The decoration of this cup takes a theme from mythology, a scene Homer describes in the Iliad. During the long war at Troy, the Greeks grew weary and discouraged. Poseidon, god of the sea, was watching from a mountain top and decided to help the Greeks. Homer tells what happened next in these terms:

Then from the stony mountain down he went / with mighty strides; a tremor shook the crags / and forest under Poseidon's immortal feet. / Three giant steps, then four, and he was home / at Aigai, where his golden chambers glimmer / in the green depth and never wash away.

This cup shows a vision of the fantastic underwater stables described by Homer. Next to delicate columns stand the magnificent horses of Poseidon.

On the other side of the cup is the next chapter of the story. Poseidon holds his characteristic trident and looks back over his shoulder to a warrior with a ram on his shield.

Homer's tales of war and heroism, devotion and adventure were much loved and well known in ancient times. The Greeks who saw this cup would have recognized the stories easily, and appreciated the original way the artist imagined them.

If you want to hear more from Distinguished Research Curator Dietrich von Bothmer, press the green play button now.