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Home , Chrysaor, Harmonia, Iasion, Mnemosyne, Rape in Greek mythology, Thesan

HESPERIA 7I (2002) "P R E DATO RY" Pages 325-344 G O D D E S S E S

AB STRACT

It is oftenassumed that depictions on Atticvases ofthe goddessEos carrying offyoungmortals were meant to conveya strongnegative message about the dangersof femalesexuality. But canwe be surethat the mythsabout and herlovers,like those of abductionsof mortalsby othergods, were intended as commentarieson humansexual conduct? (unlike women) are im- mortal,ageless, and powerfilLEvidence from the ancientsources suggests insteadthat depictionsof abductionsby Eos weremeant to representboth the romanceand anguish of divlneinterventions into mortallife, andto re- mindtheir users of the inexorablepower of the gods.

ABDUCTIONS OF MORTALS BY EOS AND OTHER GODDESSES

The malegods of ancientGreece are known for theirinterest in mortal women.lBut goddesses also were active in seekingout mortal consorts, at leastin theera before the , when the gods were still dining with mortals([Hes.] Cat., fr. 1.1-10 MW; Hes. Theog. 585-587). 'sTheo- gony,in theform in which it hascome down to us,ends with a catalogueof 'sconsorts and children, followed by thoseof the othergods (Hes. Theog.886-962). To this catalogueis appendeda list of"the immortal

1. Comparethe Hebrewtradition C.Sourvinou-Inwood for advice and Maine(Fig. 6); Museo archeologico aboutthe originof the giantsknown as encouragement;and to C. Gentilesco nazionaledi Ferrara(Fig. 7); Madrid, theNephelim: "the gods saw that the foreditorial assistance. Acknowledg- Museoarqueologico nacional (Fig. 8); daughtersof humanswere attractive, mentis madealso to the following: HermitageMuseum, St. Petersburg andthey took wives from whomever Antikensammlung,Staatliche Museen (Fig.9); Musei Vaticani, Archivo theychose" (Genesis 6.2); West 1997, zuBerlin, Preussischer Kulturbesitz fotografico(Fig. 10); Soprintendenza p.117. (Figs.1, 14);Baltimore Museum of Art archeologicaper Etruria meridionale My thanksespecially to D. von (Fig.2); Walters Art Museum,Balti- (Fig.11); Musee du , Bothmer,M. Kilmer,and also to the more(Fig. 3); Museum of FineArts, (Fig.12); British Museum, London refereesand editors of Hesperiafor Boston(Fig. 4); Metropolitan Museum (Fig.13). Translations, unless other- specificimprovements and corrections; ofArt, New York(Fig. 5); Bowdoin wisenoted, are my own. toE. R. Knauer,B. Ridgway,and CollegeMuseum of Art,Brunswick,

American School of Classical Studies at is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve, and extend access to Hesperia ® www.jstor.org 326 MARY R. LEFKOWITZ goddesseswho bedded with mortal men and bore children who resembled the gods"(Hes. Theog.967-968): Demeterand , and Kadmos,Kallirhoe and Chrysaor, Eos andTithonos, Eos andKephalos, Medeiaand Iason, and Aiakos, and , andAnchises, Kirke and , and Kalypso and Odysseus (Hes. Theog. 969-1020).2When in the OdysseyKalypso complains that the gods are jealousof the goddesseswho sleepwith mortalmen, she alludesto the storyof Eosand Orion along with that of Demeterand Iasion (Od. 5.118- 128). also mentions Eos and Kleitos (Od. 15.572-575), and Sappho alludesto thestory of Aphroditeand Adonis (fr. 140 Voigt).3The Hesiodic Catalogueof Women,although mostly about the liaisons of godswith mor- talwomen, appears to haveincluded accounts of Thetis'smarriage to Peleus (fr.210-211 MW) andof 'sromance with Endymion (fr. 245 MW).4 In viewof the frequencywith which these stories turn up in Archaic poetry,it is notsurprising that the gods' liaisons with mortals are frequently portrayedon vases by Athenian painters, or that Eos and her lovers appear on a relativelylarge proportion of them.In thevases catalogued by Sophia Kaempf-Dimitriadouthere are more scenes depicting Eos andher lovers thanscenes portraying Zeus, either with femalemortals or with Gany- medes.5The mythof Eos andKephalos had special appeal for an Athe- nianaudience because Kephalos was a localboy; so didvases depicting the abductionof the Athenianprincess Oreithyia by the wind-godBoreas.6 The Eos vaseshad a wideappeal for Athenian audiences, as well as for theItalian market: 37 of 210 red-figuredvases listed by CarinaWeiss were foundin mainlandItaly or Sicily,and 38 areNolan .7 Kaempf- Dimitriadouconcluded that scenes in which gods abducted mortals might haveserved as remindersof the precariousnessof human existence.8 She alsosuggested that scenes in whichEos carriedoff youngmen might in somecases have served as consolationin timeof death.9 In recentyears, however, scholars have sought to extrapolateinforma- tionfrom these scenes about Athenian attitudes toward human male and femalesexuality. Andrew Stewart, in a detaileddiscussion of theEos vases, rightlymakes a carefuldistinction between ordinary rape of mortalsby

2. On the traditionthat Medeia was of /Iasiontakes place in a 109,there are 147 sceneswith Eos and immortal,c£ Pind.Pyth. 4.11;Braswell plowedfield, like the ritualmarriage of herlovers as opposedto 116 depicting 1988, p.76. The mythof Kirkemay the goddessInanna to the kingof Su- Zeusand his lovers(60 withwomen haveits originsin NearEastern epic: mer.One kingis evencalled Dumuzi, and56 with Ganymedes).Boreas and Ishtarin the Gilgameshepic turns two the nameof herdivine spouse; cf. Oreithyiais the nextmost popular of herlovers into animals(Gilg. 3.7, Frymer-Kensky1992, pp. 50-57. subjectwith 56, followedby 6.2.26); seeWest 1997, p.408, n. 14. 4. On Seleneand Endymion, see andhis loverswith 40. The mythsabout Eos andher lovers Ap. Rhod.4.57; the storymay come 6. Bothmyths were portrayed in the mayhave influenced the characteriza- fromMusaeus's (cf. Epi- akroteriaof the Athenians'temple at tion of Kalypso,Kirke, and Aphrodite; menides3B2 I 33 DK;see FGrHist ;Robertson 1975, p. 356. cf. Boedeker1974, pp.64-84; Friedrich IIIb Suppl.I, p. 575).Another of 7. LIMC III, 1986,pp. 759-775, 1978, pp.39-43. Selene'smortal lovers was the Eleu- s.v. (C. Weiss). 3. The mythof Aphrodite/Adonis sinianruler and Eumolpos, 8. Kaempf-Dimitriadou1969, cameto Cyprusand Minor from by herthe fatherof Musaeus(Philo- pp.47-53. the cultof Ishtarand Thammuz in chorus328, FGrHist F208 = schol. 9. Kaempf-Dimitriadou1969, p.57; Syria;see Page1955, p.127. On the Ar.Ran. 1033). Vermeule1979, pp. 162-178;LIMC identityof Aphroditewith Ishtar, cf. 5. In the catalogueof vasesin III, 1986,p. 779, s.v.Eos (C. Weiss). Burkert1992, pp.20,97-98. The union Kaempf-Dimitriadou1969, pp. 76- PREDATORY GODDESSES 327

