A Note on the Myth of Tages

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BABESCH 83 (2008), 107-109. doi: 10.2143/BAB.83.0.2033101.

J.H. Richardson

Abstract

This note suggests that Tages, the mythical founder of the Etrusca disciplina, is depicted on an engraved Etruscan mirror in the British Museum. The identification, if correct, provides some verification of the literary evidence for the myth of Tages, but it substantially undermines the common equation of Pavatarchies, a youth who appears on another engraved Etruscan mirror, with Tages.

The myth of Tages is both simple and important; the figure to his right, Avl[e] Tarchunus, also important because it explains the origins of the wears a haruspex’s hat. It is true that Tarchunus Etruscan arts of divination, and simple because wears his hat pushed back over his head, but this the essence of the myth is as follows:1 working could just as easily signify that he is letting Pava- one day in his field, an Etruscan from Tarquinia tarchies interpret the liver, as it could that he is called Tarchon ploughed up an infant child. But his student. Indeed, since Tarchunus is bearded, this was no ordinary baby, for it had teeth, per- it may be he who is the teacher, and Pavatarchies haps grey hair, and the capacity of speech; it was, the student.7 Pavatarchies is fully clothed and in short, a baby with the facial features of an there is nothing to suggest that he has recently adult.2 This baby, Tages, then proceeded to ex- been unearthed, nor is there even any emphasis pound the theories and methods of divination to on the field, and the plough, an obvious icon for those who were present. the story, is nowhere to be seen. Tarchunus is not At first sight the myth may not appear to be dressed as a farmer either. If none of the figures authentically Etruscan. ‘Tages’ is obviously Greek had -tarch- in their name, there would be no rea- (τ γς), while the unequivocal evidence for the son at all to think that the myth of Tages was story is late (Cicero is the earliest of the sources) depicted on this mirror, and names beginning and is not Etruscan. However, there is an abun- with Tarch- appear not infrequently in Etruria.8 Of dance of good evidence for the use of the Greek course, if the mirror does show the myth of Tages, language in Etruria, and from an early date; Tages then it is clear that either the literary sources have could conceivably be a translation of some original got it horribly wrong, or that the version which Etruscan name (compare the tinias clenar and the they knew was radically different from the ver- Dioscuri, although that is the other way around);3 sion depicted by the engraver. and Cicero certainly claimed to have consulted There is arguably a second Etruscan mirror Etruscan sources, perhaps the writings of Aulus which may show Tages. This mirror, which is in the Caecina, a Volaterran, a scholar, and a friend.4 British Museum, dates to the mid-4th century BC Lydus, who preserves the fullest account of the and shows the adorning of Malavish (fig. 2).9 Ma- story, too implied that he had used a good source: lavish is seated; Munthuch, Hinthial and Zip[n]a the very writings of Tarchon himself.5 Whatever crowd around her, while Turan (Aphrodite), who the value of Lydus’ claim may be, the myth is stands slightly to one side, seems to be supervis- undoubtedly Etruscan. ing the proceedings. Since Malavisch appears on It has been suggested that the myth of Tages several similar mirrors it is safe to assume that appears on a late 4th century BC mirror from Tus- she is not a specific person (such as, for example, cania (fig. 1).6 The mirror shows five figures, from the owner of the mirror);10 she is, presumably, the left: Rathlth, Avl[e] Tarchunus, Ucernei, Pava- either a character from some otherwise unknown tarchies, and Veltune. Pavatarchies, the figure Etruscan myth, or a simple generic figure (‘the who is depicted holding and inspecting the liver, bride’ or perhaps ‘one who gazes at her reflec- it is argued, is Tages. He is certainly presented as tion’).11 Whoever she is, and whatever her name a practitioner of the divinatory arts, for he wears may mean, the interpretation of the scene seems the distinctive hat of a haruspex. But, while Pava- straightforward: Malavisch is apparently being tarchies is a youth (he has no beard), he is clearly prepared for courtship or for marriage.12 The not an infant nor is he even especially young, and presence of Turan suggests this, as do the two

