Ain't Nothin' but a Segestan Hound Dog

Didn't know the OP type : great find

Q

 

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Being a dog lover, I find this a very interesting thread! This canine example from my collection depicts a scene from Homer's Odyssey, Book XVII, lines 290-327. It's a serrate denarius of the moneyer C. Mamilius Limetanus from 82 B.C. The obverse depicts a bust of Mercury; the reverse illustrates an overly optimistic allusion to Odysseus being greeted by his dog Argus.

The engraver evidently did not know his Homer in creating the exuberant dog who joyfully greets his master on this coin, for the passage is to me one of the most poignant pieces of Classical literature. My heart breaks each time I read it. Odysseus has returned to his home on Ithaka, after being away 20 years following his participation in the Trojan War and after years of wandering to reach his home. He has had to return to his homeland in disguise because in his absence, his palace has been overrun by suitors who are attempting to marry his wife Penelope and usurp his place. To avoid being killed by the suitors, he returns in the appearance of an old beggar. As Odysseus enters his palace accompanied by his old friend Eumaius (who does not recognize him) his faithful dog Argus alone recognizes his master. But the aged dog, once the pride of his hunting pack, has now been abandoned to lie on a manure pile. As Homer puts it:

“Thus they spoke to one another. And a dog that lay there raised his head and pricked up his ears, Argus, steadfast Odysseus’ dog, whom of old he had himself bred, but had no joy of him, for before that he went to sacred Ilium. In days past the young men were accustomed to take the dog to hunt the wild goats, and deer, and hares; but now he lay neglected, his master gone, in the deep dung of mules and cattle, which lay in heaps before the doors, till the slaves of Odysseus should take it away to manure his wide lands. There lay the dog Argus, full of dog ticks. But now, when he became aware that Odysseus was near, he wagged his tail and dropped both ears, but nearer to his master he had no longer strength to move. Then Odysseus looked aside and wiped away a tear, easily hiding from Eumaeus what he did.” After expending the last of his strength to greet his master, Argus died.

But perhaps far from NOT knowing his Homer, possibly the designer of the reverse, like me, was too saddened by the passage, so he amended it into the cheerful scene on the coin!

 

that's story makes me sad every time i read it! i always thought that reverse look like a cheerful reunion as well...much better!





that'a an awesome dog coin Z....and I still don't have one.


here's me and my dogs playing with a little rc helicopter...

 

That's a fantastic Limetanus! That's an issue I don't have and want because of the
story of Argus.

This Hosidius Geta denarius also features a hound on the reverse. Traditions of the Calydonian Boar hunt has names for not just the hunters but their hounds as well. I only remember the name of one, Aura, the huntress Atalanta's dog who was killed by the boar.


ROMAN REPUBLIC
C. Hosidius C.f. Geta
AR Denarius. 4.03g, 18.8mm. Rome mint, 64 BC. Crawford 407/2. O: Draped bust of Diana right, wearing stephane, earring, and double necklace of pendants; bow and quiver over shoulder; III VIR down left, GETA down right. R: Calydonian Boar standing right, pierced by spear and harried by hound below; C HOSIDI C F in exergue.

 

Here are a bunch of Larry dogs ...

 

Thanks for posting those! I really love that Axius Naso reindeer biga with dog pack. It always makes me think of Christmas.

 

Love these coins featuring the dog. As a dog owner I ought to add one to my collection.

 

@zumbly THAT is a great coin!!!

My Dawgs:


RR Anon AE Half-Litra 234-231 BC Roma Phrygian Dog Sear 598 Craw 26-4


RR Aes Grave AE Quadrans Dog 3 pellets Six spoked wheel 59.8g Craw 26-6a Th-Vecchi 34


RR C Mamilius 82 BCE AR Den Serrate Mercury caduceus Ulysses Dog Argos Sear 282 Craw 362-1


My BLUE

 

@Alegandron, that lovely green Aes Grave quadrans always makes me jealous... awesome coin!

 

Thank you. Although I do not have an extensive collection of Aes Grave as I would love to have, that Dog Quadrans is really a cool coin to have. I lucked in to that one!