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Sunday, July 8, 2012

Giacinto

Speranza

Ovid weaves interesting elements in this version of the Giacinto legend.

Apollo, in his passion for Giacinto, "entirely heedless of his usual pursuit, refuses not to bear the nets, nor hold the dogs in leash, nor go as comrade along the rough mountain peaks of the rugged ridges."

This is exactly what the Cretan erastes and eromenos did for a periof of two months.

It is also exactly what was required of young Spartan males who took part in the most difficult military initiation procedures, the so-called Crypteia.

Like the Creatn lover during the sojourn in the bush, Apollo played the role of Giacinto's instructor.

According to Filostrasto, the younger, Apollo taught Giacinto archery, music, divination, the art of the lyre, and all the ecercise of the palaestra.

It is through Giacinto that knowledge of these thigns is tarnsmitted to humanity.

Giacinto is a sort of 'cultural hero'.

But Giacinto's knowledge is that of the Greek 'gentleman', nor that of the peasant or technician.

Philostrato's story is remarkable for its archaism.

No other literary source mentions the lyre of Giacinto, but Attic potters represented him with a cithara, and in excavations of the Amyclaeon -- the sanctuary of Giacinto and Apollo at Amyclae -- a fragment of a vase was found that shows

----- A CHOIR OF MEN
accompanied by two lyre players

---

along with a small seven-string bronze LYRE

that probably dates from the Late Helladic period.

The bow, by the way, with which Giacinto was skilled, was the weapon commonly used by the Cretans.

----

Giacinto is closely related to the Muses.

One of them, Clio, is (in the northern version) his mother.

It is only in poetry that Giacinto dies and gives rise to a plant.

------

Pausanias saw something else at Amyclae.

The central edifice of the city, the Amyclaeon, was the throne of Apollo, built on the xith century by Bathycles of Magnesia.

Its facade was entirely covered with reliefs, which Pausanis in large part enumerates, and which are highly instructive.

On the upper portion stood a large

STATUE OF APOLLO

in the archaic style, with helmet, shield, and bow.

Pausanias writes:

"The base of the statue is like an altar, and the Spartans
say that Giacinto is buried there."

-----

"At the festival of Giacinto, before the Spartans
sacrifice to Apollo, they make offerings to Giacinto
as a hero at this altar through a brazen door which
is on the left of the altar."

"[The effigies of the gods] are carrying to heaven
Giacinto."

---- "Nicias, the son of Nicomedes, in his paintings of
Giacinto portrayed him as an ephebe, hinting at the
love of Apollo for him."



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