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The Figure of the Paidagogos in Art and Literature Avondale College ResearchOnline@Avondale School of Ministry and Theology (Avondale Theology Papers and Journal Articles Seminary) 6-1990 The Figure of the Paidagogos in Art and Literature Norman H. Young Avondale College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://research.avondale.edu.au/theo_papers Part of the Art and Design Commons, and the Religion Commons Recommended Citation Young, N. H. (1990). The figure of the Paidagogos in art and literature. The Biblical Archaeologist, 53(2), 80-86. doi:10.2307/3210099 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Ministry and Theology (Avondale Seminary) at ResearchOnline@Avondale. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theology Papers and Journal Articles by an authorized administrator of ResearchOnline@Avondale. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Figure of the Paidagōgos in Art and Literature Author(s): Norman H. Young Source: The Biblical Archaeologist, Vol. 53, No. 2 (Jun., 1990), pp. 80-86 Published by: The American Schools of Oriental Research Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3210099 . Accessed: 03/07/2014 23:13 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp . JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The American Schools of Oriental Research is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Biblical Archaeologist. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 50.147.252.45 on Thu, 3 Jul 2014 23:13:19 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions The Figure in Art and of the Paidag os Literature Variousaspects of thepedagogue's task have been preservedin artistic representa- tions, such as this vase painting from Cervetri(Italy). Dating to the fifth century B.C.E., the painting depicts young Hercules being followed by his nurse, Geropso,in the role of pedagogue. The vase is an Attic red skyphos (a two-handled drinking cup);it is 14.9 centimeters (about 6 inches) tall and by 18.2 centimeters (7 inches) wide. Reproduced courtesy of the Staatliches Museum, Norman H. Young Schwerin (D.D.R.). hen Paul wrote that the rod were basic accoutrements of the law was our The pedagoguewas a slave the pedagogue'sart. Severity was not pedagogueuntil guardianappointed by a father to the universal practice, however. 'VV Christ came but supervise his son's activities and Many pedagoguesfulfilled their role now that faith had arrivedwe are no behavior from the time the child with kindness and endearedthem- longer under a pedagogue (Galatians woke up in the morning until he selves to their charges in a life-long 3:24-25), he used a metaphor with- went to bed at night (see Longenecker bond. Nevertheless, whether bad or out parallel in the Greek Bible. Be- 1982; Lull 1986; Young 1987).A boy good, the pedagogue'sadministration cause the term paidagogos is exclu- came under the pedagogue'scontrol alwaysterminated when the boy came sive to Paul in the biblical literature, at about age six and remained under of age and became his own master. the commentator is forced to sift his authority until well after puberty. The manifold nature of the peda- through the classical and Hellenistic Pedagogueshad a reputation for gogue'srole has led to considerable sources in an effort to elucidate harshness, which was not unwar- differences of opinion regardingthe Paul'smeaning. ranted, as the cane, the whip, and interpretation of Paul'ssuggestive 80 Biblical Archaeologist, June 1990 This content downloaded from 50.147.252.45 on Thu, 3 Jul 2014 23:13:19 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions metaphor. Some scholars have completely accurate, for the peda- around the shoulder (see, for ex- stressed the severity of the peda- gogue did much more than simply ample, Beck 1975:plate 12, figure 65). gogue and thus of the law (Hiibner take the child to school, and he did Thus, those texts that use agein ("to 1984: 33; Betz 1979: 177-78); others, not always lead but often followed lead")or hegeisthai ("toguide")4 are focusing on the benign characterof his charge.The Greek biographer not so contraryto custom as Plutarch the pedagogue,have seen the law in and moralist, Plutarch, noted this would have had us believe. That the more positive terms (Lull 1986: 496; anomaly and commented that the nurse of Hercules should be depicted Gordon 1989: 153-54). On the other pedagogue"is said to lead (agein), as a pedagogueis not so surprising hand, most commentators have though he walks behind them and when one considers that the peda- emphasized the relevance of the not before"(Moralia, 1008F,see gogue often functioned as a nurse. temporary nature of the pedagogue's Cherniss 1976: 101).Both the literary Ancient