![Pompeii_Region_VI_Insula_8_House_3_plan_01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1f/Pompeii_Region_VI_Insula_8_House_3_plan_01.jpg)
The House of the Tragic Poet (also called ''The Homeric House'' or ''The Iliadic House'') is a Roman house in
Pompeii, Italy dating to the 2nd century BCE. The house is famous for its elaborate mosaic floors and frescoes depicting scenes from
Greek mythology
A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities ...
.
Discovered in November 1824 by the archaeologist Antonio Bonucci, the House of the Tragic Poet has interested scholars and writers for generations. Although the size of the house itself is in no way remarkable, its interior decorations are not only numerous but of the highest quality among other frescoes and mosaics from ancient Pompeii. Because of the mismatch between the size of the house and the quality of its decoration, much has been wondered about the lives of the homeowners. Unfortunately, little is known about the family members, who were likely killed by the
eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD
Of the many eruptions of Mount Vesuvius, a major stratovolcano in southern Italy, the best-known is its eruption in 79 AD, which was one of the deadliest in European history. The eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD is one of the best-known in ...
.
Traditionally, Pompeii is geographically broken up into nine regional areas, which are then further broken up into insular areas. The House of the Tragic Poet sat in ''Regio VI'', ''Insula 8'', the far-western part of Pompeii. The house faced the ''Via di Nola'', one of Pompeii's largest streets that linked the forum and the Street of the Tombs. Across the ''Via di Nola'' from the House of the Tragic Poet sat the Forum Baths of Pompeii.
Layout
![RecreationHouseoftheTragicPoet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/RecreationHouseoftheTragicPoet.jpg)
Like many Roman homes of the period, the House of the Tragic Poet is divided into two primary sections. The front, south-facing portion of the house serves as a public, presentation-oriented space. Here, two large rooms with outward-opening walls serve as shops run by the homeowners, or, less likely, as servants quarters. These shops lie on either side of a narrow vestibule. At the end of this hall sits the
atrium
Atrium may refer to:
Anatomy
* Atrium (heart), an anatomical structure of the heart
* Atrium, the genital structure next to the genital aperture in the reproductive system of gastropods
* Atrium of the ventricular system of the brain
* Pulmona ...
, the most decorated of the rooms within the House of the Tragic Poet. Here, a large rectangular ''
impluvium
The ''impluvium'' (pl. ''impluvia'') is a water-catchment pool system meant to capture rain-water flowing from the ''compluvium'', or slanted roof. Often placed "inside", instead of "outside", a building, it is a notable feature in many archite ...
'', or sunken water basin sits beneath an open ceiling, collecting water to be used by members of the household. Near the northern end of the ''impluvium'' sits a wellhead to be used for drawing water from the basin. Still farther from the entrance sits the ''
tablinum
In Roman architecture, a (or , from , board, picture) was a room generally situated on one side of the atrium and opposite to the entrance; it opened in the rear onto the peristyle, with either a large window or only an anteroom or curtain. The ...
'', a second, open common area.
From these main areas extend smaller, private rooms, marking the second section of the house. Along the western wall of the atrium lie a series of ''
cubicula'', or bedrooms. Opposite these lie an additional ''cubiculum'', an ''ala'' (a service area for a dining room), and an ''
oecus
''Oecus'' is the Latinized form of Greek ''oikos'', used by Vitruvius for the principal hall or salon in a Roman house, which was used occasionally as a triclinium for banquets.
When of great size it became necessary to support its ceiling with c ...
'' (a small dining area). The northern end of the ''tablinum'' opens onto a large, open ''
peristyle
In ancient Greek and Roman architecture, a peristyle (; from Greek ) is a continuous porch formed by a row of columns surrounding the perimeter of a building or a courtyard. Tetrastoön ( grc, τετράστῳον or τετράστοον, lit=f ...
