as all mosaics discussed are illustrated in Smith 1977, whose respective figures are referred to in the notes.
2 'The Literary Classics in Roman Britain', Britannia ix (1978), 307-13.
289
especially t h o s e w h i c h deal w i t h m y t h o l o g i c a l subjects. If w e c o n s i d e r w h a t the c o m m o n p e o p l e o r o r d i n a r y soldiers w e r e expected t o u n d e r s t a n d w h e n l o o k i n g at t h e reverses o f c o i n s , w e m a y h o p e f o r e v e n better i n s t r u c t i o n f r o m m o r e s u m p t u o u s o b j e c t s . O f special i m p o r t a n c e w o u l d be o b j e c t s w i t h G r e e k i n s c r i p t i o n s , l i k e t h a t in t h e M u s e s ' m o s a i c at A l d b o r o u g h3 - it has a literary b a c k g r o u n d rather t h a n d e r i v i n g f r o m the o r d i n a r y l a n g u a g e o f G r e e k - s p e a k i n g p e o p l e , s o m e o f w h o m m a y still h a v e lived in B r i t a i n in the f o u r t h c e n t u r y .4 T h e C o r b r i d g e l a n x , f o r i n s t a n c e , o r the M i l d e n h a l l treasure,5 i n d i c a t e n o t o n l y great w e a l t h , b u t a l s o s o m e a c q u a i n t a n c e w i t h a n d delight in m y t h o l o g y - b u t here the p r o b l e m o f the degree o f k n o w l e d g e a n d o f t h e part p l a y e d in c h o o s i n g t h e m o t i f b y artisan a n d p a t r o n arises, a n d i n m o s t cases c a n n o t be s o l v e d . I n general o n e c a n a s s u m e that b o t h possessed at least a degree o f k n o w l e d g e ; the i n v e n t i o n a n d s t i m u l u s w o u l d f o r t h e m o s t p a r t h a v e b e e n the artist's, especially w i t h pieces f o r e x p o r t o r s t o c k . T h e artist h a d t o u n d e r s t a n d a design o r d e r e d ; t h e p a t r o n o n the o t h e r h a n d will h a v e h a d t o u n d e r s t a n d a n d a p p r e c i a t e the design, even if he m e r e l y c h o s e it f r o m the v a r i e t y o f the s t o c k o r the pattern b o o k .
T h u s m o s a i c s h a v e rightly been t a k e n as a g o o d i n s t r u m e n t f o r testing the i n f l u e n c e o f e d u c a t i o n in B r i t a i n :6 t h e y w e r e n o t i m p o r t e d ; t h e y p r o b a b l y b e l o n g e d t o t h a t p a r t o f the p r o v i n c i a l p o p u l a t i o n that m i g h t m o s t easily be e x p e c t e d t o h a v e e n j o y e d s o m e sort o f e d u - c a t i o n ; a n d t h e y were p r o d u c e d o n i n d i v i d u a l o r d e r , the p a t r o n p r o b a b l y b e a r i n g in m i n d that he w o u l d h a v e t o l o o k at t h e m d a y after d a y . B u t , r e m e m b e r i n g t h a t they a r e still m o s a i c s a n d n o m o r e , o n e m u s t n o t o v e r c h a r g e t h e m w i t h m e a n i n g .
W h a t is strange a b o u t t h e m is that after a first s h o r t p r e l u d e i n the s e c o n d century t h e y d o n o t really start t o flourish b e f o r e t h e e n d o f the t h i r d c e n t u r y . T h e c o m p a r a t i v e q u i e t o f Britain d u r i n g the s o l d i e r - e m p e r o r s ' t i m e seems n o t t o h a v e h a d a n y i m m e d i a t e effect. T h e h e y - d a y o f l o c a l m o s a i c p r o d u c t i o n o c c u r r e d d u r i n g t h e reigns o f t h e tetrarchs a n d
C o n s t a n t i n e ' s d y n a s t y , a p e r i o d that w a s slightly less settled i n B r i t a i n . O n t h e w h o l e this late g r o u p o f m o s a i c s , w h i c h h a s been g i v e n a stylistic a n d c h r o n o l o g i c a l f r a m e b y D . S m i t h ' s c a r e f u l w o r k o n the w o r k s h o p s , s h o w s s o m e c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e s c h o o l s o f t h e n o r t h - w e s t e r n p r o v i n c e s .7 H o w far influences in structure a n d design c a n be e x p l a i n e d a n d h o w f a r i n d e - p e n d e n t d e v e l o p m e n t c a n b e o b s e r v e d , are q u e s t i o n s difficult t o assess at t h e m o m e n t . F o r d e a l i n g w i t h i c o n o g r a p h i c p r o b l e m s S m i t h h a s a l s o p r o v i d e d us w i t h a very h e l p f u l i n s t r u m e n t in his c o m p l e t e c o l l e c t i o n o f m y t h o l o g i c a l figures a n d t h e m e s f o u n d in British m o s a i c s .8 T h e p u r p o s e o f the present p a p e r is n o t t o e x a m i n e his w h o l e list f o r the e v i d e n c e it m i g h t offer, b u t o n l y t o c o n t r i b u t e s o m e o b s e r v a t i o n s o n certain i n d i v i d u a l m o s a i c s , w h i c h m i g h t h e l p t o assess their v a l u e f o r the i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f the c u l t u r a l life o f their time.
THE MOSAICS (a) East Coker, Somerset
T h e m o s t interesting o f t h e m o s a i c s o f a R o m a n v i l l a at E a s t C o k e r , f o u n d in 1753, is u n - 3 Smith 1977, 119 f. No. 48. fig. 1. p. I.
4 R. G. Collingwood, The Archaeology of Roman Britain (London 1930), 177; R. G . Collingwood and J. N. L. Myres, Roman Britain and the English Settlements'1 (Oxford 1937), 182 f.; J. Liversidge, Britain in the Roman Empire (London 1968), 317 f.
5 O. Brendel, 'The Corbridge Lanx', JRS xxxi (1941), 100-27; K. S. Painter, The Mildenhall Treasure (London '977); Toynbee 1962, Nos. 106 and 198.
6 cf. e.g. I. A. Richmond, Roman Britain2 (Harmondsworth 1963), 121 ff., Smith 1969, 90 ff.; J. Liversidge, op. cit. (note 4), 317-22; S. S. Frere, Britannia. A History of Roman Britain (London 1974), 352 f.; cf. R. Irwin, The Origins of the English Library (London 1958), 54-70.
7 Smith 1969; cf. D. Johnston, in J. Munby and M. Henig (Eds.), Roman Life and Art in Britain. A Celebration in Honour of the Eightieth Birthday of J. Toynbee (Oxford 1977), 195 f. On the earlier period cf. D. J. Smith, in La mosaique Greco-Romaine ii (Paris 1975), 269 ff.
8 Smith 1977.
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y BRITISH MOSAICS 291 f o r t u n a t e l y lost. I t is p r e s e r v e d o n l y i n a d e s c r i p t i o n i n t h e Gentleman's Magazine o f t h a t y e a r a n d i n a d r a w i n g o f t h e t i m e .9 T h e t w o s o u r c e s a r e n o t c o m p l e t e l y c o n s i s t e n t . T h e d r a w i n g d e p i c t s a c o m p a r a t i v e l y large s i n g l e m e d a l l i o n set i n t o a s q u a r e field. F o u r b u s t s o f M e r c u r y i n t h e c o r n e r s h a v e b e e n r e c o g n i z e d , u n d o u b t e d l y c o r r e c t l y , a s t h e f o u r w i n d s w i t h c o n c h shells a n d w i n g e d h e a d s , as t h e y o c c u r several t i m e s o n B r i t i s h m o s a i c s .1 0 A d o u b l e r o w o f c o n c e n t r i c circles o n a s h o r t s e c t i o n o f t h e f r a m e o f s q u a r e a n d m e d a l l i o n is t h e d r a u g h t s m a n ' s w a y o f r e p r o d u c i n g a d o u b l e g u i l l o c h e . T h e figures i n the m e d a l l i o n a p p e a r t o b e r a t h e r s m a l l , b u t s o m e s h a d i n g s e e m s t o suggest l a n d s c a p e a r o u n d t h e m . P e r h a p s t h e d r a u g h t s m a n d i d n o t entirely m a i n t a i n t h e p r o p o r t i o n s , p e r h a p s h e neglected s o m e d a m a g e d d e t a i l s , a s is suggested b y t h e m i s s i n g f o u r t h figure m e n t i o n e d i n t h e d e s c r i p t i o n .