mortalsand the eroticinterventions into human life madeby gods.l° But he accountsfor the popularityof the Eos vasesby suggestingthat they mighthave been understood as a meansof definingand justifying the dominanceof malesexuality: "Mythological pursuits and abductions rep- resentnothing more or less thanthe projectionof Athenianmale desire firstupon the heroicworld and then upon the divineone.''1l Whatrole do the Eosvases play in this"projection of Athenianmale desire"?Stewart suggests that the discourse about Eos and her boy victims mayultimately be intendedas a warning:"not only do thesepictures hint at the evilsoffemale dominance (gynaikoArateia) and easy capitulation to desire,but nervouslyevoke their appalling consequences: female control of thephallus.''l2 Robin Osborne agrees with Stewart that female pursuers invertthe normal codes of sexualbehavior.l3 In hisview, the vases provide a displayof whatnever could or shouldhappen in Atheniansociety, be- causeof the closerestrictions on femaledesire, at leastamong respectable women:"in limiting scenes of femalepursuit to the caseof the winged Eos,pot painterswere able both to suggestthat women did desiremen andthat female desire could not be activein the realworld.''14 In thepresent article I arguethat Kaempf-Dimitriadou's understand- ingofthe purposeofthe Eosvases is morelikely to be correct:the primary purposeof the vaseswas to remindviewers of the powerof the godsto alterthe courseof humanlife, whether for better or worse. Painters who wishedto commenton thesexuality of mortalfemales did not need to use depictionsof goddessesto do so.In anycase, there is no reasonto believe thatAthenian men wished to discouragefemale passion, even within the contextof marriage.Rather, what the Eos vasesportray are the various stagesin theuses of persuasionand constraint in thepursuit of thegoddess's desire.None of the Eosvases depicts sexual activity, other than eye con- tact.Eos is no more"predatory" in her approaches to mortalsthan gods likeZeus or Boreas.15 Why do we supposethat vases depicting abductions of mortalsby godswere intended as commentaries on mortalsexual relationships? Cer- tainlyhuman beings project their own characteristicsonto the gods,as Xenophanesobserved: "Homer and Hesiod ascribed to the gods all the actionsthat among men causereproach and blame, lies, adulteries,and deceptionsof one another"(fr. 21 B12 I 132 DK = 160 KRS).But it is anothermatter to assumethat the reverse is true,that all of the actionsof thegods can in turnbe mirroredin thelives of humanbeings.l6The Greeks neverforgot about the limitationsimposed on humanaction by the fact of mortality.l7They madea cleardistinction between human rapes and

10. Stewart1995, pp. 74-77; c£ 13. Osborne1996, pp. 65-77. asbehind every man there is a Zeitlin1986, p. 150,quoting Dover 14. Osborne1996, pp. 67-68, 76; restrainedonly by socialprotocols, so 1978,p. 88:"pursuit is the rolepre- cf. alsoFrontisi-Ducroux 1996, p. 83: behindevery woman there is an Eos: scribedfor the male,flight for the "aterrifying scenario to Greekmen." Femalesexual desire can be rampant, female,"but thesecategories apply 15.West 1966, p. 486:"[Eos] was too." onlyto mortals. one of the mostpredatory of god- 17. See especiallythe perceptive 11. Stewart1995, p. 86;cf. also desses";c£ Friedrich1978, p.41: remarksof Vermeule1979, p. 121; Zeitlin1986, p. 150. "Dawnis rapaciousin herway." cf. alsoStehle 1990, p. 94;Sourvinou- 12. Stewart1995, p. 86. 16. E.g., Osborne1996, p. 72:"just Inwood1991, p. 49. MARYR.LEFKOWITZ 328 about, a godwas something to boast by gods.l8Abduction by punish- abductions rapeby a mortalwas a disgrace, afterthewoman's death; but cannotserve even othersocial restrictions. Gods Athensin by divorce and a womanwith able becausegods can abduct modelsfor mortalmen, whentalk- as role thisimportant distinction It is essentialto remember on"raping impunity. do not(pace Eva Keuls) go divineabductions.l9 Gods ingabout consortsdeliberately and carefully.20 butchoose their female mortalmen; expeditions," alsoto goddesseswho abduct Asimilar distinction applies oradul- outwith impunity either abduction amortal woman cannot carry fatherbecause she byher son for murdering his tery.Klytemnestra is killed aboutcom- Phaidra(who was only thinking wantedto marry Aigisthos. thatshe is goingto be herselfwhen she believes mittingadultery) hangs Osbornefails to distin- of theserelationships, see In hisdiscussion Phaidraalong 18. For furtherdiscussion, disgraced. women.He includes cf. also goddessesand mortal in Lefkowitz1993, pp. 20-21; guishbetween Selenein a list of"females Eos, Aphrodite,and by Harrison1997, p.188. withthegoddesses carryHippolytos away p.50, who Phaidrais mortal;she cannot 19.Cf. Keuls 1985, pursuit.''2lBut do anythingpositive for and going on byforce. Her passion cannot speaksof Zeus persuasion,let alone sonor that ne could expedition." thathe willhave a famous a"raping suchas guaranteeing of theseben- Lefkowitz 1986, pp.35-36. him, couldbestow some or all 20. immortal.Only a to ab- 21.Osborne 1996, p. 67. become the formof an animal who also man.A godcould assume 22.Robson 1997, p.81, efitson a mortal mateswith an animal, companion Butwhen a mortalwoman citesthemyth of 's a mortalwoman. for the bullpro- 21), who fell in duct Pasiphae'spassion Polyphonte(Ant. Lib. has dreadfulconsequences: huge sons herlust lovewith a bear:her two ducedtheMinotaur.22 womenhas madeit becamesavage cannibals. to the treatmentof pp. 93- present-daysensitivity of Cf. esp. Ridgway 1999, Our ancientmyths of divineabductions 23. to discusswith equanimity ordinary 94. difficult in our mindsfrom 61; Calame we can separatethem 24.Shapiro 1992, p. mortals,even when thesestories in more lap is however,responded to 1999,p. 67. Even Danae's Theancients themselves, avoidedrepre- and dresswhen rape. divineabductions, artists coveredby her cloak ways.23When depicting of sexual of gold from nuanced unionor directmanifestation shereceives the shower the momentof sexual of seduction, as shown on a kalyxkrater senting concentratedon the process Zeus, Likethe poets,they andcoop- fromCerveteri in St. Petersburg, arousal.24 mortallovers to welcome no. 1, 1648; thegods persuade their inv.ST 1723:ARV2 360, showinghow whenhe is planning no. 1, pl.1, As Kheironadvises , LIMCIII,1986, p.327, eratewith their advances. of holyloves; Nonetheless, keysof wisePersuasion s.v.Danae (J. J. Maffre). Kyrene:"hidden are the bedfor that toabduct openlyto approacha sweet Stewart(1995, p. 87) suggests menalike hesitant society, thismakes gods and bymid-century"in polite Pyth.9.39-41).25 simply no longer thefirst time" (Pind. enchantment)to gainthe theseimages were employpersuasion (or in effect they had all but Malegods always couldeasily compel mortal acceptable; eventhough they becomepornography." cooperationof the females, manwithout his "notforce cannotseduce a mortal 25. Clay 1989, p. 159: by force.But a goddess goddessdis- constitute women to Aphrodite,the butpersuasion and guile In the HomericHymn seduction." activecooperation. aboutherself in order secrettools of successful andtells an elaborate story the 1998, guisesherself as a mortal to her;the poet Dougherty(1993, pp.140-141; him to makelove of Apollo's reassureAnchises and encourage herpresence has p.270),in her discussion to andshows the effect emphasizesthe thather power is universal, mortalboys abductionof Kyrene, states whocould easily force 'sagricultural Butthe malegods, powerof "violence"of evenon animals.26 drawtheir lovers by the but cf. Bremmer2000, giveinto them,prefer to wherea metaphors, orwomen to onlyin a few cases pp.102-103. couplingis shown 158, 175. theirglance. Homosexual intercoursewith a young 26. Cf. Clay 1989, pp. god hasfrontal intercrural 1992, p.66; Kilmer wingedyoung male shown,"there is no hint 27. Shapiro asMartin Kilmer has and in general,Kilmer humanmale. But even here, object.His passivit,v 1997, p.132; neitherto consentnor p.270; 1993, p.200. ofviolence."The mortal seems the god.27 1990, powerbetween himself and bringsout the disparityin PREDATORY GODDESSES 329