authors frequently associ- task for Paul'sanalogy with the law sources and the artistic depictions ated the pedagoguewith the titthe5 (Burton 1921:200; Bruce 1982: 183; make it quite clear, however,that ("wet-nurse")or trophos6("nurse"), Longenecker 1982: 56). the pedagoguefrequently led rather sometimes calling the pedagoguea It is not the purpose of this ar- than followed his charge, especially trophos7or tropheus8("foster-father"). ticle to solve these exegetical diffi- when the boy was a very young child. Although the pedagogue'srole culties by pinpointing which aspect Variousaspects of the pedagogue's usually began after the nurse had of the pedagoguefigure Paul intended task have been preservedin artistic concluded her task (that is, at about when he made the analogy in Gala- representations. On a vase painting age six), there are texts that refer to tians 3:24-25. want to draw to the fifth I merely dating century B.C.E., Numerous terracottaexamples show young attention to some of the more visual Geropso, the nurse of Hercules, is boys being helped along by their pedagogues. examples of the pedagogue'sfunc- depicted as his pedagoguefollowing Below left: This terracottafigure from Myrina for example, shows a tion in the ancient world in the him to school. Hercules (Turkey), pedagogue hope Apparently leading his charge by the hand. Dating to the that such illumination will offer was to have a music lesson, because Hellenistic era, the figureis 16 centimeters valuable clues to Paul'smeaning. Geropso is shown carrying a lyre. A (about 6 inches) tall. It is currentlyhoused in used the National ArchaeologicalMuseum, Athens. Lekythos (a single-handledjug Reproducedcourtesy of the TA.P service. AncientExamples of the Pedagogue for oil) shows an actual pedagogue Below center: This terracottafigure from When Socrates asked the youthful doing the identical task (Beck 1975: Cyrene(Libya), dating to the Hellenistic whether ruled Such period, shows a hooded old man leading five Lysis anyone (archein) plate 12, figure 68). examples children. It is 13.4centimeters (about 5 inches) over him, he replied that his peda- clarify those texts that use akolou- tall. Reproducedcourtesy of the Musee du gogue, a slave, ruled him. In response thein ("tofollow")3 to describe the Louvre,Paris. Below right: Found in a tomb to the further as to how the the child on the TamanskiPeninsula along the Black inquiry pedagogueaccompanying Sea, this terracottafigure depicts a hooded pedagogue ruled over him, Lysis to school. However,numerous ter- pedagogue carryinga lyre and gently leading answered,"By leading (agon)me to racotta examples indicate that a small boy.Dating to the fourth centuryB.C.E., I This were led the hand or it is 14.1 centimeters (about 5/2 inches) tall. school, suppose."1 common2 younger boys by Reproducedcourtesy of the Hermitage description is hardly exhaustive or were helped along with a gentle hold Museum, Leningrad. Biblical Archaeologist, June 1990 81 This content downloaded from 50.147.252.45 on Thu, 3 Jul 2014 23:13:19 PM All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions the pedagoguehaving charge of a comb that can caress the hair monly held in low esteem. Peda- baby?Similarly, according to the nor mirrors that without artists' gogues certainly got drunk;11some ancient author Libanius,whenever a aid reproducethe shapes con- no doubt did so habitually. child became sick, the pedagogue fronting them, but behind him The image of the instructor on played the role of nurse (Oration, come many-leavedwriting tab- terracottafigurines is so like the 58.8-11, see Festugiere 1959: 469). lets or books that preservethe Silenus/pedagoguecaricature that There are also terracottaexamples of merit of ancient deeds, along one barely hesitates before identify- pedagoguescarrying very young with a tuneful lyre, should he ing each figure as a pedagoguehelp- children (Rostovtzeff 1941:1.212, have to go to a music master ing a child with his homework.12 plate XXX, figure 2; Darembergand (Affairsof the Heart, 44, see Libanius (Oration, 58.9, see Fes- Saglio 1907:IV.272, figure 5450; Macleod 1967: 217-19). tugiere 1959: 469) and Aphthonius Klein 1932:plate 32B) as well as one School began early, as the above (Progymnasmata,5.15, see Hock where the pedagogueis holding the reference to rising at dawn and and O'Neil 1986: 227) inform us that child's rattle. others'0 indicate. Sometimes it was the pedagoguesometimes performed The role of a pedagoguewalking necessary, therefore, for the peda- this task. The ugliness of the peda- behind his chargewith his charge's gogue to carry a lamp (Rostovtzeff gogues on these terracottafigures lyre in his hand is colorfully de- 1941:1.212, plate XXX, figure 2).
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