New coins and video. C. Mamilius Limetanus, AR Denarius, Rome mint, 82 BC, Babelon (Mamilia) 6, Crawford 362/1, RBW 1370 var. (differing control letter), Sydenham 741 (3.74 g, 19 mm) Obverse: Draped bust of Mercury to right, wearing winged petasos; behind, I; above, caduceus. Reverse: C•MAMIL - LIMETAN. Odysseus standing right, holding walking stick in his left hand and extending his right toward his dog Argus who is barking in greeting on the right. Ionia, Kolophon, AE Unit, ΠΥΘΕΟΣ magistrate, 50-30 BC, SNG Copenhagen 186-187; SNG von Aulock 2017 (6.74 g, 20 mm) Obverse: ΠΥΘΕΟΣ, Homer seated left in himation, holding scroll and resting chin upon hand (the thinker pose) Reverse: KOΛOΦΩNIΩ[N], Apollo standing right, holding kithara and phiale Ionia, Smyrna, Bronze Homerium, c. 75-50 BC, Smyrna (Izmir, Turkey) mint, Milne 359; SNG Copenhagen 1207 (9.21 g, 21 mm) Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo right; laurel wreath border Reverse: ΞMYPNAIΩN. The poet Homer seated left in himation, right hand raised to chin, left holding volume on his knees, transverse staff behind
All neat, but I particularly like the serrate denarius. Bankers' marks notwithstanding, it has a wholesome and appealing look.
Argos the Dog, Argos the Wuff-Dog. RR C Mamilius 82 BCE AR Den Serrate Mercury winged petasos caduceus Ulysses Dog Argos Sear 282 Craw 362-1 ARGOLIS Argos 490-470 BC AR Triobol 14mm 2.9g Forepart of wolf lying - A 2 incuse sqs pellet crossbar within shallow sq incuse BCD Peloponnesos 1009 R
In Homer's epic, Ulysses is the hero everybody knows or has heared of, but whom nobody recognizes. Circe and Polyphemus the cyclop had been warned Ulysses would come to them some day, but when confronted with him they don't suspect it's Ulysses. In Alkinoos' mansion the blind poet Demodokos sings an epic about Ulysses at Troy, and nobody suspects the real Ulysses is sitting next to them. In Ithaca Eumeus does not know he is talking with Ulysses. Even Penelope does not believe she has Ulysses, at last, in front of her: she thinks it could be some imposter. The only ones who immediately recognize Ulysses are Argos, the blind dog, and Euryclea the old servant, because she recognizes his scars. This well-known scene of the Odyssey possibly inspired the redactor of the New Testament when saint Thomas recognizes Jesus ressuscitated, just because of his scars.