Figure1. Neckamphora by the NausicaaPainter (Berlin F 2352). < _ Eosapproaching Kephalos. Courtesy aL ; L _ > : g2 -0:; ;;- 0; ;--;; 0 :t Antikensammlung, Staatliche Museen zu f ^ ^ ; i | : : ;4-:t-^{j><+ sswo0 Berlin,Preussischer Kulturbesitz | _

VASE PAINTINGS OF PURSUITS BY EOS

In general,the goddessEos's approaches to the youngmen she seeksto abductdo notdiffer significantly from those of malegods abducting boys or women.Painters show her (1) approachingthe mortal,(2) catching holdof himby his handor arm,or (3) carryinghim away. An exampleof the firststage is providedby a neckamphora with twisted handles by the NausicaaPainter (Fig. 1), which shows on the left a wingedEos walking witharms outstretched toward a youngman, whose hunting garb identi- fieshim as Kephalos.28 He is walkingaway from her, holding his right arm with his palmfacing toward her, as if wardingher off. His dogjumps towardher in alarm.But at the sametime Kephalos has turned his head backin orderto lookat Eos, and we cansee that the power ofthe goddess's glancehas begun to keephim from getting away.29 In a bellkrater by the ChristiePainter (Fig. 2), a wingedEos strides fromthe left toward a retreatingKephalos (again recognizable by his hunt- inggear). He is abouta headshorter than the goddess, and is gazingback

28.Berlin F 2352,from Nola: ARV2 Buxton1982, pp.51,112-113,214, 1107,no. l; LIMC III,1986,p. 762, n.86;Sourvinou-Inwood 1991, p.69; no.104,s.v. Eos (C. Weiss); Kaempf- Padel1992, pp. 62-63. On the erotic Dimitriadou1969, p. 85,no. 104. gaze,see Reeder 1995, pp. 125-126; 29.On the power of thegaze, see Frontisi-Ducroux1996, pp.82-84; (ingeneral) Robertson 1975, p.214; Sutton1997-1998, p.35. 33o MARY R. LEFKOWITZ

Figure2 (lefi). Bellkrater by the ChristiePainter (Baltimore Museum of Art1951.486). Eos approaching Kephalos.Courtesy Baltimore Museum of Art,bequest of SadieA. May

Figure3 (aboq)e).Stamnos (Walters ArtMuseum 48.2034). Eos ap- proachingTithonos.Courtesy Walters towardher, while a comradebehind the goddessmoves off to the left.30 ArtMuseum, Baltimore Huntersare out at dawn, and schoolboys also rise early. When Eos is shown in pursuitof theTrojan prince Tithonos, he is oftenshown holding a , as if on hisway to his lessons.On a skyphosby the PantoxenaPainter, a wingedEos reachesout to a youngman identified by an inscriptionas Tithonos.3lHis rightarm is bentup andback, and in his righthand he holdsa lyrewith which he triesto strikeEos; but againtheir eyes have alreadymet, and we knowthat his resistancewill be ineffective.When paintersdepict mortal couples gazing at one another,they often show a wingedEros between or nearthem.32 But the gazeof thegod or goddess canbe effectiveeven without the helpof Eros. In thenext stage of thepursuit Eos takes hold of theyoung man; on a stamnosin theWalters Art Museum (Fig. 3), Eos,here without wings, is shownbetween two young men, striding from the left towardTithonos, whois movingaway from her toward the right.33She has placed her left

30. Bellkrater by the Christie approachingfrom the left,reaches out loutrophorosin the Ashmolean Painter,Baltimore Museum of Art towarda fleeingKephalos (identified Museum,Oxford University, inv. 1951.486:ARV2 1048, no.27; by an inscription)who holdstwo 1966.888:LIMC III,1986,p.905, LIMC III, 1986,p. 762, no.99, s.v.Eos overhis left shoulder;a companion, no. 639c,pl.646, s.v.Eros (A. Her- (C.Weiss); Kaempf-Dimitriadou 1969, behindEos, is runningaway. maryet al.);Reeder 1995, pp.168- p. 85, no.110;Reeder 1995, pp. 401- 31. Paris,Cab. Med. 846:ARV2 169,no.25. 402, no.131 (C. Benson).Compare the 1050,no.1; LIMC III,1986,p. 768, 33. Baltimore,Walters Art Mu- bellkrater from Cumae (Paris, Cab. no. 182,s.v. Eos (C.Weiss); Kaempf- seum48.2034: ARV2 509, no. 1657; Med.423: ARV2 1055, no. 72; LIMC Dimitriadou1969, p.90, no.173. LIMC III,1986,p. 765, no.139,s.v. III, 1986,p.762, no. 100,s.v. Eos 32. Forexamples, see esp.Sutton Eos (C.Weiss); Kaempf-Dimitriadou [C.Weiss]; Kaempf-Dimitriadou 1969, 1992,p.27; Sutton1997-1998, pp.32- 1969,p. 87, no.130;Reeder 1995, p.185, no.112),where a wingedEos, 39;also the sceneon the fragmentof a pp.399-401,no. 130 (C. Benson). PREDATORY GODDESSES 33I

Figure4. Kylixby the Telephos Painter(Boston 95.28). Eos taking hold of Tithonos. CourtesyMuseum of FineArts, Boston, Catharine Page Perkins Fund

armacross his back and her left hand rests on hisright shoulder. Tithonos hasdropped his lyre from his right hand and it fallsto theground. Behind Eos,on the left, a comradeis lookingback toward Tithonos, but at the sametime moving out of theway.34 On a kylixby theTelephos Painter in Boston(Fig. 4), a wingedEos approachesTithonos from the left, while he movesaway from her toward the right.35She grasps his rightwrist with her right hand, has placed her left armaround his back,and has her left handon his left shoulder. Tithonos'sleft armis benttoward her at the elbow,with his handout- stretchedin herdirection, but not touchingher. He turnsaround to look ather, but she is gazingupward, over his head. She does not need to attract himby her gaze, because she is holdinghim by the wrist, Xsp' sst %ocpsx, as a bridegroommight grasp the wrist of a bride.36