A w o m a n is l y i n g o n a s l i g h t l y a s c e n d i n g c o u c h l i k e s u p p o r t w i t h a c l o a k d r a p e d a r o u n d h e r legs. T h e n u d e u p p e r p a r t o f t h e b o d y is s h o w n f r o n t a l l y a n d raised o n t h e left a r m s u p p o r t i n g t h e h e a d . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e o l d d e s c r i p t i o n , t h e e l b o w rests o n a n h o u r - g l a s s a n d t h e r i g h t a r m h o l d s a f l o w e r - p o t , b u t n o t h i n g o f t h a t s o r t is t o b e seen in t h e d r a w i n g .1 1 A t t h e feet o f t h i s figure s t a n d s a w o m a n w i t h l o n g c u r l y h a i r , w h o w e a r s a c r o w n w i t h a c r o s s o n t o p , a l o n g g o w n a n d o v e r it a c l o a k , w h i c h h a s sleeves w i t h cuffs a n d , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e d e s c r i p t i o n , p u r p l e strips a l o n g t h e b o r d e r . I n her right h a n d s h e h o l d s a s e m i c i r c u l a r o b j e c t l i k e a b a g o r b a s k e t . T h e r i g h t leg is t u r n e d w a y , b u t t h e left a r m is e x t e n d e d t o w a r d s t h e r e c l i n i n g w o m a n a n d t h e h e a d i s t u r n e d t o w a r d s her. T h e d e s c r i p t i o n a d d s t h a t this w o m a n a s w e l l a s a n o t h e r o n e a t h e r s i d e ( m i s s i n g i n t h e d r a w i n g ) t o u c h t h e d r a p e r y o f t h e r e c l i n i n g figure. T h a t t h e h a n d i n t h e d r a w i n g is m u c h h i g h e r t h a n t h e k n e e m a y b e d u e t o negligent c o p y i n g . B e h i n d t h e legs o f t h e r e c l i n i n g w o m a n s t a n d s a s t o u t b a l d m a n w i t h t w o - p o i n t e d b e a r d dressed in a l o n g g o w n a n d h o l d i n g a t o r c h i n h i s left h a n d . H e is t u r n e d t o w a r d s t h e c r o w n e d w o m a n a n d p o i n t s t o t h e r e c l i n i n g o n e w i t h his right f o r e f i n g e r . T h e 1 8 t h - c e n t u r y interpreter t a k e s h i m f o r a ' p h y s i c i a n . . . p r e p a r e d t o d o s o m e o p e r a t i o n b y t h e fire, either c u p p i n g o r b u r n i n g * . J u s t a s w i t h t h e c o r n e r - b u s t s , b o t h t h e w r i t e r o f t h e d e s c r i p t i o n a n d t h e d r a u g h t s m a n , u n f a m i l i a r w i t h a n c i e n t a r t , h a d d i f f i c u l t y i n u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e central p i c t u r e , a n d s o m i s r e p r e s e n t e d it in t e r m s o f o b j e c t s a n d s i t u a t i o n s k n o w n t o t h e m . I n s t e a d o f t h i s a n a c h r o n i s t i c i n t e r p r e t a t i o n S i r I a n R i c h m o n d suggested t h a t t h e b i r t h o f B a c c h u s w a s a c t u a l l y w h a t w a s represented, a n d t h i s h a s g e n e r a l l y b e e n a c c e p t e d .1 2 T h e r e c l i n i n g w o m a n h e u n d e r s t o o d as S e m e l e g i v i n g b i r t h t o h e r s o n D i o n y s u s - B a c c h u s i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f J u n o a n d J u p i t e r . T h e c r o w n is J u n o ' s d i a d e m , t h e t o r c h is J u p i t e r ' s l i g h t n i n g w h i c h c a u s e d S e m e l e ' s d e a t h . F o r t h e lost f o u r t h figure h e suggests I n o , S e m e l e ' s sister a n d t h e first n u r s e o f D i o n y s u s . A p a r t f r o m t h e facts t h a t this t h e m e is o f n o special i m p o r t a n c e , o n m o n u m e n t s o r i n literature, a n d t h a t a b a l d J u p i t e r w o u l d b e r i d i c u l o u s , n e i t h e r J u n o ' s p r e s e n c e n o r t h e general t y p o l o g y a n d gesture o f t h e figures fit t h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n v e r y well.
I f , o n t h e c o n t r a r y , w e start f r o m t h e t y p o l o g y o f t h e w h o l e scene - k e e p i n g i n m i n d t h e
8 Drawing in the Bodleian Library, Oxford: VCH Somerset i (1906), 303, fig. 88; Smith 1969, 91, fig. 3.3;
Smith 1977, 136, No. 109; 146, No. 131, pi. xira. The description in Gentleman's Magazine (1753), 293 is cited by Rainey 68 and Smith 1977, 146.
10 For instance Toynbee 1964, 240; Rainey, 68; cf. Frampton: Smith 1977 Nos. 107 ff. especially No. 109 pi. xmb. (Such busts of Mercury actually do appear in mosaics in Britain, for instance at Rudston (Smith 1977, pi. xxixa) but of course not four times.)
11 An hour-glass in a related scene (Mars—Rhea Silvia): Robert, ASR iii 2, No. 190 pi. LXI.
121. A. Richmond, Roman Britain* (Harmondsworth 1963), 123; cited also by Toynbee 1964. Smith 1969 and 1977 and Rainey, 68; cf. A. A. Barrett, Britannia ix (1978), 312. Semele giving birth to Dionysus seldom appears in Roman art, for instance on Dionysiac sarcophagi. Details such as the child Dionysus, the Ilithyiae and Mercury are necessarily present. Cf. A. Greifenhagen, Rom. Mitt, xlvi (1931), 27-30, pi. 1 f.; G. Hanfmann, Am. Journ. Arch, xliii (1939), 239 ff.; F. Matz, ASR iv 3, 343 ff-. Nos. 195-198; 196 f- A rather strange painting, once in the collection of Prince Galitzin, was already suspect to Reinach (16, 5); cf. also an ivory pyxis of the fifth century A.D. in Bologna, Museo Civico.
292
p r o b a b l e m i s r e n d e r i n g o f several d e t a i l s - w e a r e r e m i n d e d o f t h e finding o f A r i a d n e o n N a x o s b y D i o n y s u s a n d his t h i a s u s , w h i c h is s o o f t e n represented i n R o m a n a r t .1 3 N e i t h e r t h e a r c h e t y p e o f this p i c t u r e , w h i c h g o e s b a c k v i a H e l l e n i s t i c i n t e r m e d i a r y stages t o a classical p a i n t i n g , n o r its great v a r i e t y o f c o m p o s i t i o n n e e d t o b e d i s c u s s e d here. T h e m a i n e l e m e n t s a r e t h e sleeping, o r j u s t - a w a k i n g , A r i a d n e in t h e f o r e g r o u n d ( s o m e t i m e s seen f r o m t h e f r o n t , s o m e t i m e s f r o m the b a c k ) a n d the a p p r o a c h i n g g o d B a c c h u s . O f t e n s o m e m e m b e r s o f h i s t h i a s u s are a d d e d , s u c h a s P a n , S i l e n u s o r a s a t y r , w h o call their m a s t e r ' s a t t e n t i o n t o t h e s l e e p i n g girl, o r e v e n lift h e r c l o a k t o d i s p l a y h e r , t h o u g h m o r e t o t h e s p e c t a t o r t h a n t o t h e g o d . T h e r e c l i n i n g A r i a d n e p r e s e n t s n o d i f f i c u l t y . H e r right a r m is n o t a l w a y s p u t a r o u n d t h e h e a d in the a n c i e n t gesture o f sleep. S o m e t i m e s s h e l e a n s o n h e r left a r m as s h e d o e s here. T h e c o a r s e s t y l i z a t i o n o f late m o s a i c s e x p l a i n s t h e c o n f u s i o n b e t w e e n m a l e a n d f e m a l e figures b y o b s e r v e r s u n a c c u s t o m e d t o a n c i e n t i c o n o g r a p h y . O n e c o u l d e a s i l y i m a g i n e t h e h e a d o f B a c c h u s in o t h e r m o s a i c s , as f o r i n s t a n c e at C h e d w o r t h ,1 4 b e i n g m i s u n d e r s t o o d as a f e m a l e h e a d w i t h a c r o w n . T h e n there is t h e l o n g f e m a l e g o w n , w h i c h h a s a l w a y s been c u s t o m a r y f o r D i o n y s o s - B a c c h u s a n d w h i c h a c c o u n t s f o r t h e i n d i c a t i o n o f f e m a l e breasts i n the d r a w i n g . T h e ' b a g ' i n t h e g o d ' s h a n d m i g h t be a large c u p . T h e gesture o f p o i n t i n g o n e finds e l s e w h e r e w i t h B a c c h u s a n d t h e respective ' f i n d e r ' o f A r i a d n e . T h e b e a r d e d b a l d h e a d is easily r e c o g n i z e d t h e n as S i l e n u s . T h a t h e is slightly t o o large c o m p a r e d t o B a c c h u s c a n b e a t t r i b u t e d t o t h e d r a u g h t s m a n a g a i n . T h e l o s t w o m a n b e t w e e n t h e m suggests a m a e n a d , b u t t h e gesture d e s c r i b e d w o u l d better fit P a n o r a satyr s h o w i n g A r i a d n e t o h i s m a s t e r . I f t h i s e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e m o s a i c a t East C o k e r s h o u l d s e e m a c c e p t a b l e , t h e r e p e r t o i r e o f B r i t i s h m o s a i c s w o u l d b e e n r i c h e d b y o n e o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t t h e m e s o f D i o n y s i a c i c o n o g r a p h y , n o t r e c o g n i z e d here p r e v i o u s l y .
(b) Chedworth, Glos.
