Centaur and Lapith Flashcards
What type of source is it, and when was it created?
Attic red figure, ca. 480 BC.
Describe the source.
A centaur fights a Lapith warrior in a painting depicting the Centauromachy.
What is the centaur wearing?
A leopard-skin cape and brandishes a tree-branch.
What is the Lapith warrior wearing?
He’s equipped with a helm, shield and greaves and wields a spear.
What event was this source based off?
The centauromachy, the battle between the centaurs and the Lapiths in Thessaly. The battle happened as a result of Ixion’s (ruler of the Lapiths and grandfather to the centaurs) death. A power vacuum opened up.
His son, Pirithous, ruled and was successful for the first few years (giving Mt. Pelion as their territory) and invited them to his wedding with Hippodamia.
What happened during the wedding of Pirithous and Hippodamia?
The centaurs attended the wedding and behaved during most parts of the ceremony, however they began drinking wine, to which they’ve had it before (as they were accustomed to milk). Eventually they all became drunk and Eurytion tried to abduct Hippodamia. Other centaurs followed suit, and the Lapiths responded immediately which then led to a bloody battle.
Who was the first to have fought Eurytion?
Theseus, called the greatest Athenian hero who was the closest friend of Pirithous. He saved the bride, and the angered Eurytion delivered blows to his face.
Theseus smashed a bowl to the centaur’s face and not long after, Eurytion died. Many other centaurs died at the hands of Theseus.
What was the outcome?
Lapiths were the victors, as they were overwhelmed with optimism and grief from the death of Caeneus and they didn’t pull back until half of the centaurs were killed.
Only flight and darkness saved the remaining centaurs, and those who have flown away went to Peloponnese in which they would have encountered Heracles. He then proceeded to battle them and won that battle too.