34. CompareEos catchingKepha- s.v.Eos [C.Weiss]; Kaempf-Dimi- los on a Nolanamphora by the Niobid triadou1969, p. 83, no. 81). Painterin the Rijksmuseumin Leiden 35. Boston95.28, from Vulci: (PC 78:ARV2 605, no. 58; LIMC III, ARV2482, no. 816;LIMC III,1986, 1986,p. 761, no. 77, pl. 77, s.v.Eos p. 769,no. 201, pl.201, s.v.Eos [C.Weiss]; Kaempf-Dimitriadou 1969, (C.Weiss); Kaempf-Dimitriadou p. 83, no. 83), andon a pelikeby the 1969,p.90, no. 179. NiobidPainter, formerly in Konigs- 36. On the gesture,see Jenkins berg(Univ. F 162:ARV2603, no.44; 1983,pp. 139-140;Oakley and Sinos LIMC III, 1986,p. 761, no.76, pl. 76, 1993,p.32. 332 MARY R. LEFKOWITZ

Figure5 (lept). Polychromebobbin by the PenthesileaPainter (New York 28.167). Zephyrostaking hold of Hyakinthos.Courtesy Metropolitan Museumof Art,Fletcher Fund

Figure6 (opposite, lept). Hydriaby the Niobid Painter.Boreas taliing hold of Oreithyia(Brunswick 1908.003). CourtesyBowdoin College Museum of Art, Brunswick,Maine. Gift of EdwardPerry Warren,Esq., Honorary Degree, 1926.

ANALO GIES WITH ABDUCTIONS BY MALE GODS

In approachingher lovers in thisway Eos follows what appears to be one of thecustomary rules of divinebehavior. The tacticsshe employs are also usedby male gods. Virtually the same stage of pursuitis shownon a poly- chromebobbin by thePenthesilea Painter in NewYork (Fig. 5).37 Here a wingedmale figure, possibly Zephyros, strides from the left toward a young 37. NewYork, MMA 28.167: male(Hyakinthos?) who holdsa lyrein his left hand.The god holdshis ARV2890, no. 175,1673;LIMC V, leftarm behind the young man and is reachingdown toward him with his 1990,p. 549, no.44, pl. 44, s.v. righthand. The youngman is aboutto stepoff to the right,but he gazes Hyakinthos(L. andF. Villard); backinto the eyesof thegod. The stanceof thegod/mortal pair is similar Kaempf-Dimitriadou1969, p.81, to thatseen on a hydriaby the NiobidPainter in the BowdoinCollege no.53; Shapiro1992, pp. 70-72, Museumof Art:a wingedBoreas with winged boots approaches from the fig.3.10. 38. Brunswick,Maine 1908.003, leftthrough the air (Fig. 6).38 The god puts his right arm around Oreithyia's fromAthens: ARV2 606, no.68; waistand his left aroundher shoulders. Oreithyia turns toward him, but LIMC III,1986,p.137, no.56, pl.56, doesnot embrace him in return.She holds both arms in theair and is still s.v.Boreas (S. Kaempf-Dimitriadou); movingtoward the right,away from him. The goddessAthena, holding Kaempf-Dimitriadou1969, p.107, spearand shield, stands behind Oreithyia, looking over her head toward no.364. 39. On Athenaas pompos, see Sinos Boreas.She does nothing to helpOreithyia or oppose Boreas; rather, she is 1993,pp.80-83. On Herodotos7.189, actingas Boreas'spompos: accordingto Herodotos(7.189.1), he made cf. How andWells 1912, vol.2, p.215; Oreithyiahis wife.39 LIMC III, 1986,p. 134,s.v. Boreas In thevases discussed above, the gods do notuse force to compeltheir (S. Kaempf-Dimitriadou).There is a intendedlovers to accompanythem. But painters did not rationalizedversion of the mythin hesitateto showhow women protest and suffer when they are carried off, 'sPhaedrus (229c-d). 40. LIMC VIII,1997,p.969, evenby a god.The exquisitewall painting in the tombof Persephoneat no.213, s.v. (G. Guntner); Verginadepicts Persephone's anguish as carries her offon his chariot, Andronikos1994, pp.59-69, pls. 19- whileher Oceanid friend raises her arm in horror.40Hades may have needed 26. Cf. Cohen1996, pp.119-121. PREDATORY GODDESSES 333

Figure7 (aboqJe,right). by the PenthesileaPainter (Ferrara 9351). Zeus takinghold of Ganymedes. to useboth deception and violence to abductPersephone, because she, like CourtesyMuseo archeologico nazionale di himself,is a divinity,powerful, immortal, and ageless. As the storyis re- Ferrara latedin the HomericHymn to Demeter,Zeus tells to producean in- toxicatingnarcissus, which Persephone wants to pick;Hades then takes herby surprise,by makingthe earthopen beneath her feet, as he rushes outto carryher off on his chariot(Hymn. Hom. 2.8-18).41 Butwhen gods approach mortals they do not needto relyon such 41.The narcissusin this mythis a violence.Vase painters show male gods employing their superior strength, "miraculousflower"; see Richardson 1974,p.144. andallow the mortals whom they have chosen to displaysurprise and ini- 42. Athens13119, from Athens: tialreluctance. In a sceneon a hydriain Athens,Boreas runs from the left ARV21656; LIMC III,1986,p.135, afterOreithyia, who is fleeingto theright with her left hand raised in the no. 9, pl.9, s.v.Boreas (S. Kaempf- air.But Boreashas caught her right hand by the wristin his righthand Dimitriadou);Kaempf-Dimitriadou andis pullingher from behind with his lefthand, and she has turned her 1969,p. 105,no.343. headaround 43. Ferrara9351, from Spina: to lookinto his eyes.42In a kylixby the PenthesileaPainter ARV2880, no. 12;LIMC IV,1988, (Fig.7), Zeushas put down his and scepter and is usingboth p. 157,no. 44, pl.44, s.v.Ganymedes hisarms to pullGanymedes toward him.43 His leftfoot is bracedagainst a (H. Sichtermann);Kaempf-Dimi- rockon thelower right side of thevase, and with his right hand he grasps triadou1969, p. 79, no.34. Forsimilar Ganymedes'right arm; Ganymedes' head is turnedtoward him, but he is scenes,cf. a lekythosfrom Novoli in walkingaway, as if hewanted to returnto hisfriends, holding the fighting Taranto,Mus. Naz.54383: ARV2 556, no. 108;LIMC IV,1988,p. 156, cockZeus has given him in his left hand.This paintingappears on the no.30, s.v.Ganymedes (H. Sichter- coverof Keuls'sThe Reign of thePhallus, as if it wererepresentative of the mann);Kaempf-Dimitriadou 1969, sexualviolence endemic in Atheniansociety. But the vasedoes not de- p. 77, no. 8; andan oinochoe(with scribesexual life in Athens.If a humanmale behaved that way toward a Zeusapproaching Ganymedes from youngman, he wouldbe harshlytreated, if not by the youngman's rela- the right)in Basel,H. A. Cahn9: tives,then by the youngman himself. Rather, ARV2874, no.3; LIMC IV,1988, the paintingdepicts the p.157, no. 41, pl. 41, s.v.Ganymedes conflictbetween a god'sdesire and a mortal'swish to retainhis indepen- (H. Sichtermann);Kaempf-Dimi- dence.The onlookerknows whose power is greater,and understands that triadou1969, p. 79, no.31. thegods always win. MARYR. LEFKOWITZ 334

