resented, Zeus takes a prominent part.
The father of the gods, the great thunderer, seldom appears alone, but
is chiefly seen in scenes from the Heracleid and the Trojan war. On
the black vases, and on those of the finest style with red figures,
his amorous adventures are also frequently depicted. The goddess Hera
rarely appears.

Athene, the great female deity of the Ionic race, plays an important
part in many scenes. As Pallas Athene she frequently appears;
generally on foot, but sometimes in her quadriga. Poseidon, the sea
god, appears as a subordinate in many scenes, and as a protagonist in
others. Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestos, Ares, Aphrodite, and Hermes,
frequently appear in various scenes in the vases. The greater part of
the paintings of the vases are relative to Dionysus, his festivals and
mysteries. On them we see depicted his birth, childhood, education,
all his exploits, his banquets, and his games; his habitual
companions, his religious ceremonies, the lampadephori brandishing the
long torches, the dendrophori raising branches of trees, adorned with
garlands and tablets; the initiated preparing for the mysteries;
lastly, the ceremonies peculiar to those great institutions, and the
circumstances relative to their dogmas and their aim. The inferior
deities also appear on the vases.

The _Historical_ subjects begin with the war of Troy. Painters, as
well as poets, found in this event a vast field to exercise their
talents and their imagination. The principal actors in this memorable
drama appear on the vases. The principal scenes of the Trojan war are
depicted; but we must remark, that the historical subjects do not
extend to a later period than that of the Heracleidae.

Among the incidents represented are the opening scenes of the Iliad,
the quarrel of Agamemnon and Achilles, Briseis led away by the
heralds, Paris and Helen, the death of Patroclus, the grief of
Achilles, the arming of Achilles, the death of Hector, Priam
entreating for the corpse of Hector, the terrible scene of the last
night of Troy. Many subjects from the Odyssey also occur. Incidents
from the Greek drama are of common occurrence, such as the death of
Agamemnon, Orestes and Pylades meeting Electra, the death of
Clytemnestra, the Furies pursuing Orestes.

[Illustration: VASE REPRESENTING TROJAN WAR (_Found at
Pompeii._)]

We may consider, as belonging to the class of historical vases, those
with paintings relative to public an