CLA204H1 Lecture : CLA204H1F Lecture 3
Document Summary
Left: poseidon trident: looking normal for an important god, rock on his left arm. Right: looks mostly human, dressed like warrior (spear in left hand, shield), shin guard on his knee. Just over the curve above his head = large curved sword. Often characteristic of foreigners (non-greeks), not like us. One battle of gigantomachy: giants imprisoned beneath volcanoes, source of bad winds (ex. Ideas of conflict: civilization vs. savagery, divine order vs. wildness, raw power of nature: minor story but shows up often. Poseidon tore giant rock of kos island & became volcanic island of nisyros: gives tangible reality to delirious idea. Stories about giants often stories about natural world. Painted btwn 475-470bc: 4th century ad = beginning of classical period, marking end of persian wars, so at aftermath of major cultural event, so possibly old story used to tell greek defeat of persians (foreigners)