Figure8 (lefi). Lekythosby the OionoklesPainter (Madrid 11158). Eoscarrying of5Kephalos. Courtesy Archivofotografico, Museo arqueologico nacional,Madrid

Figure9 (above). Bird-rhyton (St.Petersburg B 682).Eos carrying BY EOS HermitageMuseum VASEPAINTINGS OF ABDUCTIONS offa boy.Courtesy by the phaseof thepursuit is the abductionitsel£ In a Thefinal a young Painterin Madrid(Fig. 8), a wingedEos flies holding Oionokles in herarms.44 (identifiedin aninscription as Kephalos) who is cradled male upto theleft, goddess'storso is turnedtoward the boy, but she looks The His rightarm is the boylooks down to the right,away from her. while hislyre. The in frontof herface, and his left handstill clutches extended desireto abduct compositionbrings out the tension between the goddess's is alsoa vividcontrast himand his eagerness to rejoinhis comrades. There in St. Peters- betweenEos andthe boyshe is abductingin a bird-rhyton boytoward the left, burg(Fig. 9).45 Eos againis lookingaway from the armdownward as if whilehe looksdown to theright, and stretches his left captionfor this vase is reachingout to someoneon theground. Vermeule's world."46But life in the "Eosthe dawn-goddesscarries a boyto a better if he couldsomehow palaceof the Dawnwould only be betterfor a boy mortalsachieve this be agelessand immortal. In the mythsonly a few Vermeule1979, p. 166.If the 45. St. PetersburgB 682:ARV2 46. 44. Madrid11158:ARV2 649, hadsome relevance to death, a (Kephalos);LIMC III, 1986, painting 45;LIMC III, 1986,p. 773, 391, to findit on a leky- no. s.v.Eos (C.Weiss); onewould expect 268, s.v.Eos (C.Weiss); p. 773, no.267, cf. Kaempf- no.268, pl. 1969,p. 91, no. thosrather than a rhyton; Kaempf-Dimitriadou1969, p. 92, Kaempf-Dimitriadou 1969,p. 57. Vermeule1979, p. 167,fig. 17. Dimitriadou no. 194. 193; PREDATORY GODDESSES 335

Figure10. Etruscanbronze and silvermirror (Vatican 12241). (Eos) carryingof5Kephalos. CourtesyArchivio fotografico, Musei Vaticani

status.47There are no inscriptionsor literary documents that suggest that Atheniansin the 5th centuryattached a happyending to anyof the Eos .They buried the deadjust before dawn, for practical reasons, not becausethey supposed the goddess would be thereto carrythe soul away.48 Forthem a benevolentwinged represented a good and easy death.49 At best,scenes of Eoson inerary lekythoi might have conveyed to mourn- vaguehope that the deceased, like the heroes of old,might find him- selfina brighterplace in thelower world.50It is only in laterantiquity that abductionsbygoddesses were used to suggesta modeof deathand a promise of a iture existencein thelight, nearer to thegods.5l Otherscenes depict the boysitting more comfortably in Eos'sarms. An Etruscanbronze and silver mirror from Vulci in theVatican (Fig. 10) showsKephalos looking directly into the eyes ofthe goddessThesan (Eos's

47. Zeusmakes Ganymedes (below,n. 51) in supportof herclaim bowto a powerstronger than the king immortal,and also his sonsHerakles that"Eosthe Dawngoddess carried of the gods." andPolydeukes, who generously shares off the deadon 'thewings of the morn- 50. LIMC III, 1986,p. 779, s.v.Eos his immortalitywith his half-brother ing'or to motivatethe eventby simple (C.Weiss). Kastor.Aphrodite makes Kephalos's sexualattraction or love."The notionof 51. As Athenaeushas say sonPhaethon a "brightdivinity" flyingto God on the wingsof the at his learnedsymposium: "\hom do (8atllova 8tov, Hes. Theog.991), but morningderives from Ps. 139.9-10 the goddessesabduct? [avapFraL,ovoLv; thisis a statusmore like that of a , (KingJamesVersion). on the translation,cf. Bremmer2000, becausehe is confinedto one placeas 49. Sourvinou-Inwood1995, p. 103] Is it not the mostbeautiful "thesecret keeper of hertemple" (Nagy pp.337-346; cf. Garland1985, pp. 54- ones?And theseare the onesthey live 1979,p. 192);no sexualrelationship is 59. In Etruriain the firsthalf of the with:Eos with Kephalosand Kleitos implied(Stehle 1990, p. 96). 5th century,mirrors depicting the andTithonos, Demeter with Iasion, 48. Kurtzand Boardman 1971, goddessThesan (Eos) carrying her Aphroditewith Anchises and Adonis" pp.144-145; cf. LIMC III, 1986, deadson were popular. As (Symp.566d). See alsoHeraclitus, p. 779, s.v.Eros (C. Weiss).Vermeule De Puma(1994, p. 187)suggests,"she, Allegoriae(Quaest. Hom.) 68;Kaempf- (1979,p. 163)cites only likeher mortal devotees, has had to Dimitriadou1969, p. 57. 336 MARY R. LEFKOWITZ

Etruscancounterpart) asshe carries him away.52 She is movingto theleft, holdingthe smallerfigure of Kephaloslightly in herarms. Her left arm is beneathhis shoulders, and her right hand supports his knees. He hasplaced hisright hand on herright shoulder, and his left arm hangs straight down; he is not lookingback toward his friendsor his hunting.Similarly, in a neckamphora by theAchilles Painter from Vulci, the young man has his armaround Eos's back, and looks to the left alongwith her.53