T h e m a i n m o s a i c o f t h e w e l l - k n o w n v i l l a a t C h e d w o r t h c o n s i s t s o f eight t r a p e z o i d a l fields s u r r o u n d i n g a n o c t a g o n .1 5 W h i l e t h e f o u r s e a s o n s in t h e t r i a n g u l a r c o r n e r - f i e l d s a r e still n e a r l y c o m p l e t e , o n l y t h r e e o f t h e t r a p e z o i d s a r e s o m u c h a s h a l f p r e s e r v e d . O f t w o o t h e r s o n l y t i n y f r a g m e n t s a r e left. I n e a c h field a s a t y r a n d a m a e n a d w e r e r e p r e s e n t e d ; i n t h e l o s t o c t a g o n , t h e r e f o r e , a p i c t u r e o f t h e l o r d o f the t h i a s u s , B a c c h u s , h a s b e e n s u s p e c t e d .1 6
T h e three b e t t e r - p r e s e r v e d fields lie t o w a r d s t h e e n t r a n c e o f t h e r o o m b e s i d e a n o r n a m e n t a l e n t r a n c e s e c t i o n . It is s t r i k i n g t h a t t h e m i d d l e field is b r o a d e r t h a n t h e o t h e r t w o a n d d i f f e r s i n c o m p o s i t i o n f r o m t h e m a n d o b v i o u s l y a l s o f r o m t h e n e x t o n e o n t h e l e f t : there^the c o u p l e s a r e m o v i n g v i o l e n t l y a n d a t t h e s a m e t i m e c l o s e l y e m b r a c i n g o n e a n o t h e r , w h e r e a s h e r e t h e t w o figures a r e seated at a s h o r t d i s t a n c e f r o m o n e a n o t h e r i n a rather s y m m e t r i c a l p o s i t i o n a r o u n d t h e a x i s o f the field a n d o f t h e w h o l e r o o m . T h e legs p o i n t o u t w a r d s ; t h e h e a d s a r e t u r n e d t o w a r d s o n e a n o t h e r . T h i s r e m i n d s u s o f t h e w a y t h a t D i o n y s u s a n d A r i a d n e a r e s o m e - t i m e s r e p r e s e n t e d sitting t o g e t h e r , a l o n e o r in t h e m i d d l e o f t h e i r t h i a s u s .1 7 T h a t t h e figure
13cf. e.g. Reinach, i n ff.; 112, 6; 113, 1-15; Curtius, 308 ff. figs. 176-79; Philostratus the Elder, Imagines 1, 15. Levi, pi. xxvua, xxvub; V. von Gonzenbach, Die romischen Mosaiken der Schweiz (Basel 1961), pi. 78;
M. Borda, La pittura Romana (Milano 1958), fig. on p. 365; H. Stern, Reeueil general des Mosaiques de la Caule (Gallia Suppl. 10). i 1 (Paris 1957), pi. 39; A. Blanco Freijeiro, Mosaicos Romanos de Merida (Madrid 1978), pi. 26a. F. Matz, ASR iv 3, Nos. 207-29.
14 See below. Cf. for instance Curtius, figs. 176-77; Levi pi. ta.
15 R. Goodburn, The Roman Villa of Chedworth (London 1972), 25 pi. 6 ; R.C.H.M., Iron Age and Romano- British Monuments in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds (1976), pis. 4 - 5 ; Smith 1977, 130 No. 85, 139 f- No. 120, pi. ixe.
** Satyrs and maenads: Toynbee 1964, 267; Goodburn, loc. cit. (note 15) 25; Rainey, 40 f.; Smith 1977, 139. Bacchus in the centre: Goodburn, loc. cit.
17 Curtius, 354 ff. fig. 193; 369 fig. 201; A. Maiuri, La Villa dei Misteri (Roma 193O, fig. 58, pi. 8 and 10;
K. Schefold, Pompejanische Malerei (Basel 1952), pi. 2; Reinach, 114, 4 and 6; J. Baity, Mosaiques antiques de Syrie (Bruxelles 1977), 50 Nos. 20 ff.; M. Yacoub, Le Muse'e du Bardo (Tunis 1970), 184 fig- 101 rTh. Kraus,
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y BRITISH MOSAICS 2 9 3 o n t h e r i g h t is n o t a satyr b u t B a c c h u s is s u p p o r t e d n o t o n l y b y t h e a c c e n t u a t e d p o s i t i o n o f t h i s field, b u t a l s o b y c o m p a r i s o n w i t h t h e satyr o n t h e l e f t : i n s t e a d o f s h o r t h a i r w i t h a s h a g g y w r e a t h h e h a s l o n g curls, w h i c h a r e g i v e n a c r o w n - l i k e c o n t o u r b y t h e i m p r e s s i o n o f a b a n d e a u . T h i s s i m p l i f i c a t i o n o f B a c c h u s ' s u s u a l c o i f f u r e w i t h w r e a t h a n d b a n d e a u e x p l a i n s w e l l t h e m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f his r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o n t h e m o s a i c a t E a s t C o k e r .1 8 T h e t h y r s u s , w h i c h is larger t h a n t h a t i n t h e o t h e r fields, a n d t h e v e l u m - l i k e c l o a k i n t h e b a c k g r o u n d fit t h i s i n t e r - p r e t a t i o n . T h e r o u n d o b j e c t i n t h e g o d ' s left h a n d c o u l d b e a t y m p a n u m l i k e t h e o n e o n t h e g r o u n d i n t h e n e x t field; b u t it m i g h t b e a r e d u c e d f o r m o f a d r i n k i n g c u p , w h i c h w o u l d b e m o r e s u i t a b l e f o r B a c c h u s h i m s e l f . T h e w o m a n a t h i s side m u s t b e A r i a d n e t h e n . T h i s m a n n e r o f r e p r e s e n t i n g t h e m is q u i t e s i m i l a r t o t h e pictures o f their w e d d i n g ,1 9 a n d f r o m t h a t special t y p e t h e m o r e g e n e r a l o n e f o u n d at C h e d w o r t h m i g h t h a v e b e e n i n f l u e n c e d ; s o t h i s i m p o r t a n t e p i s o d e i n t h e D i o n y s i a c m y t h , t h o u g h n o t e x p l i c i t l y represented, m a y w e l l h a v e b e e n i n t e n - t i o n a l l y h i n t e d a t here. O n e m a y expect t h a t the d e s t r o y e d m i d d l e o c t a g o n w i l l n o t h a v e d u p l i - c a t e d B a c c h u s . D i o n y s u s a n d A r i a d n e are o f t e n figured a m o n g their t h i a s u s , e v e n i n c o m p a r a b l e c i r c u l a r c o m p o s i t i o n s ;2 0 o n t h e o t h e r h a n d t h e c e n t r a l fields o f s u c h m o s a i c c o m p o s i t i o n s d o n o t n e e d t o h a v e a direct, i m m e d i a t e l y o b v i o u s r e l a t i o n t o t h e pictures s u r r o u n d i n g t h e m .
( c ) Keynsham, Somerset
O n e o f t h e m o s t interesting m o s a i c s f o r t h e t r a d i t i o n o f m y t h o l o g y a n d p i c t u r e - t y p e s w a s f o u n d i n a h e x a g o n a l r o o m o p e n i n g o n t h e great c o u r t y a r d o f t h e v i l l a a t K e y n s h a m .2 1 T h e r e c t a n g u l a r a n d s e m i c i r c u l a r a l c o v e s o f t h e six w a l l s a r e n o t i n t e g r a t e d i n t o t h e o r n a m e n t a l h e x a g o n . A m o n g t h e v a r i o u s s m a l l fields w i t h b i r d s a n d o r n a m e n t s , six larger s q u a r e s a r e set.
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , o n l y three o f t h e m are p r e s e r v e d , a n d e v e n these n o t c o m p l e t e l y .
T h e w e l l - p r e s e r v e d m i d d l e o n e is w i t h o u t c o m p l i c a t i o n : E u r o p a m o u n t e d o n t h e b u l l is seen, n o t i n t h e f r e q u e n t t y p e c r o s s i n g t h e sea, as f o r i n s t a n c e a t L u l l i n g s t o n e , b u t at a n earlier s t a g e : t h e b u l l settled o n t h e b e a c h is b e i n g d e c o r a t e d w i t h g a r l a n d s b y E u r o p a a n d f e d f r o m a b a s k e t b y o n e o f her c o m p a n i o n s . T h i s o b v i o u s l y is a r e p e t i t i o n - t h o u g h s i m p l i f i e d a n d c u t a t t h e edges - o f a p i c t u r e - t y p e k n o w n , f o r i n s t a n c e , f r o m a p a i n t i n g a t P o m p e i i2 2 that m a y g o b a c k t o a G r e e k o r i g i n a l .
O f t h e field t o the left, a b o u t t h e u p p e r left q u a r t e r is d e s t r o y e d . T h i s h a s h i n d e r e d u n d e r - s t a n d i n g o f t h e c o m p o s i t i o n a n d o f t h e w h o l e scene. T h e r e is a clear s e p a r a t i o n o f t h e b a c k - g r o u n d b y a l o w w a l l o r t h e like. B e h i n d it a b e a r d e d m a n w i t h a stick l o o k s d o w n t o w a r d s t h e a c t i o n i n t h e c e n t r e , f r o m w h e r e a figure is r u n n i n g o f f t o t h e r i g h t in d i s g u s t , h o r r o r o r a l a r m , a s e x p r e s s e d b y t h e gesture o f t h e h a n d s . I n t h e m i d d l e a f e m a l e figure w i t h a g a r m e n t c o v e r i n g o n l y t h e legs is b e n d i n g t o t h e o t h e r side. H e r left a r m crosses t h e b o d y . H e r r i g h t leg is s h o w n
Propytten Kunstgeschichte ii (Berlin 1967), pi. 343b; A. Garcia y Bellido, Arte Romanf (Madrid 1972), 525 fig. 920. F. Matz, ASR iv 1, Nos. 36-41, No. 75 f- Rhyton from Plovdiv: Encichpedia dell Arte Antiqua 111, 116 fig. 146.
