Douris and the painters of Greek vases . ps ofthe seventh century, furnished the Ionianartists, when combined with the Bes of theEgyptians, with the prototype of the hairyand shaggy Silenus, with the flat-nosed face,that one sees on certain sarcophagi of Klazo-menai. This is what we admire in the Sileniof Douris. The skilful, dry point of the artistknew how to preserve, when he sketched themon clay, all their simian agility, their droll,gorilla-like features, the relaxed, sinewy andflexible Umbs, wherein we recognize the vigor-ous beast in semblance of a man. We onlyknow of one other artist wh
Douris and the painters of Greek vases . ps ofthe seventh century, furnished the Ionianartists, when combined with the Bes of theEgyptians, with the prototype of the hairyand shaggy Silenus, with the flat-nosed face,that one sees on certain sarcophagi of Klazo-menai. This is what we admire in the Sileniof Douris. The skilful, dry point of the artistknew how to preserve, when he sketched themon clay, all their simian agility, their droll,gorilla-like features, the relaxed, sinewy andflexible Umbs, wherein we recognize the vigor-ous beast in semblance of a man. We onlyknow of one other artist who has renderedthis bounding animal gait of the Sileni withequal success—^the painter of a kylix from theworkshop of the potter Brygos, tvhich is un-doubtedly inspired by a sat)Tic drama; herethe goddess Hera and her companion Iris arein great distress through falling into the midstof such a wild band. Fortunately Hermes withfair words, and Herakles with his club, arrivein time to restrain these rash and disrespectfulfellows (Fig. 15).. 17. iiiAssi-:s ru-siOKiNO 1111-: akms or :s vo :MOS. Interinr of picccdinji {^iip. v.] INFLUENCE OF THE THEATRE 61 Let US finish this review of the mythologicalsubjects with a kylix from the Museum inVienna on which we see The Contest over theArms of Achilles (Figs. 16 and 17). It willgive us an opportunity of studying dramaticthemes in the hands of Douris, drawn fromepic poetry, and adopted by the writers oftragedy. We know how, later, Sophocles inhis Ajax with the Scourge, showed the fatalresult of the unexpected quarrel arising betweenUlysses and Ajax for the possession of thedivine weapons, which Thetis had given to herson Achilles. This event was a favourite theme,and had been treated in ceramic painting fromthe sixth century onwards. In what work andwhat kind of production did Douris seek hisinspiration? We shall always remain ignorantof this. We only wish to show by thisexample in how great a measure the Greekth
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