METHODS OF PERSUASION USED BY DIVINE AB DUCTO RS

Wenow need to askwhatthe gods do to makeabducted lovers compliant, oreven actively cooperative. On a kylixby in ParisGanymedes lies backcomfortably in Zeus'sarms.54 Zeus is ableto holdhis scepterin his lefthand, because he doesnot needto restrainthe boy who, resting com- fortably,faces him. In theterracotta statue group at Olympia,Ganymedes calmlyholds a cockwith his left hand,his presentfrom Zeus, while Zeus carrieshim under his right arm.55 As we haveseen (above, note 41), when Hadeswanted to putPersephone off her guard, Gaia grew a narcissusthat astoundedboth gods and men, and its sweetscent caused heaven, earth, andsea to smile(Hymn. Hom. 2.8-14). When in theHesiodic Catalogue of WomenEurope was gathering flowers, Zeus changed himself into a bull and"breathed from his mouththe scentof saffron[ocso Tov oTo,uocTog XpOXOV £ZV£t]. Afterenticing her he pickedher up, carried her over the sea to ,and hadintercourse with her"(fr. 140 MW). When in a fragmentof 'sKares or Europe,Europe gives a briefaccount of whathappened, she has no unpleasantmemories: "and a friendlylush meadowwas there for the bull;in thatway, by waitingthere, Zeus man- agedto takeme, an effortless theft, from my aged father" (fr. 99.1-3 Radt).56 Scenesin 6th-and early-5th-century vase paintings also show a contented andrelaxed Europe. She is mostoften represented on the bull's back, riding awayacross the sea to Crete.In thesescenes she often holds the bull's horn orneck as she sits on him,and places her other hand on thebull's back, to steadyherself, as thebull rushes along.57 Some painters show her turning aroundto callback to her friends,as she does in the 2nd-centuryB.C. poemof Moschus, which draws on these earlier versions (lines 111-112).58 She is not onlycompletely unafraid of the bull,but fascinatedby him,

52. Vatican12241: LIMC III,1986, Kaempf-Dimitriadou1969, p. 79, Jones1971, pp. 414-417; Lefkowitz p. 795, no. 30, pl. 30, s.v.Eos/Thesan no.39. 1993,p. 25 (R. Bloch);De Puma1994, pp. 181- 55. LIMC IV,1988, p. 157, 57. Cf.LIMC IV, 1988,pp. 78-80, 182,pl. 16.7. no.56, pl. 66, s.v.Ganymedes nos.22-75, s.v.Europe (M. Robertson), 53. OnceRhodes Mus.:ARV2 987, (H. Sichtermann);Kaempf-Dimitria- fora list of red-figurevases showing no.5; LIMC III, 1986,p.773, no.269, dou 1969,p. 79, no.40; Dover 1978, Europeriding: "bull generally gallop- pl. 269, s v. Eos (C. Weiss);Kaempf- p. 92, pl. 1; cf. Robertson1975, p. 277, ing,often over sea." Dimitriadou1969, p. 92, no. 199. pl. 60:"the Greeks saw honour, not 58 Europe'sstory was told in 54. ParisG 123:ARV2 435, no. 94; shame,in the youth'shaving a god poems(now lost) by Eumelus,Stesi- LIMC IV, 1988,p. 157,no.52, pl.52, fora lover." chorus,and Bacchylides; see Campbell s.v.Ganymedes (H. Sichtermann); 56. On the fragment,see Lloyd- 1991,p. 3; Buhler1968, pp.25-26. PREDATORY GODDESSES 337

Figure11. Bell kraterby the Berlin Painter(Tarquinia RC 7456). Europerunning alongside of Zeus. CourtesySoprintendenza archeologica, Ministeroper i Benie le attivitaculturali per l'Etruriameridionale

andeager to touchand embrace him.59 She does not hesitateto climbon hisback.60 Europeis showncontentedly running alongside the bull in a bellkrater bythe BerlinPainter (Fig. 11).61 Her feet are spread wide apart, and with herleft hand she holds on to thetip of oneof hishorns. The otherside of the vaseshows a girlrunning. Europe and the bullhave not yet reached thesea, since the folds of herdress fall straight down and do notbillow out in thewind; her friend is stillrunning after her. Kilmer observes that "the 'rape'of Europeis atypicalin showingcontact between god andmortal; butthe contact is neverovertly sexual and Zeus is shownas a bull. . . what we havehere is pursuit,rather than the abductionthat will comefrom it."62By contrast, Keuls emphasizes the potential sexuality of thisscene by statingthat Europe is graspingthe bullby his "phallus-horn."63Perhaps thatis possible,but there is a simplerexplanation. By having Europe hold thebull's horn and keep pace with him, the painter shows that the bull is tameand approachable.

59. In Moschus'spoem Europe is gestionthat Zeus remained in the form ARV2206, no.126;LIMCIV, 1988, readyfor marriage, and responds with- of a bullafter he tookEurope to Crete. p. 77, no.2, pl.2, s.v.Europe (M. Rob- out hesitationto the bull'sapproaches. Evenin Moschus'spoem, where the ertson).Kurtz (1983, p. 102)observes Similarly,in 4th-centuryvase paintings, bullis extraordinarilyaffectionate, they thatthis vase "represents an earlier Danaeis shownlooking upward, with leavebefore they have any erotic con- stagein the story"than the Berlin herbreasts bare, collecting the golden tact,with Europe(as in manyvase Painter'sdepiction of Europeon the rainin herlap, as on a bell kraterfrom paintings)sitting on the bull'sback, bull'sback (Oxford 1927.4502: ARV2 Boiotiain the Louvre(Paris CA 925: holdingthe bull'slong horn in one 210, no. 172;LIMC IV,1988, p. 79, CVA,Paris 17 [France46], pls.44 hand,and grasping the hemof her no.41, s.v.Europe [M. Robertson]). [1167]:1;45 [1168]:3;LIMCIII, 1986, chitonin herother hand, to keepit Buhler1968, p.54: "Europemit weit p.328, no.9, pl. 9, p.335, s.v.Danae fromfalling in the sea,while the cloth ausschreitendenFussen neben dem [J.-J.Maffre]). on hershoulders billows out likea sail Stierherlauft." 60.To speakof this abductionas (Moschus,, lines 108-130). 62. Kilmer1997, p. 128. "bestialrape" seems extreme; cf. Rob- 61. Bellkrater by the BerlinPainter 63. Keuls1985, p.51. son 1997,pp. 74, 77.There is no sug- (TarquiniaRC 7456),from Tarquinia: 338 MARY R. LEFKOWITZ