'', or garden courtyard. To the right of the ''peristyle'' sits the drawing room, which, in the House of the Tragic Poet, is believed to have been used as the main dining salon. Adjacent to the drawing room is a small kitchen area. Near the left side of the ''peristyle'', a small back door opens onto an additional street. Finally, into north-western corner of the ''peristyle'' is built a small ''
lararium
Lares ( , ; archaic , singular ''Lar'') were guardian deities in ancient Roman religion. Their origin is uncertain; they may have been hero-ancestors, guardians of the hearth, fields, boundaries, or fruitfulness, or an amalgam of these.
Lares ...
'', or shrine to be used in worshipping the ''
Lares Familiares
Lares Familiares are guardian household deities and tutelary deities in ancient Roman religion. The singular form is ''Lar Familiaris''. Lares were thought to influence all that occurred within their sphere of influence or location. In well-regul ...
'', or family gods. This shrine contained a marble statuette depicting a satyr carrying fruit.
Although records and archaeological experts have confidently confirmed the existence of an upper story in the House of the Tragic Poet, little is known about its specific layout, as it was most likely destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.
Art
The house originally contained more than twenty painted and mosaic panels, six of which have been relocated to the
National Archaeological Museum in Naples, Italy. These panels were selected for their relation to the Iliad, and were the inspiration behind the names Homeric House and Iliadic House. The painted wall panels within the house are examples of the
Fourth Pompeiian style.
Vestibule
![Cave Canem Poeta Trágico 01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/Cave_Canem_Poeta_Tr%C3%A1gico_01.jpg)
The
vestibule floor was decorated with a mosaic picture of a domesticated dog leashed and chained to an arbitrary point. Below the figure were the words "CAVE CANEM", meaning
Beware of the dog
Beware of the dog (also rendered as Beware of dog) is a warning sign indicating that a dangerous dog is within. Such signs may be placed to deter burglary even if there is no dog.
History
Warning signs of this sort have been found in ancie ...
.
These words, much like similar signs today, warned visitors to enter at their own risk and served as protection over the more private quarters of the home. The rest of the vestibule floor was decorated in a
tesserae
A tessera (plural: tesserae, diminutive ''tessella'') is an individual tile, usually formed in the shape of a square, used in creating a mosaic. It is also known as an abaciscus or abaculus.
Historical tesserae
The oldest known tessera ...
or checker-like pattern, in black and white tiles. This pattern was framed by a border of two black stripes that surrounded the room.
Atrium
The atrium was the focal point of art in the House of the Tragic Poet. Except for the
House of the Vettii, it contained more large-scale, mythological frescoes than any other home in Pompeii. Each image was approximately four feet square, making figures slightly smaller than life-size. The images in the atrium frequently feature seated men and women in movement. The women are usually the focus of the images, undergoing important changes in their lives in famous Greek myths.
South wall
= Nuptials of Zeus and Hera
=
This panel depicts the gods
Hypnos
In Greek mythology, Hypnos (; Ancient Greek: means 'sleep') also spelled Hypnus is the personification of sleep; the Roman equivalent is known as Somnus. His name is the origin of the word hypnosis. Pausanias wrote that Hypnos was a dear ...
, Hera, and Zeus on
Mt. Ida. Hypnos is presenting Hera to Zeus, who sits seated on the right side of the painting. Zeus is holding Hera by the wrist, and Hera is looking at the viewer reluctantly with her veil removed. The three young figures at the bottom right of the painting are possibly
dactyli.
In the background, there is a pillar with three lions perched on it. This panel is part of the collection at the Archaeological Museum in Naples, Italy.
= Aphrodite
=
The image of Aphrodite is now almost entirely destroyed, but what remained of the painting when it was discovered was copied in tempera by the artist
Francesco Morelli. The painting may have contained a seated male lover. Because Aphrodite is smaller than the figures in the other paintings, it's also possible the painting contained more figures and depicted the
Judgment of Paris
Judgement (or US spelling judgment) is also known as ''adjudication'', which means the evaluation of evidence to make a decision. Judgement is also the ability to make considered decisions. The term has at least five distinct uses. Aristotle ...