"c^noteT?, espe^Sly4Curtius 356 ff-; Maiuri, op. cit (note 17). 148-51; Schefold, op. cit. (note 17}, 55 ff-, '9*° Thiasus with Bacchus on a circular frieze around an independent central picture for instance on the Oceanus Cup of the Mildenhall Treasure: Toynbee 1962, No. 106 pi. 117; K. S. Painter, op. cit. (note 5),
fi8"AaBduneid-D. E. Home, Archaeologia lxxv (1926), 109-38; 125 ff., pi. 16-18 (plan of the villa: H I
fig. 1, of room W: 127, fig- 6); Toynbee 1964, 240 f.. pi. 57; Rainey, 101; Smith 1977, 141 No. 123; 149 f.
Nos. 137-8, pi. xix, b-d. Only the pictured fields are now in the museum of a chocolate factory (Cadbury-
S C
SMR&*S^T 2S
,5;
Curtius, pi. iv; W. J. T. Peters, Landscape in Romano-Campanian Mural Painting (Assen 1963), 96 pt- xxi, 80.2 9 4
i n profile, t h e left o n e f r o n t a l l y , it s e e m s ; t h e r e f o r e t h e f o o t i n p r o f i l e f u r t h e r t o t h e left s h o u l d b e l o n g t o a n o t h e r figure, as s h o u l d t h e e n d o f a c l o a k o n t h e g r o u n d . A d a r k , s q u a r e field b e h i n d t h e sitting figure, b u t in f r o n t o f t h e a r m o f t h e r u n n i n g o n e , h a s b e e n e x p l a i n e d a s t h e b a c k o f a t h r o n e . J . M . C . T o y n b e e ' s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h e s c e n e as L e d a w i t h t h e s w a n2 3 is w e a k e n e d b y t h e m i x i n g u p o f d r a p e r y a n d s w a n ' s f e a t h e r s a s w e l l a s b y t h e u n n e c e s s a r y d o u b l i n g o f J u p i t e r a s s w a n a n d s p e c t a t o r . A m o r e a t t r a c t i v e e x p l a n a t i o n is t h a t t h e p i c t u r e reflects the o f t e n - c o p i e d p a i n t i n g o f A c h i l l e s a m o n g t h e d a u g h t e r s o f L y c o m e d e s o n S c y r o s , a s h a s been suggested b y I. M . B a r t o n .2 4 T h e f r i g h t e n e d girl o n t h e right, t h o u g h a r a t h e r c o m - m o n t y p e , d o e s t u r n u p t h e r e ; t h e figures in t h e b a c k , a m o n g t h e m k i n g L y c o m e d e s w i t h his sceptre, d o s o m e t i m e s s t a n d b e y o n d a s m a l l s e p a r a t i n g w a l l . A c h i l l e s s h o u l d h a v e b e e n d e p i c t e d o n t h e left t h e n ; m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n O d y s s e u s a n d D i o m e d e s m i g h t h a v e b e e n t h o u g h t t h e i n c l u s i o n o f t h e t r u m p e t e r in t h e b a c k g r o u n d . B u t t h i s e x p l a n a t i o n t o o is u n s a t i s - f a c t o r y , a n d s o m e o t h e r s u b j e c t m o r e rarely d e p i c t e d m a y b e i n t e n d e d .2 5 A n y w a y t h e c l o s e n e s s o f t h e c o m p o s i t i o n t o s o m e P o m p e i a n p a i n t i n g s t h a t c o p y G r e e k o r i g i n a l s o f t h e f o u r t h c e n t u r y B.C. s h o w s t h a t t h i s scene is still i n s p i r e d b y t h e s a m e i c o n o g r a p h i c t r a d i t i o n .
T o t h e right o f E u r o p a a n d t h e b u l l , o n l y t h e l o w e r p a r t o f a field r e m a i n s , t w o figures i n l o n g g o w n s a n d c l o a k s . T h e o n e o n t h e left is sitting o n a n i r r e g u l a r d a r k o b j e c t , s e e m i n g l y a r o c k . H e r right leg is s h o w n f r o n t a l l y , t h e left o n e i n p r o f i l e is s u p p o r t e d b y a s m a l l e r b l o c k . T h e e x a c t p o s i t i o n o f t h e u p p e r p a r t o f t h e b o d y is n o t q u i t e clear, b u t e v e r y t h i n g suggests t h a t it w a s t u r n e d i n profile. T h e e n d o f a r o u g h l y s t y l i z e d t i b i a in t h e c e n t r e c a n b e p r o l o n g e d t o t h e a r e a o f the f a c e ; a s e c o n d t u b e o n t h e left is a l m o s t c o m p l e t e l y d e s t r o y e d . O f t h e figure o p p o s i t e e v e n less is left. S h e s e e m s t o h a v e b e e n sitting a l m o s t s y m m e t r i c a l l y i n a s i m i l a r p o s i t i o n . H e r left h a n d , f r a g m e n t e d j u s t a b o v e t h e wrist, is h o l d i n g a d a r k r o u n d o b j e c t w i t h l i g h t r i m . T h o u g h g e n e r a l l y t a k e n f o r a t y m p a n u m , it m i g h t well b e a vessel w i t h a w i d e m o u t h seen f r o m a b o v e . F r o m t h i s a s o r t o f d a r k p i l l a r c o n v e r g i n g t o w a r d s t h e b o t t o m l e a d s t o a n i m - p o r t a n t b u t c o n t r o v e r s i a l o b j e c t , a n i r r e g u l a r l y - s h a p e d f r a m e o n t h e g r o u n d b e t w e e n t h e feet o f t h e t w o figures. It c o n t a i n s a h e l m e t e d h e a d w i t h t i b i a e i n t h e m o u t h . T h e e x p l a n a t i o n as t h e t o r n - o f f h e a d o f O r p h e u s g i v i n g o r a c l e s w h i l e floating d o w n t h e river e x p l a i n s t h e h e l m e t as a m i s r e n d e r e d P h r y g i a n c a p , b u t is u n a c c e p t a b l e ; t h e t i b i a e are n o t a n u n d e r s t a n d a b l e s u b s t i t u t e f o r t h e c h a r a c t e r i s t i c lyre o f O r p h e u s .2 6 T h e crested h e l m e t is r e n d e r e d t o o w e l l - b u t it d o e s n o t f o r c e t h e e x p l a n a t i o n a s a m a l e , o r e v e n a s a R o m a n soldier's h e a d .2 7
A t i b i a e p l a y e r in f r o n t o f a b o x w i t h a h e a d i n it c a n b e f o u n d in d i f f e r e n t c o n t e x t s , f o r i n s t a n c e , the ' p r e p a r a t i o n o f a s a t y r p l a y ' o n a w a l l - p a i n t i n g i n P o m p e i i ,2 8 w i t h m a s k s , b u t t h i s will n o t b e m e a n t here. T h e i r r e g u l a r c o n t o u r o n t h e g r o u n d c a n n o t b e a n y t h i n g b u t a reflecting w a t e r surface. T h e v e r y f a c t t h a t a b o v e t h e t i b i a e - p l a y i n g h e a d is represented a n o t h e r
23 Toynbee 1964, 240; Rainey, IOI a n d 7 7 f . ; contrary Smith 1977,149. A similar scheme for Jupiter-Danae:
A. Blanco-Freijeiro, Mosaicos Romanos de Italica (Madrid 1978), pi. 7a. For Leda in Roman art see e.g.:
Reinach, 16, 7-17; Robert, ASR ii, No. 2-9 pi. 2-3.
24 Mentioned by Smith 1977, 149; for the theme cf. Reinach 166, 2-167, 1; Curtius fig. 124, pi. II; Dunbabin pi. VI, 12; Robert, ASR ii, No. 20 ff., pi. 6 ff.; L. Guerrini, Archaeologia Classica xxiv (1972), 27 ff.; F. Brommer, Denkmcilerlisten zur griechisehen Heldensage ii (Marburg 1974), 80 ff.; V. M. Strocka, Die Wandmalerei der Hang-Hiiuser in Ephesos (Forschungen in Ephesos viii/i: Wien 1977), 108 f. with a list in note 380. Cf. especially the mosaic at Sainte-Colombe: Inventaire des Mosaiques de la Gaule i (1909), No. 198; Reinach 167, I; Monu- ments Piot Ivi (1969), 41, fig. 37.
23 The frightened girl running off is a frequent type in representations of several different stories apart from Achilles on Scyros; to cite just sarcophagus reliefs for instance with Proserpina (ASR iii 3, Nos. 358 ff. pi.
119 ff.), the Dioscuri carrying off the Leucippidae (ASR iii 2, Nos. 180-85 P'- 67 ff), Orestes killing Clytaemnestra and Aegistheus (ASR ii, No. 154 pi. 54, cf. the following) or among the dying Niobids (ASR iii 3, Nos. 312 ff.
pi. 99 ff.).
28 Toynbee 1964, 241; Rainey, [01; contrary: Smith 1977, 149 f.
Bulleid-Horne, loc. cit. (note 21) 128: Smith 1977, 149 f.