POSSIBLE MEANINGS OF THE ABDUCTION SCENES

If onlya relativelyfew of the Eosvases show her abducted lovers in sucha stateof contentment,it is becausethe vase painters are more interested in the earlierstages of the pursuit,her first approach to theyoung man, and hisinitial resistance and longing to returnto hisfriends and previous life. It hasbeen suggested that the paintersof thesevases concentrate on the negativeaspects of abductionin orderto senda covertmessage about women'ssexuality: Womanat the mercyof the male.Women available to be taken,to be raped.The proof:the invertedmotif of the rapeof Tithonosor Kephalosby Eos,during which, as we haveseen, looking back in "consent"is rare.64 Butwhy suppose that these scenes have any bearing on the behaviorof mortalwomen? If theEos painters have concentrated on thenegative, it is 64. Frontisi-Ducroux1996, p. 88. 65.The storywas told in the lost becausethe goddess'sattentions bring at bestmixed blessings to herlov- cyclicepic Epigonoi (fr.5 Bernabe); ers.Eos askedZeus to makeTithonos immortal, but she forgotto ask fordetails, see Kearns1989, p. 177. Zeusto makehim ageless; when he becametoo oldto moveor get up, she 66. Hom.II. 24.525-526:"so the shuthim up in a chamber,and locked the doors (Hymn. Hom. 5.220-236). godshave allotted for unfortunate Eos allowsKephalos to returnto Athens,but when he is outhunting, he mortals,to livein sorrow;but they are accidentlykills his wife,Prokris.65 By contrast,painters allow Europe to freefrom cares." Cf. Macleod1982, p. 133:"the gods, who in thisbook appearcontent because her fate is relativelygood, given that mortals, at showtheir pity for menand demand best,can never have a completelyhappy life.66 She becomes the mother of thatmen pity each other, also will threesons, each of themfamous: , Rhadamanthys, and Sarpedon humansuffering and never share in it." (Aesch.fr. 50.11-16 Radt). 67. Cf. esp.Sourvinou-Inwood Abductionalmost always causes trouble for the mortals involved, and 1991,pp. 47-50. 68. Cf.Verg. Aen. 2.648-649. sometimeseven leads to theirdeaths.67 is consumedby flames as a Accordingto Hyginus,Fab. 94, the resultof herliaison with Zeus. So, in latersources, is Demeter'slover Iasion lightningbolt killedhim. On other (abrother of Dardanos)because he desiredDemeter (Konon 26, FGrHist variantsof the story,see Austin 1964, F21).Anchises was struck by lightning because he boastedabout his rela- pp.247-248. tionswith Aphrodite (Soph. fr. 373.2-3 Radt).68 In mostcases, as it is for 69. Cf. Calame1999, p. 67. Anchises,the mostpositive aspect of an abductionby a god is the child 70. Forexamples, see Reeder1995, pp.352-357, nos. 111-113;and in thatit produces.69 general,Kaempf-Dimitriadou 1969, Onlya few mortalshave no regrets.Ganymedes is madeimmortal pp.28-30. andageless, though his fatherTros grieves for him untilZeus tells him 71. Forexamples, see Reeder1995, whathe hasconferred on his son,and gives Tros a pairof immortalhorses pp.358-361,nos.114-116; Burn 1987, in compensationfor his loss (Hymn. Hom. 5.21S217). Oreithyia (see above, p.52. 72.The authorof the Homeric note 38) becomesthe consortof Boreasand lives with him in . Hymn toApollosets aside obscure local Amymoneis rescuedby Poseidonfrom the unwelcomeattentions of sa- mythsof Apollo'sabductions of mortal tyrs,and given the springof waterthat she was searchingfor, in womenand concentrates instead on hand.Some vase painters show her looking back into the god'seyes as he howthe god foundedhis shrineat approachesher, holding his .70Others show her about to let him ;see Clay1989, p. 56. But com- embraceher or depict them standing together in thegarden of Aphrodite, parethe emphasisin Stewart1995, p. 76, "theHomeric hymn to Apollo likebride and bridegroom.71 recountedthe god'sprogress from Likevase painters, poets are willing to representboth the negative insatiablewomanizer to panhellenic andpositive aspects of divineabduction.72The author ofthe HomericHymn ." PREDATORY GODDESSES 339 toDemeter describes Persephone's anguish and Demeter's grief, but he also showsHades treating her kindly. points out to Demeterthat Ha- desis "notan unworthybridegroom among the immortalgods," because he is her ownbrother and lord of a thirdof the universe(Hymn. Hom. 2.82-87).73Kyrene, after Apollo comes to a "bridegroom,"becomes thefounder of thecity of Kyreneand mother of a son,Aristaios, who will be madeimmortal (Pind. Pyth. 9.51-65).74 In 'Ion Kreousacom- plainsthat she was seduced and abandoned by Apollo, and that the child shebore and abandoned was lost. Her painfillnarrative has strucksome moderncritics as emblematicof"rapes" of mortalwomen by the gods.75 Butat thispoint in thedrama Kreousa does not know that in factthe god hasnot forgottenher after all, and is aboutto returnto herthe childshe thoughtshe had lost forever. Meanwhile, in herignorance, anger, and con- fusion,Kreousa had tried to poisonher child, Ion; she was jealous because shethought he was her husband Xouthos's son by another mother.76 In the end,she is gratefulto thegod (Eur. Ion 1609-1614),even though for many yearshe hasdone nothing to mitigateher suffering.77 As in thecase of Kreousa,mortals often make things worse for them- selvesthrough their lack of understanding.In the HomericHymn to Aphrodite,Anchises rushes into bedwithAphrodite, stripping offthe clothes 73. Cohen(1996, p. 130) sees andjewelry with which she had so carefullyadorned herself (Hymn. Hom. Helios'sstatement as a"dubious 5.162-166,cf. 58-66).78The poet does not describe their copulation; rather, consolation,"and the promiseof withgreat conciseness, he commentson Anchises'ignorance: marriageas an authorizationof violence. Thenwith the will of thegods and in accordancewith fate, he, a 74. C£ Dougherty1993, pp.144- mortal,slept with an immortal goddess, without knowing clearly 145. 75. E.g., Rabinowitz1993, pp. 197- whathe did(ou saga r8'sS Hymn.Hom. 5.166-167). 201;cf. Stewart1995, p. 80, fig. 1. 76. Lefkowitz1993, pp.26-29, Whenhe realizeswhat he hasdone, he begsthe goddess not to makehim whichCohen (1996, p.134, n.39) sees "strengthlessamong men" (Hymn. Hom. 5.188).79As the authorof the as "anotherauthorization." Cf. Rabino- HomericHymn to Demeterhas the goddessobserve, "mortals are ignorant witz 1993,pp.201-202. (vC8rq)and without the knowledge to recognizefate beforehand, whether 77. Danaesays to Zeusin Aesch., of cominggood or of evil"(Hymn. Hom. 2.256-257). fr.47a,lines 784-785 Radt,"youhave the [responsibility]for the greaterfault, The poetsuse the mythsto remindtheir audiences that nothing in butI havepaid the whole[penalty]." mortallife is anunqualified good. That is the meaningthey attach to the Comparethe fateof Antiope,who was storyof Thetis and her mortal lover Peleus (briefly mentioned in thecata- abductedby Zeus(schol. Ap. Rhod. logueof goddessesin the Theogony;see above, note 2). Thetis, unlike Eos, 4.1090,pp.304-305 Wendel), but did not seekto capturea mortallover. It was the will of Zeusthat she forcedto exposeher twin sons and then marryPeleus, and she did her best to preventhim from catching her. She wasimprisoned and tortured. In Eur., Antiopefr.208 Nauck (= fr.33 Kam- changedinto fire andtook on theform of a savagelion that attacked him bitsis),she observes:"if the godshave withtooth and claw. For Peleus, marrying a goddess was the pinnacleof abandonedme andmy twinsons, there humanachievement, a voyage to theouter limits of the knownworld, the is a reasonfor it; for somepeople are straitsof Gibraltar: unfortunate,and others fortunate." Cf. n. 66, above. he marriedone of the high-thronedNereids, and he sawthe circled 78. Cf. Clay1989, p. 171. throne,where the kingsof heavenand of seaswere seated, and they 79. Cf. Od.10.341, where Odysseus of is afraidthat intercourse with Kirkewill showedhim their [wedding] gifts and revealed to himthe power makehim "weak and unmanned"; Clay his descendants;but a mancannot cross the darkboundary of 1989,pp. 182-183. Gadeira(Pind. Nem. 4.65-69). MARYR.LEFKOWITZ 34°