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Fig. 1. Engraved mirror from Tuscania (after Torelli 1988, 110).

birds in the exergue below Malavisch’s chair, for their mutually submissive poses show that they are courting; a third bird, depicted perching on Fig. 2. Engraved mirror in the British Museum Turan’s shoulder, may serve to emphasise the (after Van der Meer 1995, fig. 96). birds’ connection with love and courtship yet further. capacity, for they encircle the mirror and are Below the inner border of the mirror, above the about to intertwine at the top, while at the bot- tang, sits a baby. He holds in his hands the stems tom it is the infant himself who joins the two of the two vines which form the outer border of stems together. If the baby is Tages, then the the mirror. His rounded torso and proportionally iconography of the whole mirror would be quite large head along with the three bullae which he coherent. The seated Malavish is being prepared wears confirm that he is in fact a baby, but he is by Turan’s attendants; the birds in the exergue clearly no ordinary one.13 His facial features are below allude to the courtship that is to follow; not those of an infant, for they seem quite devel- while, further below still, Tages prophesies the oped and mature. This baby too is bald, yet his joining (sexual, or in marriage) that will eventu- baldness is not that of the newly born, for he does ally ensue. Not only therefore does the infant’s have some hair. Rather, his is clearly male pattern physical appearance accord perfectly well with baldness. This is unquestionably a baby with the the literary evidence for Tages’, but the presence facial features of an adult. The vine stems which of Tages on this mirror is also readily explicable. he holds in his hands, as well as his position There is, consequently, every reason to suspect beneath the main scene on the mirror, and below that this particular child may very well be Tages. Malavisch’s seat and the ground upon which the Two conclusions can be drawn from this sug- birds stand, may also serve to evoke some asso- gestion. Firstly, if the mirror in the British Museum ciation with the earth. Could this baby be Tages? does depict Tages, then it provides some support If he is, the vines may also hint at his prophetic for the version of the myth found in the literary

