Editing Giants (Greek mythology) (section)

====Fourth century BC and later====

[[File:DSC04529a Istanbul - Museo archeol. - Gigantomachia - sec. II d.C. - da Afrodisia - Foto G. Dall'Orto 28-5-2006.jpg|thumb|right|In the Gigantomachy from a 1st-century AD frieze in the agora of [[Aphrodisias]], the Giants are depicted with scaly coils, like [[Typhon]]]]

[[File:Fregio della gigantomachia 02.JPG|thumb|right|Winged Giant (usually identified as [[Alcyoneus]]), [[Athena]], [[Gaia]] (rising from the ground), and [[Nike (mythology)|Nike]], detail of the Gigantomachy frieze, [[Pergamon Altar]], [[Pergamon museum]], Berlin]]

With the beginning of the fourth century BC probably comes the first portrayal of the Giants in Greek art as anything other than fully human in form, with legs that become coiled serpents having snake heads at the ends in place of feet.<ref>Ogden, [https://books.google.com/books?id=FQ2pAK9luwkC&pg=PA82 pp. 82&ndash;83], Gantz, p. 453; Berlin V.I. 3375 (Beazley Archive [http://www.beazley.ox.ac.uk/record/526CE240-23D4-484D-98DD-C14B1FD5AFE1 6987], ''LIMC'' [http://ark.dasch.swiss/ark:/72163/080e-754cf3ba8f1d5-7 30005 (Gigantes 389)]). Snake-legged Giants may exist in earlier Etruscan art, for example a winged and snake-footed monster depicted on a late sixth century Etruscan hydria (British Museum B62, ''LIMC'' [https://weblimc.org/page/monument/2073285 2639 (Typhon 30])), might be a Giant, see de Grummond, [https://books.google.com/books?id=sKT6M2rdN9gC&pg=PA259 p. 259], compare with Ogden, [https://books.google.com/books?id=FQ2pAK9luwkC&pg=PA71, p. 71]. For more on snake-legged Giants see Ogden, [https://books.google.com/books?id=FQ2pAK9luwkC&pg=PA82 pp. 82&ndash;86], and Vian and Moore 1988, pp. 253&ndash;254.</ref> Such depictions were perhaps borrowed from Typhon, the monstrous son of Gaia and [[Tartarus]], described by Hesiod as having a hundred snake heads growing from his shoulders.<ref>Pollitt 1986, [https://books.google.com/books?id=vt9JwsNcKzwC&pg=PA109 p. 109]; Ogden, [https://books.google.com/books?id=FQ2pAK9luwkC&pg=PA83 p. 83]; [[Hesiod]], ''[[Theogony]]'' [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Hes.+Th.+820 820 ff.]. The similarities between Typhon and the Giants are several, both "monstrous children produced by Earth in a spirit of revenge, with the mission to attack and overthrow the gods in heaven, and whose fate they share, blasted by thunderbolts and, in Enceladus' case buried under Sicily." (Ogden, p. 83).</ref> This snake-legged motif becomes the standard for the rest of antiquity, culminating in the monumental Gigantomachy frieze of the second century BC [[Pergamon Altar]]. Measuring nearly 400 feet long and over seven feet high, here the Gigantomachy receives its most extensive treatment, with over one hundred figures.<ref>Kleiner, [https://books.google.com/books?id=sgiuAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA155 pp. 155&ndash;156]; Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo 2000, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6Jj6rcIup4C&pg=PA33 p. 33]; Smith, R. R. R. 1991, p. 159; Queyrel, p. 49; Pergamon Altar (''LIMC'' [http://ark.dasch.swiss/ark:/72163/080e-73ac4ebff2462-9 617 (Gigantes 24)]).</ref>

Although fragmentary, much of the Gigantomachy frieze has been restored. The general sequence of the figures and the identifications of most of the approximately sixty gods and goddesses have been more or less established.<ref>[http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2005/2005-08-39.html Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo 2005]. The names of the gods and goddesses were inscribed on the upper molding of the frieze, with the exception of Gaia whose name was inscribed on the background next to her head, see Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo 2000, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6Jj6rcIup4C&pg=PA32 p. 32]. For the total number of gods and goddesses, see Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo 2000, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6Jj6rcIup4C&pg=PA54 p. 54 n. 35].</ref> The names and positions of most Giants remain uncertain. Some of the names of the Giants have been determined by inscription,<ref>The names of the Giants were inscribed on the lower molding or, for the walls flanking the stairs where the moulding was omitted, on the background of the frieze between the figures, see Brunilde Sismondo 2000, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6Jj6rcIup4C&pg=PA32 p. 32], [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6Jj6rcIup4C&pg=PA54 p. 54 n. 34]. Queyrel, p. 52, lists the names of 27 Giants fully or partly preserved in the inscriptions which have so far been found. For Queyrel's identification of the various figures, see Fig. 33, pp. 50&ndash;51.</ref> while their positions are often conjectured on the basis of which gods fought which Giants in [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]]' account.<ref>Pollitt 1986, [https://books.google.com/books?id=vt9JwsNcKzwC&pg=PA109 p. 109].</ref>

