The History of the Kylix

Paper Summary:

The writer of this paper examines the historic significance of the kylix which is associated with ancient Greek celebrations and feasts. A kylix and its plural kylikes are defined as shallow stemmed two-handled drinking vessels used in ancient Greece. Much thought and attention to detail went into the painting of the interior of kylikes. The representations would be covered with wine and the scenes would be visible only partially, when the wine was tipped back into the mouth and eventually fully exposed when the liquid was consumed. The kylix lent an element of surprise and discovery that was a great source of celebration to the Greeks. This paper details the various contents and representations found on kylikes. Greek revelers thanked Dionysus, the Greek god of religion, for the spirits they were enjoying. For this reason, Dionysus was often the subject depicted on these drinking drinking vessels. Descriptive stories depicted in artistic form on the kylix was common among ancient Greeks. This paper describes several stories depicted on these artistic drinking vessels including that of Apollo and Koronis.

From the Paper:

"Although Dionysus' divinity is asserted, he is depicted in human form. In this way, the inhabitants of Thebes believe him to be a man while Dionysus allows himself the pleasures of mortal being. Pentheus describes Dionysus in the form of a man: "They say there came a stranger hither, a trickster and a sorcerer, from Lydia's land, with golden hair and perfumed locks, the flush of wine upon his face, and in his eyes each grace that Aphrodite gives; by day and night he lingers in our maidens' company on the plea of teaching Bacchic mysteries." This mortal nature serves two purposes: the disguise of mortal being and the pleasures of mortal being. In The Bacchantes, Euripides' representation of Greek society can be found in Pentheus. Pentheus is the epitome of Greek society: he is rational, cultured, and encourages traditional conventions."

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