28 Curtius, fig. 26; Kraus, fig, 49.
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y BRITISH MOSAICS 295 t i b i a e - p l a y i n g figure p o i n t s t o a reflected i m a g e . T h i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n is strengthened b y c o m - p a r i s o n w i t h t h e w a y in w h i c h this detail is rendered o n o t h e r m o s a i c s . T h e s t o r y o f N a r c i s s u s , w e l l - k n o w n f r o m O v i d ' s Metamorphoses, offers g o o d parallels.2 9 T h e p o p u l a r p i c t u r e - t y p e o f Perseus a n d A n d r o m e d a r e g a r d i n g t h e h e a d o f M e d u s a reflected i n the w a t e r3 0 is n o t q u i t e as c l o s e , because o f its s y m m e t r i c a l c o m p o s i t i o n . H e r e , as in t h e o t h e r scenes o f the m o s a i c , w e shall h a v e t o l o o k f o r a m y t h o l o g i c a l t h e m e . P h i l o s t r a t u s the E l d e r3 1 describes a p i c t u r e o f a u l o i - p l a y i n g O l y m p o s , w h o l o o k s at h i m s e l f m i r r o r e d in a f o u n t a i n . B u t this p l a y e r d o e s n o t c o r r e s p o n d t o t h e rest o f the l e f t - h a n d figure at K e y n s h a m . I d e n t i f i c a t i o n m u s t start f r o m the h e a d o f this figure, w h i c h is n o t q u i t e lost, since its reflected i m a g e is preserved o n t h e g r o u n d . A f e m a l e figure w e a r i n g a h e l m e t , b l o w i n g tibiae, a n d l o o k i n g at her o w n i m a g e in the w a t e r - this c a n be n o o n e b u t M i n e r v a herself, the i n v e n t o r o f the t i b i a e ; w h e n she realized that her face w a s disfigured b y the b l o w n - u p cheeks, she t h r e w a w a y her n e w i n v e n t i o n a n d left it t o M a r s y a s , w h o c h a l l e n g e d A p o l l o w i t h it a n d so b r o u g h t a b o u t their f a m o u s m a t c h a n d his o w n e n d . T h e d e f o r m a t i o n o f her face s t r u c k M i n e r v a w h e n l o o k i n g o n the surface o f the l a k e , w h e r e she h a d collected the reeds f o r t h e i n s t r u m e n t . T h i s m o m e n t w a s reiterated b y O v i d in several v a r i a t i o n s , s o it m u s t h a v e been well k n o w n even i n later R o m a n t i m e s .3 2 S u r p r i s i n g l y , it is n o t f o u n d v e r y o f t e n in p i c t o r i a l representations, a l t h o u g h later e p i s o d e s o f the s t o r y - the t h r o w i n g a w a y a n d finding o f t h e tibiae, the m a t c h b e t w e e n A p o l l o a n d M a r s y a s a n d the latter's bitter e n d - f r e q u e n t l y are. T h e story is seen i n all its phases r o l l i n g o f f i n a w i d e l a n d s c a p e o n a m u r a l p a i n t i n g o f t h e t h i r d style f r o m P o m p e i i .3 3 I n t h e f o r e g r o u n d M i n e r v a w i t h her crested h e l m e t is sitting at the f o o t o f a r o c k o n the s h o r e o f a l a k e , b l o w i n g her tibiae, w h i l e in f r o n t o f her a n y m p h c o m i n g u p f r o m t h e w a t e r h o l d s o u t a b i g m i r r o r s y m b o l i z i n g t h e re- flecting water surface. M a r s y a s ' s a c t i o n s f o l l o w in t h e b a c k g r o u n d . M y t h o l o g i c a l pictures o f this t y p e o f t e n reassemble p i c t u r e - t y p e s a n d e l e m e n t s f r o m o l d e r o r i g i n a l s in their n e w c o m - p r e h e n s i v e f r a m e . I n a n o t h e r w a l l - p a i n t i n g , o n c e at R o m e ,3 4 M i n e r v a w i t h h e l m e t a n d tibiae is sitting b e t w e e n t w o n y m p h s , o n e o f w h o m leans o n a vessel. N e i t h e r w a t e r n o r m i r r o r c a n be r e c o g n i z e d here, b u t the general p i c t u r e - t y p e is the s a m e . R o m a n figured s a r c o p h a g i d e v o t e d t o the s t o r y g i v e f e w explicit parallels f o r this e p i s o d e ;3 5 o n l y o n t h e sides M i n e r v a a n d M a r s y a s as well as t h e n y m p h s s o m e t i m e s a r e s h o w n together. T h e m a t c h with A p o l l o w a s m u c h m o r e i m p o r t a n t . T h e s e c o n d figure o n t h e K e y n s h a m m o s a i c , w h i c h c a n n o t be M a r s y a s , is p r o b a b l y a n y m p h i n d i c a t i n g the l o c a t i o n . T h e r o u n d o b j e c t in her h a n d m u s t b e her f o u n t a i n3 6 a n d the strip u n d e r it t h e water-jet f a l l i n g i n t o the s m a l l lake, M i n e r v a ' s m i r r o r .
29 Ovid, Metamorphoses iii, 339 ff.; Philostratus the Elder, Imagines i, 23; cf. Reinach, 196-7; Kraus, fig.
257; V. von Gonzenbach op. cit. (note 13) pi. 63 and 85; Th. Kraus, Propyliien Kunstgeschkhte ii (Berlin 1967), pi- 347-
30 Reinach, 206, 1-4; 207, 1-2; cf. Brading: Smith 1977, 139 No. 119, pi. vi. b.
31 Philostratus the Elder, Imagines, i, 21 (pointed out to me by W. Holscher).
32 Ovid, Fasti vi, 697-710, especially 699-702; cf. ibid, vi, 701 with Ovid, Ars iii, 505 f., Ovid, Metamorphoses vi, 386; 'tibias ad fontem' proverbial: Lactantius iii, 14, 1; cf. F. Bomer, Kommentar zti den Fasten (Heidelberg
1958), 382. See for instance Apollodorus, Bibliotheca i, 42; Hyginus, Fabulae 165; Athenaeus, Deipnoso- phistae xiv, 616 (Kaibel p. 360).
33 Reinach 21, 2; W. J. T. Peters, op. cit. (note 22), 83, pi. xix, 69. (Further figures cited by K. Schefold, Die Wiinde Pompejis (Berlin 1957), 72).
34 Reinach; 21,1. The destroyed painting at Pompeii vi, 16, 28 remains obscure: 'Marsyas (?) lernt von Nymphe das Floten? Rechts oben Priap?' (Schefold, loc. cit. (note 33) 159).
35 C. Robert, ASR iii 2, 242 ff., especially No. 196 pi. 63; cf. Nos. 205 and 207 pi. 67, No. 208 pi. 68; H.
Sichtermann-G. Koch, Griechische Mythen auf romischen Sarkophagen (Tubingen 1975). No. 35 pi. 85; No.
36 pi. 89 (when playing the tibiae Minerva never wears her aegis). G. F. Harllaub, Zauber des Spiegels.
Geschichte imd Bedentung des Spiegels in der Kunst (Munchen 1951) (pointed out to me by W. Holscher) mentions the theme (p. 77) only shortly, citing an unpublished Heidelberg doctoral dissertation: L. Dreger,
Das Bild im Spiegel (1939)- . , „
3S For instance Woodchester, Glos.: Smith 1977, pi. xxxnb: a similar fountain jet filling a sea which reflects the bathing Artemis: S. Germain, Les mosaiques de Timgad(Paris
1969),
pi. 7- Dunbabin pi. vi 13.W i t h this f u r t h e r e x a m p l e ,3 7 the p i c t u r e - t y p e o f t h e initial p h a s e o f t h e s t o r y b e f o r e t h e a r r i v a l o f M a r s y a s s e e m s t o b e m o r e firmly e s t a b l i s h e d f o r u s in t h e R o m a n i c o n o g r a p h i c a l repertoire. L i k e t h e o t h e r t w o scenes in t h e m o s a i c , it s e e m s t o d e r i v e still f r o m t h e s a m e general t r a d i t i o n , w h i c h w e c a n see, e.g. in scenes o f P o m p e i a n m u r a l p a i n t i n g . S o t h e q u e s t i o n arises, w h e t h e r it a l s o g o e s b a c k s o m e h o w t o a G r e e k p a i n t i n g , a n d the o t h e r five e m b l e m a t a , n o w lost, as w e l l . T h e state o f p r e s e r v a t i o n d o e s n o t a l l o w a n y c o n j e c t u r e o f a t h e m a t i c c o n - n e c t i o n , b u t it s e e m s that t h e o w n e r o f t h e v i l l a t r i e d t o a s s e m b l e in this floor a s e q u e n c e o f e m b l e m a t a o f v e r y t r a d i t i o n a l , 'classical' c o n c e p t i o n . M a y b e t h e m o s a i c i s t e v e n e m b e l l i s h e d it i n his e s t i m a t e b y A c t i v e a t t r i b u t i o n t o s o m e o l d masters.