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sources. Secondly, unless the existence of sub- 9 Rix 1991, 2:357, OI S.38; ES 213. stantial variation in the tradition and within a rel- 10 Rix 1991, 2:347, 357-358, Ta S.15, AT S.6, OI S.30, S.36, S.48; ES 2:214, 2:215, 2:216, 5:85.2; Van der Meer 1985, atively short period of time is to be imagined, the Abb.1-6; Sowder 1982, 116. suggestion also undermines considerably the the- 11 Beazley 1949, 10: ‘...perhaps a bride...’; Sowder 1982, 116 ory that the mirror from Tuscania shows the and n. 95; Wiman 1992, 97, 100: ‘... the Etruscan word teaching of Tarchon by Tages. Some have indeed Malavisch may be interpreted as an Etruscan personifi- cation or symbol for the concept of “the preparation of already doubted that Tages is depicted on that the bride”’; Van der Meer 1985; 1995, 201-203. mirror; the argument put forward here, if it is per- 12 Mansuelli 1948, 74; Sowder 1982, 116; Wiman 1992. The suasive, offers a further reason to abandon the old inclusion of Munthuch and Zip[n]a in the scene may hypothesis. support the interpretation, cf. Sowder 1982, 118-119, 128. 13 And he is clearly not Hercle, pace Wiman 1992, 99. NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY 1 The key sources are: Lyd. de Ost. prae. 2-3, Cic. de div. 2.50-51, 2.80, and Ovid Met. 15.552-559; further refer- ences in Wood 1980, 325 n. 1; Weinstock 1932. Beazley, J.D. 1949, The World of the Etruscan Mirror, JHS 2 E.g. Lyd. de Ost. prae. 3: ναδ θναι γρ τ αλακ ς 69, 1-17. παιδ ν, ρτι μν τεθναι δ κ ν, δντων δ κα τν Hohti, P. 1975, Aulus Caecina the Volaterran, in Studies in λλων τν ν λικ!α γνωρισμ#των πρ σδε$ς. (‘From the Romanization of Etruria, Rome, 409-433. the furrow came forth a child who appeared to be Leighton, R. 2004, Tarquinia, An Etruscan City, London. newly born but who did not lack teeth and the other Mansuelli, G.A. 1948, Studi sugli specchi etruschi, StEtr 20, signs of maturity.’); Strabo 5.2.2: ... δι τ%ν κ παδων 59-98. σ&νεσιν π λι'ν γεγεννσθαι μυθε& υσι. (‘... on account Pairault Massa, F.-H. 1992, Iconologia e politica nell’Italia of his sagacity from childhood they say he was born antica: Roma, Lazio, Etruria dal VII al I secolo a.C., Milan. with grey hair.’). Rix, H. 1991, Etruskische Texte, editio minor, 2 vols, 3 Rix 1991, 60-61, Ta 3.2 = TLE 156: itun turuce venel Tübingen. atelinas tinas cliniiaras (‘Venel Atelinas gave this to the Sowder, C. L. 1982, Etruscan Mythological Figures, in N.T. sons of Tina’, i.e. the Dioscuri). de Grummond (ed.), A Guide to Etruscan Mirrors, 4 Cic. de div. 2.50: ...ut in libris est Etruscorum...’ (‘... as it Tallahassee, 100-128. is in the books of the Etruscans...’), 2.51: ‘haec accepimus Torelli, M. 1975, Elogia Tarquiniensia, Florence. ab ipsis, haec scripta conservant... (‘We received these Torelli, M. 1988, «Etruria principes disciplinam doceto». Il things from the Etruscans themselves, they preserve mito normativo dello specchio di Tuscania, in Studia these writings...’); cf. Torelli 1975, 186 n. 1: ‘Caecina?’; Tarquiniensia, Rome, 109-118. Hohti 1975, 429. Van der Meer, L.B. 1985, Malavisch: speculum spectans, 5 Lyd. de Ost. prae. 3: Τ#ρων... *ς α+τ'ς π τς γρα-ς BABesch 60, 94-98. ε/σεν0νεκται... (‘Tarchon... as he introduces himself in Van der Meer, L.B. 1995, Interpretatio Etrusca: Greek myths his writing...’). on Etruscan mirrors, Amsterdam. 6 Rix 1991, 2:347, AT S.11. Much has been written on this Weinstock, S. 1932, Tages, RE 4A zweite Reihe, 2009-2011. mirror; for a discussion of the various arguments, see Wiman, I.M.B. 1992, The Adornment of Malavisch on a most recently Torelli 1988; Pairault Massa 1992, 143-145; Three-Parted Disc Group Mirror in Lund, MedMusB 26- Van der Meer 1995, 97-100; Leighton 2004, 76-77; note 27, 90-101. too Sowder 1982, 119-120, 123. Wiseman, T.P. 1995, Remus: A Roman Myth, Cambridge. 7 Cf. Van der Meer 1995, 100: ‘... Avl(e) has removed his Wood, J.R. 1980, The Myth of Tages, Latomus 39, 325-344. hat. From the iconographical point of view Pavatarchies should be considered as teacher and Avl(e) Tarchunus as disciple’; Leighton 2004, 76: ‘...the youthful figure... DEPARTMENT OF CLASSICS Pavatarchies, is a novice haruspex’; Torelli 1988, 111, UNIVERSITY OF WALES LAMPETER 114. Pace Wood 1980, 335 who thinks Pavatarchies and LAMPETER Tarchunus wear the hats of flamines. 8 Rix 1991, 1:172-173; Thesaurus Linguae Etruscae I, 331; CEREDIGION SA48 7ED Tarchetios: Plut. Rom. 2.3-6, on which see Wiseman UK 1995, 57-61. [email protected]

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