Figure12 (leJzt). (Louvre G373). Peleus holdingThetis. photo CourtesyMuseedu Louvre, H.Lewandowski gamikos Figure13 (above). [XXX3YE- (BritishMuseum B 298 C13]).Peleus holdingThetis. BritishMuseum CourtesyTrustees of the

life,his thehigh point of Peleus's hiswedding to Thetis was and Eventhough in the marriage(II. 18.430-435), wifeThetis was miserable buthe died goddess wasthe greatestGreek hero, soonleft him.His sonAchilles atTroy. of the difficultiesinvolved withgoddesses are emblematic wres- Marriages immortalsand mortals. Peleus relationshipsbetween from520 to inextended subjecton Athenianvases tlingwith Thetis was a popular to demonstrate thatthese scenes are intended 460s.c.80 Reeder suggests on the grounds of the female'sanimal nature, theneed for malecontrol Thetisis a god- linkedwith eroticism.81 But huntingmetaphors are evensmall lions that is shownwith snakes and a mortalwoman. If she butrather 269, dess,not resemblesan animal's, 80. LIMC VII, 1994, p. it is notbecause her nature in (e.g.,Fig. 12), manydifferent animals s.v.Peleus (R. Vollkommer). turnedherself into 299-300; becausein the mythshe hasno otherway 81. Reeder 1995, pp. Peleus.82The vase painter 1991, p. 66. avoidbeing caught by her.No cf.Sourvinou-Inwood orderto it is alsoa wayto identify 573, no. 9; aspectof thestory, and 82. Louvre G 373: ARV2 ofalluding to this anyother form. no. 29, pl. 189, to metamorphoseherselfinto LIMCIII, 1986, p. 239, mortalwomanhas the power is littleto sug- intendedto mean,there s.v.Cheiron (M. Gisler-Huwiler). thesescenes were subor- British Whatever remindwomen of their 83. Rehm 1994, p. 20. intentionwas to VII, 1994, gestthat their primary thata scenewith Museum B 298: LIMC RushRehm argues (R. Voll- rolein society.For example, a pictureof p. 260, no. 117, s.v. Peleus dinate of a lebesgamikos, beneath Sinos 1993, andThetis on thepedestal 13).83Thetis kammer);Oakley and Peleus "aviolent abduction" (Fig. weddingprocession, represents on the wall p. 87, fig. 67. a herresistance, like Persephone is raisingher arms to express PREDATORY GODDESSES 34I

A B

Figure14. Kylixby Peithinos(Berlin F 2279). SidesA-B: couplescourting and embracing;tondo: Peleus hold- ingThetis. CourtesyAntikensammlung, StaatlicheMuseen zu Berlin,Preussischer Kulturbesitz.Photo Johannes Laurentius (sidesA-B); Jutta Tietz-Glagow (tondo).

84. As Sourvinou-Inwood(1991, p. 66) observes,the iconographyof Pe- paintingin Vergina(above, note 40). But there is no explicitviolence. The leus'scapture of Thetisdiffers radically scenewith Peleus holding Thetis shows a standstill,a moment of acquisi- fromscenes of otherabductions. tion:both figures are static.84 On the interiorof the Peithinoskylix (Fig. 85. BerlinF 2279,from Vulci: ARV2 14),the mortal hero has caught the goddess in a waistlock.85Both are fully 115,no.2, andARV21626; LIMC VIII, 1997,p.8, no. 13, pl. 13 (R. Vollkom- dressed,and neither is lookingat the other; there is no eroticcontact. The mer);Reeder 1995, no. 106,pp.341- outsideof thecup offers a strikingcontrast: it portrays fully dressed hetero- 343. On thewrestling hold, cf. Polia- andhomosexual mortal couples, negotiating with and embracing one an- koff1987, p. 40. other.Persuasion alone is enoughin thehuman world, as theartist's nom 86. Dover1978, pp.95-96, deplume Peithinos ("Persuasion-man") suggests.86 But it cannothelp Peleus pl. R 196:a-b;Stewart 1995, pp.81- captureThetis; he cangain his prize only by patient pertinacity, and with 82;Sutton 1997-1998, p.30. The namePeithinos does not occurelse- the cooperationof godswho areeven more powerful than Thetis Zeus where;see Papeand Benseler 1959, andPoseidon. The scenetells us littleor nothingabout the sexualityof p. 1154;LGPN2, p.365. Athenianwomen, but a greatdeal about the power of thegods. 342 MARY R. LEFKOWITZ

CONCLUSION

Manyof thevases depicting scenes of Eoswould have been used at festive occasions,such as weddingsor symposia.87On vasesgiven as wedding gifts,abduction scenes might even convey a senseof romanticaffection; abductionby a godor goddesswas an honor,despite the problems that it couldintroduce into a mortal'slife.88 But ultimately, vase paintings of di- vineabductions display recognition of thepower of thegods and of mortal 87. Of the Eos vaseslisted in vulnerability.They areexpressions of whatEuripides says about divine Kaempf-Dimitriadou1969, there are15 lelythoi,but 44 amphoras, interventionat the closeof fiveof his dramas: 30 kraters,28 drinkingcups, 16 hy- Manyare the formsof divinity;the gods bring many things to pass driai,6 stamnoi,and 6 oinochoai. 88. Sutton1997-1998, p.31. Also unexpectedly.And what we thoughtwould happen did not cometo see above,n. 6, on the placementof the pass,but the godfound a meansto bringabout what we didnot Eos-Kephalosand Boreas-Oreithyia imagine.That is howthis action went. mythson the akroteriaof the Athe- nians'temple at Delos;the terracotta Theselines celebrate the waysin whichgods can changetheir appear- statueof Zeusand Ganymedes at ance;they applaud the gods' ingenuity, and their ability always to surprise Olympiamay have been an akroterion; andconfound mortal expectations. Their interventions can work to the cf. Robertson1975, p.277, citedin advantageof theprotagonists (as in theAlcestis, , and Helen) or n. 55 above. 89. Eur.Alc. 1149-1153; Andr. againstthem (as in the Medeaand Bacchae).89 Sincewe knowthat the 1284-1288; Hel. 1688-1692; Bacch. ancientAthenians held these views about the role of godsin humanlife, it 1388-1392, anda differentfirst line, is a mistakenot to assumethat they have some bearing on the encounters Med. 1415-1419. If the lineswere in vasepaintings between gods and mortals. In assumingthat abduction addedlater by actors,it wasin order sceneswere primarily meant to conveythe complexmessages about sexu- to pleasea publicwho likedsuch alityand gender that we now attributeto them,we maybe preventing sententiae;Barrett 1964, p.417. Ac- cordingto Roberts(1987, p.56) and ourselvesfrom seeing other meanings that were more important to the Dunn (1996, pp.24-25), the linesare peoplefor whom the vases were made, who still believed in thepowers of proformaritual; but cf. Lefkowitz1989, theirown gods. pp.80-82. PREDATORY GODDESSES 343

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MaryR. Lefkowitz WEL L E S L E Y C OL L E G E DEPARTMENTOF CLASSICALSTUDIES IO6 CENTRALSTREET WELLESLEY,MASSACHUSETTS 0248I mlefkowitz@wellesley. edu