Vase Catalog Number: Boston 99.518

Decoration:

Side A: Odysseus and his men encounter Circe. Odysseus, in patterned chlamys, approaches the sorceress with his sword drawn. Circe stirs the contents of a cup she has just taken from the man next to her, who is in the process of being transformed, and has the head and neck of a boar. A dog sits on the ground between Circe and the transforming man, looking toward the sorceress. Other of Odysseus' companions surround Circe, each transformed: one has the head, neck, and forequarters of a boar; two on the right have have heads, necks, and forequarters of a ram and a wolf, respectively. A fifth man runs away at left, transformed with the head and neck of a lion. On the right end, a bearded man in patterned chlamys escapes, looking over his shoulder. Added red is used for Odysseus' hair and beard; Circe's hair; parts of the dog's coat; necks and chests of some of the transformed men; and for the rosettes on clothing. White is used for Circe's skin, Odysseus' sword hilt and baldric; the teeth, tusks, and horns of the transformed men; and for rosette petals.

Side B: Odysseus and his men in the cave of the Cyclops Polyphemos. At center, Polyphemos has collapsed onto one knee, drunk. Odysseus, in an elaborate chlamys and carrying an oinochoe in his right hand, hurries toward a companion, who brings a full wineskin. Athena appears at left, behind the hero, in peplos and high-crested Athenian helmet, spear, and round shield (with the device of a swan). To the left of the man with the wineskin, two bearded men wearing flowered chlamydes and scabbards on baldrics approach with drawn swords. At the far right, a fourth bearded man in a patterned chlamys flees to right, similarly to the fleeing figure on Side A. A bearded spectator in himation stands underneath each handle. Nonsense inscriptions. Added red for Polyphemos' genitals and belly; hair and beards of some of the men; Athena's peplos, helmet, crest, hair, and the wing coverts of her shield device. White is added for Athena's skin and swan device; rosette petals on clothing; baldrics of the two armed men.

The interior is glazed, with tondo reserved. A band of lotus buds and flowers encircles the bowl, under the groundline upon which the figures stand. Below the lotus band, 23 base rays. The handles are reserved inside, and decorated on the outside with ivy vines. Added red for the lotus buds, and for alternating ivy leaves and the knob-tops on the handles. Added white for the calyxes of the lotus flowers on the lower bowl.

Condition: Broken in antiquity and repaired: the rivets are missing, but the holes are still visible. Later broken into many pieces. Extensive restoration, including the entire foot and most of the tondo.

Shape Description: Cup without an offset lip, and with wishbone-shaped merrythought handles.

Other Bibliography: E. Robinson, MFA Annual Report, 1899, pp. 59-60, no. 16; F. Müller, De monumentis ad Odysseam pertinentibus (Berlin, 1908), pp. 10-11, 34-35, illus.; E. Buschor, Greichische Vasenmalerei (Munich, 1913), p. 133, fig. 87; ibid., 1914, pp. 128-130, fig. 92; S. B. Luce, AJA 17 (1913), pp. 1-5, 10-13, figs. 1, 2; F. Müller, Die antiken Odyssee-Illustrationen (Berlin, 1913), pp. 14-15, fig. 1, pp. 52-54, fig. 4; Fairbanks & Chase 1948, p. 76, fig. 82; Palmer 1962, p. 100, fig. 86; E. Buschor, Greek Vase-Painting (London, 1921), pp. 101-101, pl. 50, fig. 92; S. B. Luce, AJA 27 (1923), pp. 427-428, fig. 2; Hoppin 1924, p. 84, no. 6; J. D. Beazley, JHS 52 (1932), p. 196; L.D. Caskey, Bulletin, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston 32 (1934), p. 44, illus.; C. Hofkes-Brukker, BABesch 15 (1940), p. 5, n. 45, p. 10, n. 92, pp. 15-17, 19, figs. 4, 5; Brommer 1973, p. 429, no. 2, p. 436, no. 1; Touchefeu-Meynier 1968, pp. 13, 62-62, 65, 68, 72, 284, no. 5, pl. 3, 2, pp. 86-87, 118, 131, 283-284, no. 171, pl. 14, 2; Boardman 1974, p. 231; R. Blatter, Antike Kunst 18 (1975), pp. 76-77.

(Maria Daniels)