(d) Pitney, Somerset
T h e m o s a i c s o f a v i l l a a t P i t n e y a r e p r e s e r v e d o n l y i n e a r l y 1 9 t h - c e n t u r y d r a w i n g s .3 8 T h e d i s p o s i t i o n o f t h e m a i n o n e r e s e m b l e s t h a t o f t h e m o s a i c at C h e d w o r t h . T h e central a n d t h e e i g h t t r a p e z o i d fields h a v e a single figure i n e a c h ; s o m e o f t h e m are i d e n t i f i a b l e , s o m e h a v e n o t r a d i t i o n a l a t t r i b u t e s . T h e y d o n o t c o n f o r m t o a n y c y c l e o f eight o r n i n e figures o f t h e k i n d s o m e t i m e s f o u n d i n s u c h m o s a i c s . T h e a l t e r n a t i o n o f m e n a n d w o m e n , as w e l l as t h e respective t u r n i n g o f t h e h e a d s , i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e y a r e g r o u p e d as f o u r c o u p l e s , as w a s r e c o g n i z e d b y J . M . C . T o y n b e e ;3 9 this s u b d i v i s i o n is s t r e n g t h e n e d b y t h e o b l i q u e a x i s o f t h e central figure.
S o N e p t u n e w i t h his t r i d e n t is r u n n i n g t o w a r d s a w a t e r n y m p h , p e r h a p s A m y m o n e , w h o m h e is several t i m e s represented s u r p r i s i n g at a f o u n t a i n .4 0 T h e figure-type a n d t h e d i p t y c h o n t h e g r o u n d i n d i c a t e t h a t t h e sitting w o m a n o n h i s o t h e r s i d e m u s t b e P h a e d r a , t h e y o u t h t u r n i n g a w a y H i p p o l y t o s . T a k e n t o g e t h e r t h e y represent t h e central e l e m e n t o f t h e P h a e d r a - H i p p o l y t o s s c e n e ;4 1 t h e u n i t y o f t h e t w o figured fields is m a d e o b v i o u s h e r e b y t h e d i p t y c h , w h i c h in m o r e d e t a i l e d v e r s i o n s is b r o u g h t b y P h a e d r a ' s o l d n u r s e a n d a c t u a l l y f a l l s t o t h e g r o u n d f r o m H i p p o l y t o s ' s h a n d s . T h e r u n n i n g m a n b e y o n d t h e N e p t u n e g r o u p is M e r c u r y w i t h a m i s - s h a p e d c e r y c i u m a n d a p u r s e rather t h a n P e r s e u s w i t h G o r g o n ' s h e a d i n a b a g a n d t h e s i c k l e - especially s i n c e t h e w o m a n w i t h s c e p t r e a n d v e l i f i c a t i o d o e s n o t l o o k l i k e A n d r o m e d a ; n o r will s h e b e H e r s e o r C h i o n e , b u t r a t h e r V e n u s herself. T h o u g h M a r s is h e r l o v e r i n t h e first p l a c e , s h e h a s a v e r y o l d c o n n e c t i o n w i t h M e r c u r y . T h e t w o are r e g a r d e d as H e r m a p h r o d i t e ' s p a r e n t s . O c c a s i o n a l l y t h e y are represented as a c o u p l e i n R o m a n m o s a i c s a n d p a i n t i n g s .4 2 T h e r e m a i n i n g figure is a h e r d s m a n l o o k i n g l i k e P a r i s i n h i s o r i e n t a l dress w i t h P h r y g i a n c a p . H i s c o m p a n i o n w i t h t y m p a n u m o r vessel a n d s y r i n x c a n n o t b e V e n u s , a s w a s suggested. T h e s a m e c o u p l e o b v i o u s l y a p p e a r s i n c o m p a r a b l e pictures, f o r ' i n s t a n c e t w o
" As Prof. Metzler informs me, another example of this scene appears on a mosaic at Utica, Tunisia, still unpublished. „ . ,
3» VCH Somerset i (1906), 327 fig. 84; Toynbee 1964, 248 f.; Smith 1969, pi- 3-3*, Ramey, 129; Smith 1977, 120 f. No. 50, 124 No. 60, 136 No. 96, 150 f. Nos. 140-44, pl- XXVII ; Smith 1978, 129 fig. 39 (after a coloured lithograph of 1828 by Samuel Hassei).
39 Toynbee, loc. cit. (note 38). .
40 Toynbee 1964: Amphitrite. For Neptune and Amymone see Philostratus the Elder, Imagines 1, 8; Reinach 34, 5 and 7; F. Berti, ASAtene 1-H (1972-73), 451-465, especially 459 ff- Cf. also J. Baity, Mosaiques Antiques deSyrie (Bruxelles 1977), 82 No. 36-38.
" Toynbee 1964, 249. Cf. Schauenburg, dtv-Lexikon der Antike, Rel. i, 313; Philostratus, Imagines 2, 4; ct.
Reinach, 209-10; Levi, 71-5 with fig. 29, pl. xib.
Thus also Toynbee 1964, 249: Rainey 129; contrary, Smith 1977, 151 No. 141. For the figure-type of the Perseus Andromeda scene cf. e.g. a mosaic at Bulla Regia: Dunbabin pl. v 9. Mercury and Venus as parents of Hermaphroditus: Ovid, Metamorphoses iv, 288, 383-7; Christodorus of Coptus, Anth. Pal. ii, 102-7.
(Mercury and Herse: Apollodorus, Bibliotheca iii, 14, 3 and 6; Hyginus, Fabulae 166; Ovid, Metamorphoses ii, 708-832; Mercury and Chione: Ovid, Metamorphoses xi, 303-15). Mercury and Venus: Reinach, 97, 3 and 7'; Catalogue Antik mosaikole (Budapest 1974) No. 10; A. Furtwangler, Antike Gemmen (Berlin 1900), pl. 43, 58. Cf. Reinach 97, 5 (Mercury carrying off a woman). For Venus cf. e.g. Robert, ASR ii, No. 10, pl. 4 (before Paris).
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y BRITISH MOSAICS 297 o t h e r B r i t i s h m o s a i c s (see b e l o w ) . A p o s s i b l e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n m i g h t b e P a r i s a n d O e n o n e ,4 3 his first w i f e , a r i v e r - g o d ' s d a u g h t e r . H e left h e r f o r H e l e n a n d later h e r refusal t o heal his w o u n d b r o u g h t a b o u t his d e a t h . T h e i r letters in O v i d ' s Heroides a n d t h e a p p e n d i x t o it m a d e her w e l l - k n o w n i n R o m a n times. T h e y w e r e e v e n represented as a c o u p l e a m i d s t a g r o u p o f h e r o e s c o n n e c t e d w i t h the fall o f T r o y in t h e s c u l p t u r a l r e p e r t o r y o f the Z e u x i p p o s b a t h s a t
B y z a n t i u m , p e r h a p s o f C o n s t a n t i n i a n d a t e .
T h e r e s e e m s t o b e a d i v i s i o n b e t w e e n u n h a p p y h u m a n l o v e t o t h e left a n d successful d i v i n e l o v e t o t h e r i g h t o f the figure e n t h r o n e d in the central field, w h o has b e e n identified as B a c c h u s b y t h e c u p i n h i s right h a n d . B e y o n d t h e i n f l u e n c e o f w i n e o n l o v e , h o w e v e r , there seems, t o b e n o d i r e c t c o n n e c t i o n b e t w e e n h i m a n d this ' t h i a s u s ' o f pairs o f m y t h o l o g i c a l lovers.
(e) Brading, I. o. W.
F o u r o t h e r m y t h o l o g i c a l c o u p l e s are t o b e seen o n a m o s a i c in R o o m 12 o f the v i l l a at B r a d i n g , i n r e c t a n g u l a r fields s u r r o u n d i n g a G o r g o n ' s h e a d .4 4 T h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f L y c u r g u s a n d A m b r o s i a , w h o w a s c h a n g e d i n t o a v i n e , is o b v i o u s . O n t h e o p p o s i t e side t h e a t t r i b u t e s i n d i c a t e t h e s t o r y , f a m o u s t h r o u g h t h e E l e u s i n i a n mysteries a n d A t t i c c u l t u r a l p r o p a g a n d a , o f D e m e t e r - C e r e s g i v i n g t h e ears o f c o r n a n d w i t h it t h e k n o w l e d g e o f a g r i c u l t u r e t o T r i p t o - l e m u s o f E l e u s i s .4 5 T h e t h i r d r e c t a n g l e a g a i n s h o w s t h e P h r y g i a n h e r d s m a n a n d t h e n y m p h , w h o w e r e i d e n t i f i e d as P a r i s a n d O e n o n e a b o v e . S o t h e q u e s t i o n arises, w h e t h e r in t h e d a m a g e d f o u r t h field t h e r e m i g h t n o t h a v e b e e n a n o t h e r m y t h i c a l c o u p l e rather t h a n a n a n o n y m u s s a t y r a n d m a e n a d , a s h a s b e e n suggested. I n these g r o u p s , s o f r e q u e n t i n D i o n y s i a c i c o n - o g r a p h y , t h e m a e n a d s e l d o m s h o w s s u c h a n o b v i o u s l y terrified a t t e m p t a t flight. T h e t h y r s u s a n d o t h e r B a c c h i c attributes are m i s s i n g . A g o d s u r p r i s i n g a h u m a n girl w o u l d b e m o r e a p - p r o p r i a t e t h e r e f o r e . A p o l l o a n d D a p h n e a r e n o t v e r y p r o b a b l e c a n d i d a t e s , b e c a u s e t h e s p r o u t - i n g b r a n c h e s o f laurel c a n n o t all h a v e b e e n l o s t in t h e g a p . B u t there are several o t h e r p o s - sibilities. A n o w - d e s t r o y e d a t t r i b u t e o f t h e g o d m a y well h a v e identified t h e c o u p l e t o the s p e c t a t o r .4 8 T h e m o s a i c in t h e n e i g h b o u r i n g p a r t o f t h e t r i c l i n i u m s e e m s t o h a v e s h o w n a c y c l e o f m y t h i c a l pairs o f l o v e r s , o f w h o m o n l y P e r s e u s a n d A n d r o m e d a s u r v i v e in a r e c o g - n i z a b l e state. O b v i o u s l y t h e artist d i d n o t w a n t s i m p l y t o repeat this general t h e m e h e r e : C e r e s a n d T r i p t o l e m u s are n o t l o v e r s . A s this c o u p l e s t a n d s f o r a g r i c u l t u r e a n d A m b r o s i a f o r v i t i c u l t u r e , t h e m y t h i c a l h e r d s m a n m a y represent c a t t l e - b r e e d i n g . W h e t h e r in the last s q u a r e a f o u r t h i m p o r t a n t m e a n s o f m a n ' s s u p p o r t w a s t h u s represented, p e r h a p s fishing v i a
N e p t u n u s , c a n o n l y b e guessed. T h e p i c t u r e o f a n a s t r o n o m e r i n the p a s s a g e b e t w e e n t h e t w o p a r t s o f t h e r o o m , identified o n i c o n o g r a p h i c e v i d e n c e as t h e a r c h a i c n a t u r a l p h i l o s o p h e r A n a x i m a n d r o s o f M i l e t u s ,4 7 c a n n o t h e l p here. I t n e e d n o t necessarily h a v e a n y c o n n e c t i o n w i t h t h e n e i g h b o u r i n g m o s a i c s , a n d t o t h e f o u r t h - c e n t u r y v i l l a o w n e r h e w a s p e r h a p s j u s t a f a m o u s w i s e a s t r o l o g e r .