The same central group of Zeus, Athena, Heracles and Gaia, found on many early Attic vases, also featured prominently on the Pergamon Altar. On the right side of the East frieze, the first encountered by a visitor, a winged Giant, usually identified as [[Alcyoneus]], fights [[Athena]].<ref>Cunningham, [https://books.google.com/books?id=G8GiAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA113 p. 113]; Kleiner, [https://books.google.com/books?id=sgiuAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA156 p. 156 FIG. 5-79]; Queyrel, pp. 52&ndash;53; Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo 2000, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6Jj6rcIup4C&pg=PA39, p. 39], [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6Jj6rcIup4C&pg=PA59 pp. 59&ndash;60 n. 59]. Supporting the identification of this Giant as Alcyoneus, is the fragmentary inscription "neus", that may belong to this scene, for doubts concerning this identification, see Ridgway.</ref> Below and to the right of Athena, Gaia rises from the ground, touching Athena's robe in supplication. Flying above Gaia, a winged [[Nike (mythology)|Nike]] crowns the victorious Athena. To the left of this grouping a snake-legged Porphyrion battles Zeus<ref>Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo 2000, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Y6Jj6rcIup4C&pg=PA54 p. 54 n. 35]; Queyrel, pp. 53&ndash;54.</ref> and to the left of Zeus is Heracles.<ref>[http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2005/2005-08-39.html Ridgway, Brunilde Sismondo 2005]. Though virtually nothing of Heracles remains, only part of a linonskin, and a left hand holding a bow, the location of the hero is identified by inscription, see Queyrel, pp. 54&ndash;55.</ref>

On the far left side of the East frieze, a triple [[Hecate]] with torch battles a snake-legged Giant usually identified (following Apollodorus) as Clytius.<ref>Queyrel, pp. 56&ndash;58; Ling, [https://books.google.com/books?id=4HwfcdfLvCUC&pg=PA50 p. 50]; Apollodorus [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.6.2 1.6.2].</ref> To the right lays the fallen Udaeus, shot in his left eye by an arrow from Apollo,<ref>Queyrel, pp. 55&ndash;56. This figure, now identified by inscription as Udaeus, was previously supposed to be Ephialtes, who Apollodorus, [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+1.6.2 1.6.2] has Apollo shoot in the left eye. Udaeus (earthy) was also the name of one of the [[Spartoi]], who were sometimes called Gegeneis or Gigantes, see Fontenrose, [https://books.google.com/books?id=wqeVv09Y6hIC&dq=Udaios&pg=PA316 p. 316]; [[Bibliotheca (Pseudo-Apollodorus)|Apollodorus]]; [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Apollod.+3.4.1 3.4.1]; [[Pausanias (geographer)|Pausanias]], [https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Paus.+9.5.3 9.5.3]; [[Gaius Julius Hyginus|Hyginus]], ''[[Fabulae]]'' [https://topostext.org/work/206#178 178]. Pelorus (monstrous), the name of another Spartoi, is a possible restoration of the fragmentary inscription "oreus" listed by Queyrel, p. 52.</ref> along with Demeter who wields a pair of torches against Erysichthon.<ref>Queyrel, p. 55; Moore 1977, p. 324 n. 70; McKay, [https://books.google.com/books?id=SsEeAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA93 p. 93]; [[Callimachus]], ''Hymn 6 (to Demeter)'' [https://archive.org/stream/callimachuslycop00calluoft#page/126/mode/2up 25 ff. (pp. 126 ff.)].</ref>

The Giants are depicted in a variety of ways. Some Giants are fully human in form, while others are a combination of human and animal forms. Some are snake-legged, some have wings, one has bird claws, one is lion-headed, and another is bull-headed. Some Giants wear helmets, carry shields and fight with swords. Others are naked or clothed in animal skins and fight with clubs or rocks.<ref>Pollitt 1986, [https://books.google.com/books?id=vt9JwsNcKzwC&pg=PA109 p. 109]; Smith, R. R. R. p. 162.</ref>

The large size of the frieze probably necessitated the addition of many more Giants than had been previously known. Some, like Typhon and Tityus, who were not strictly speaking Giants, were perhaps included. Others were probably invented.<ref>Pollitt 1986, [https://books.google.com/books?id=vt9JwsNcKzwC&pg=PA109 p. 109].</ref> The partial inscription "Mim" may mean that the Giant Mimas was also depicted. Other less-familiar or otherwise unknown Giant names include Allektos, Chthonophylos, Eurybias, Molodros, Obrimos, Ochthaios and Olyktor.<ref>Queyrel, p. 52.</ref>