43 Toynbee 1964, 249: Paris; Rainey 129: 'Orpheus?' That his clothing immediately evokes Paris, is shown by Apuleius, Metamorphoses x, 30, 2. Paris and Oenone: Ovid, Heroides v, 12-30 and 139; cf. Apollodorus, Bibliotheca iii, 12, 6; Christodorus of Coptus, Anth. Pal. ii, 215-21 and others. Cf. Reinach 163, 4; 164, 3;
165, 1 (?); Levi, 210 f. pi. 46a. (That the syrinx, just as on the Ludovisi Relief cited ibid, and here in Pitney, is held by the woman, argues against the alternative explanation favoured by Levi as Argus and Io) Cf. also Paris and the-nymphs on a Roman sarcophagus: Robert, ASR ii, No. 10. pi. 4.
44 VCH Hampshire i (1900), 314 fig- 23; Toynbee 1962, No. 196 pi. 233; Toynbee 1964, 257; Rainey, 28;
Smith 1977, >°8 No. 4, «38 f. Nos. 115-18 pi. v.
45 Explanation as Ambrosia and Triptolemos by Toynbee, Rainey and Smith, loc. cit. (note 44).
46 Neptune and Amymone or Amphitrite: Reinach 34, 5 cf. 34, 6 and 7. Jupiter and Antiope: A. Blanco Freijeiro, Mosaicos Romanes de Italka i (Madrid 1978), 27 pi. 4b (the context leads to this interpretation there);
S. Germain, Les mosaiqttes de Timgad (Paris 1969), 78 f. No. 96, pi- 33 f- Apollo and Daphne: Reinach, 26, 1-7; Levi, 211 ff.; 212 No. 96, p i . X L V i i b ; K. Schefold, Pompejanische Malerei (Basel 1952), p i . 40; O. Elia, Pittura di Stabia (Napoli 1957), pi. II.
" See K. Parlasca, Romische Mosaiken in Deutschland (Berlin 1959), 29 with n. 2, pi. 28, 2.
298
( / ) Frampton, Dorset
T h e s o - c a l l e d N e p t u n e m o s a i c o f F r a m p t o n is especially f a m o u s f o r t h e f r a m e c o n t a i n i n g a C h r i s t o g r a m a n d t w o d a m a g e d e p i g r a m s o n N e p t u n e a n d C u p i d .4 8 O n e o f the f o u r s q u a r e c o r n e r - f i e l d s i n its m a j o r s e c t i o n is d a m a g e d ; a n o t h e r c o r n e r a s well as all t h e f o u r s e m i c i r c u l a r fields b e t w e e n t h e m , are d e s t r o y e d , s e e m i n g l y o n p u r p o s e .
A c c o r d i n g t o J . M . C . T o y n b e e ' s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , t h e series o f s q u a r e s f o r m e d a V e n u s - A d o n i s - c y c l e .4 9 T w o p o i n t s s e e m t o m e t o b e a g a i n s t t h i s thesis. T h e r e is n o c y c l e o f t h e p o s t u - l a t e d f o r m - t h e m o s a i c o f L o w H a m b e i n g d i f f e r e n t i n s t r u c t u r e - a m o n g o t h e r B r i t i s h
m o s a i c s , w h o s e p i c t o r i a l s e q u e n c e s n o r m a l l y c o n s i s t o f i n d e p e n d e n t t h e m e s t h a t a r e c o n n e c t e d b y s o m e s i m i l a r i t y o r e q u i v a l e n c e . A n d o n e s h o u l d a l w a y s start w i t h t h e h y p o t h e s i s t h a t i n their c o m p l e t e state the p i c t u r e s m u s t h a v e b e e n e a s i l y r e c o g n i z a b l e t o a s p e c t a t o r e v e n o n l y p a r t i a l l y a c q u a i n t e d w i t h m y t h o l o g i c a l i c o n o g r a p h y ; i n t h i s h e w a s h e l p e d b y t h e r a t h e r t r a d i t i o n a l p i c t u r e t y p o l o g y . W e k n o w t h e i c o n o g r a p h y o f t h e V e n u s - A d o n i s s t o r y f r o m R o m a n figured s a r c o p h a g i . B u t u n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e r e are n o a t t r i b u t e s w h i c h a l l o w t h e v i e w e r t o i d e n t i f y i m m e d i a t e l y a n y figure i n t h e m o s a i c , n o r are t h e r e t y p o l o g i c a l r e l a t i o n s t o the s a r c o p h a g i . A n e n t h r o n e d figure w i t h sceptre in t h e h a l f - d a m a g e d field c o u l d b e a g o d d e s s - V e n u s o r P r o s e r p i n a - w i t h little A d o n i s i n f r o n t o f h e r ; b u t parallels s e e m t o b e m i s s i n g . N o m a t t e r h o w o n e m a y c o m p l e t e t h i s field ( p e r h a p s t h e c h i l d - l i k e feet are s i m p l y d r a w n o u t o f p r o p o r t i o n ) , t h e t w o c o m p l e t e fields o b v i o u s l y s h o w pairs o f m y t h o l o g i c a l l o v e r s - a n d t h i s m a y o n c e a g a i n h a v e b e e n t h e tertium comparationis o f t h e c o r n e r - f i e l d series. T h e sitting
P h r y g i a n h e r d s m a n a n d t h e s t a n d i n g n y m p h , w h o l a c k s a n y a t t r i b u t e here, s e e m t o b e t h e s a m e a s t h o s e o n t h e m o s a i c s o f P i t n e y a n d B r a d i n g , f o r w h o m i n t e r p r e t a t i o n as P a r i s a n d O e n o n e w a s suggested a b o v e . O n e c o u l d a l s o c o m p a r e t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f A t t i s ( a figure r e l a t e d t o A d o n i s ) w i t h t h e n y m p h s .5 0 T h e reclining figure i n t h e last s q u a r e recalls s l e e p i n g E n d y m i o n , w h o s e d i s c o v e r y b y the m o o n - g o d d e s s w a s a f a v o u r i t e t h e m e o f R o m a n relief s a r c o p h a g i a n d a p p e a r s a l s o in m u r a l p a i n t i n g .5 1 T h e E n d y m i o n h e r e h a s n o h u n t i n g s p e a r , t h e a p p r o a c h i n g g o d d e s s n o crescent, o n l y a n o r m a l d i a d e m a , b u t t h e t o r c h i n h e r h a n d a p p e a r s a g a i n o n a m u r a l p a i n t i n g . I f o n e a d h e r e s t o t h e A d o n i s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n , t h e w o m a n c a n n o t b e t a k e n as V e n u s , w h o m a l o n e t h i s scene w o u l d suit a c c o r d i n g t o t r a d i t i o n a l i c o n o g r a p h y , b u t o n l y as P r o s e r p i n a , b e c a u s e o f t h e t u r n e d - d o w n t o r c h . T h i s indicates a c h t h o n i c o r n o c t u r n a l g o d d e s s .
T h e s t r a n g e l y s y s t e m a t i c d e s t r u c t i o n o f t h e f o u r s e m i c i r c u l a r fields h a s left b u t a f e w t i n y f r a g m e n t s in o n e o f t h e m o f w h a t s e e m s t o b e fishes' fins. P e r h a p s t h e y w e r e p a r t o f m y t h o l o g i c a l m a r i n e h y b r i d s . S o a c c o r d i n g t o t h e p r o b a b l e sense o f t h e t w o e p i g r a m s i n t h e * d o o r w a y s ,5 2 t h e r e a l m s o f N e p t u n u s a n d m i g h t i e r C u p i d o m i g h t h a v e b e e n o p p o s e d t o o n e a n o t h e r i n the t w o p i c t u r e s e q u e n c e s as w e l l .
48 Published by S. Lysons in: Reliquiae Britannieo-Romanae iii, (1813), 2-4, pi. v. T. 0 . Kendrick, Anglo- Saxon Art to A.D. goo (1938), pi. 21; Toynbee 1962, No. 199 pi. 234; Toynbee 1964, 250 f.; ead. in: M. W.
Barley, R. P. C. Hanson, Christianity in Britain 300-700 (1968), 183 pi. 2; Smith 1969, 109 pi. 3- 27! K. S.
Painter in: G. de G. Sieveking (Ed.), Prehistoric and Roman Studies (London 1971), 164 f. pi. 71; Rainey, 78;
Smith 1977, 111 f. No. 17 (lit.), 140 No. 121, 148 f. Nos. 134 f.; id. in: M. Todd (Ed.), Studies in the Romano- British Villa (Leicester 1978), 129 fig. 41.
43 Toynbee 1964, 250 f.
50 In the architecture of a fourth-style wall-painting: G. Picard, Die Kunst der Romer (Stuttgart 1968), 74 f.
fig. 48; Kraus, fig. 251. Why not Paris?
51 Reinach, 53, 4-54; especially 54, 1 and 3 (with torch, but not a turned-down one); 54, 2 and 4 (Endymion without arm over the head); G. Calza, La neeropoli del porta di Roma neWisola sacra (Roma 1940), 171 fig. 84;
Dunbabin pi. v 10; M. Yacoub, he Musee du Bardo (Tunis 1970), fig. 76; Robert, ASR iii 1, 53-111 Nos.
39-92, pis. 12-25 (with torch: No. 72 pi. 18).
52 The epigram, for the most part taken as heptametres, might better be interpreted as versus paroemiaci as by F. Biicheler, Anthologia Latina ii (1897), No. 1524. His conjectures for the missing parts at the end of line 3 and the beginning of line 7 and 8, made without knowledge of the drawing, seem too long but necessary.
Either the fourth-century mosaicist or Lysons must have been somewhat inexact here.
R E C O N S I D E R A T I O N OF SOME F O U R T H - C E N T U R Y BRITISH MOSAICS 2 9 9 ( g ) Bramdean, Hants.
I n t h e centre o f a n o w - l o s t m o s a i c a t B r a m d e a n5 3 is s h o w n , i n t h e t y p e o f a w r e s t l i n g m a t c h , h o w H e r c u l e s d e f e a t e d A n t a e u s by l i f t i n g h i m f r o m his s t r e n g t h - g i v i n g m o t h e r E a r t h . A t t h e r i g h t H e r c u l e s h a s p u t d o w n his c l u b a n d l i o n s k i n , t o t h e left a h e l m e t e d w o m a n is sitting, w h o m S m i t h5 4 identifies as m o t h e r E a r t h b y w h a t h e t h i n k s is p a r t o f a g l o b e at h e r side.
H e r h e l m e t h e e x p l a i n s as t h e m i s r e n d e r e d p o r t i o n o f a tree i n t h e o r i g i n a l c o p y . B u t c o m - p a r i s o n w i t h o t h e r R o m a n r e p r e s e n t a t i o n s o f t h i s t h e m e s h o w s t h a t M i n e r v a , as she h a d p r e v i o u s l y b e e n c a l l e d ,5 5 m u s t a c t u a l l y b e i n t e n d e d here. T h e H e r c u l e s - A n t a e u s g r o u p c a n a p p e a r a l o n e , o r w i t h E a r t h sitting o n t h e g r o u n d , o r w i t h t h e m u t u a l helpers E a r t h a n d M i n e r v a f r a m i n g t h e g r o u p o r sitting s i d e b y side, a c c o r d i n g t o the r e q u i r e m e n t s o f t h e p r o p o r t i o n s o f t h e p i c t u r e .5 6 T h e e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e h e l m e t a n d o f t h e s e m i c i r c u l a r s h i e l d - c o n t o u r a s the m i s r e n d e r i n g o f a tree a n d a g l o b e is u n s a t i s f a c t o r y . T h e s a m e t y p e o f h e l m e t a n d the s t r e t c h e d - o u t a r m are a s s o c i a t e d w i t h M i n e r v a , w h e r e a s E a r t h t u r n s o n e a r m u p t o h e a v e n in d e s p a i r o r m o u r n i n g , o r else is sitting s o r r o w f u l l y o n t h e g r o u n d . T h o u g h m o r e essential t o t h e s t o r y t h a n M i n e r v a , s h e m u s t h a v e b e e n left o u t here. P e r h a p s s h e w a s sitting i n the f o r e g r o u n d i n f r o n t o f M i n e r v a i n t h e p a t t e r n b o o k , t o o c o m p l i c a t e d a n o v e r l a p p i n g t o b e f o l l o w e d a n d p e r h a p s n o t e v e n c o r r e c t l y u n d e r s t o o d b y t h e m o s a i c i s t .
(h) Dyer Street, Cirencester
A m o n g t h e O r p h e u s m o s a i c s , s o t y p i c a l o f t h e C o r i n i u m w o r k s h o p , there is a rather s t r a n g e o n e f o u n d at C i r e n c e s t e r itself.5 7 T h e figure o f O r p h e u s i n t h e central m e d a l l i o n is pressed d o w n rather s m a l l t o w a r d s t h e l o w e r e d g e b y a n o t h e r figure. U n f o r t u n a t e l y t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n o f t h i s rather o b s c u r e figure is m a r r e d b y t h e f a c t t h a t it is k n o w n o n l y f r o m a d r a w i n g p u b l i s h e d a c o n s i d e r a b l e t i m e after t h e m o s a i c w a s f o u n d a n d d e s t r o y e d .
A f r o n t a l h e a d w i t h a c o n i c a l c a p is set o n a s h o r t t h i c k b o d y . I n his vertically o u t s t r e t c h e d a r m s t h e figure is h o l d i n g a n a r r o w a n d a w h i p o r h a t c h e t o r t h e like. I n s t e a d o f legs, h e h a s t h r e e w i n d i n g , s n a k e - l i k e legs e n d i n g i n a sort o f fish's tail. H e c a n n o t be a T r i t o n o r s i m i l a r m a r i n e creature, a n d his h i g h e r p o s i t i o n c o m p a r e d t o t h e s t o o p i n g O r p h e u s s y m b o l i z e s v i s u a l l y h i s s u p e r i o r i t y a n d p r e p o n d e r a n c e . F r o n t a l a p p e a r a n c e a n d o u t - s t r e t c h e d a r m s a d d r e s s t h e v i e w e r d i r e c t l y a n d m a k e o n e t h i n k o f a s u p e r n a t u r a l e p i p h a n i a . ( N o t h i n g l i k e t h e orans-type o f l a t e a n t i q u i t y c a n b e m e a n t here.) T h e s n a k e - l e g g e d f e a t u r e r e m i n d s o n e o f t h e s o - c a l l e d ' A b r a x a s ' ,5 8 i n v o g u e especially i n late a n t i q u i t y o n g e m s , a m u l e t s a n d m a g i c o b j e c t s . N o r m a l l y h e h a s a c o c k ' s h e a d , a s h a s t h e figure r e c o g n i z e d as ' A b r a x a s ' o n a m o s a i c in t h e v i l l a o f
B r a d i n g .5 9 B u t t h e r e h e h a s c o c k ' s legs a s w e l l , n o attributes i n t h e h a n d s , a n d is s t a n d i n g i n f r o n t o f a t e m p l e a n d t w o g r i f f o n s . T h e o t h e r t w o fields o f t h e s a m e m o s a i c , d e p i c t i n g a
63 C. Roach Smith, Collectanea Antiqua ii (1852), 54-64, pi. 21; VCH Hampshire i O900), fig. 19; Toynbee 1964, 258; Rainey, 28 f, pi. 2 A; Smith 1977, 144 No. 129 pi. vn b.
54 Smith ibid.
55 Toynbee and Rainey, loc. cit. (note 53).
56 For instance a painting in the tomb of the Nasonii at Rome: B. Andreae, Studien zur romischen Grabkunst (Romische Mitteilungen, 9. Ergh.: Heidelberg, 1963), pi. 55; relief from Steinheim: E. Esperandieu, Recueil General des Bas-Reliefs . . . de la Germanie Romaine (Paris, Bruxelles 193O, No. 696; sarcophagus Rome, Museo Naz. delle Terme: C. Robert, ASR iii 1, No. 138 pi. 138; relief from Capua: ibid. fig. on p. 162. Cf.
the list on this theme by F. Brommer, Denkmalerlisten zur griechischen Heldensage i (Marburg 1971), 24-8.
57 K. J. Beecham, History of Cirencester (1886), 257, pi. opposite p. 226; Toynbee 1964, 268 f.; Smith 1965, 107 f. fig. 12; Rainey, 48; Smith 1977, 126 No. 70 pi. xib.
58 For the magical figures in vogue in late antiquity cf. A. Procope-Walter, Tao und Set. (Zu den Figurae Magicae in den Zauberpapyri)'. Archiv fur Religionswissenschaft xxx 0933), 34-69. especially 40 ff.; C. Bonner, Studies in Magical Amulets. Chiefly Graeco-Egyptian (Ann Arbor 1950); K. Preisendanz, Abrasax, in: Der Kleine Pauly i, 17 f. Comparison with Triton: Rainey, 48.
58 Toynbee 1962, 202 No. 197 pi. 231; Toynbee 1964, 255; Smith 1977, >o6 No. I pi. IV b.