.
East wall
= Achilles and Briseis
=
This dramatic scene depicts Achilles releasing Briseis to the Greek king
Agamemnon
In Greek mythology, Agamemnon (; grc-gre, Ἀγαμέμνων ''Agamémnōn'') was a king of Mycenae who commanded the Greeks during the Trojan War. He was the son, or grandson, of King Atreus and Queen Aerope, the brother of Menelaus, the ...
. On the right side of the panel, Patroclus leads Briseis by the wrist. Achilles, seated, angrily directs them towards Agamemnon's messenger.
= Helen and Paris
=
Helen boards ship to travel back to her homeland of Troy. Although no longer in the image, it is believed that Paris was already seated in the boat as Helen boards. Both of these images are part of the collection at the Archaeological Museum in Naples.
West wall
= Abduction of Amphitrite
=
Although a large portion of this panel is destroyed, the same composition is seen in a painting from the Villa di Carmiano in
Stabiae. The bottom half of the painting was found intact in the House of the Tragic Poet, and depicts
Eros
In Greek mythology, Eros (, ; grc, Ἔρως, Érōs, Love, Desire) is the Greek god of love and sex. His Roman counterpart was Cupid ("desire").''Larousse Desk Reference Encyclopedia'', The Book People, Haydock, 1995, p. 215. In the ear ...
as he rides a dolphin and carries a trident. The missing portion, visible in Stabiae, shows that the painting originally depicted
Poseidon
Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as a ...
on his sea horse as he abducted
Amphitrite
In ancient Greek mythology, Amphitrite (; grc-gre, Ἀμφιτρίτη, Amphitrítē) was the goddess of the sea, the queen of the sea, and the wife of Poseidon. She was a daughter of Nereus and Doris (or Oceanus and Tethys).Roman, L., & Ro ...
. Like in other panels, she looked out toward the viewer.
= Wrath of Achilles
=
Almost none of this panel has survived, but the composition, stance of the feet, and red cloth seem to match others which depict the Wrath of Achilles. Only feet and drapery are visible in the surviving portions. The original painting likely depicted Achilles on the right side of the panel as he drew a dagger to attack Agamemnon for taking Briseis, but he is restrained by Athena, who tells him to talk to Agamemnon rather than fight him.
Tablinum
![MANNapoli_9112_Sacrifice_Iphigenia_painting](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/MANNapoli_9112_Sacrifice_Iphigenia_painting.jpg)
The tablinum floor was decorated with an elaborate mosaic image. Here, actors gather backstage preparing for a performance, as one character dresses and another plays a flute. Other characters surround a box of masks to be used during the performance.
On the wall was a panel depicting a scene from the story of
Admetus
In Greek mythology, Admetus (; Ancient Greek: ''Admetos'' means 'untamed, untameable') was a king of Pherae in Thessaly.
Biography
Admetus succeeded his father Pheres after whom the city was named. His mother was identified as Periclymene ...
and
Alcestis
Alcestis (; Ancient Greek: Ἄλκηστις, ') or Alceste, was a princess in Greek mythology, known for her love of her husband. Her life story was told by pseudo-Apollodorus in his '' Bibliotheca'', and a version of her death and return from t ...
. A messenger reads an oracle to Admetus, seated beside Alcestis, telling him that he will die if someone else does not willingly die in his place. Due to its proximity to the mosaic of the actors, excavators believed this painting depicted a poet reciting his poetry, resulting in the name House of the Tragic Poet.
However, the origin of this panel is debatable. Some sources suggest the picture shown here is from the House of the Tragic Poet, and some others argue that it was from Herculaneum instead. Richardson identified this as from the Basilica at Herculaneum. De Carolis identified this with a question mark as “Casa del Poeta Tragico (?)”.
Peristyle
The semi-outdoor ''peristyle'' area featured an imaginary garden scene or paradeisos in the
trompe-l'œil
''Trompe-l'œil'' ( , ; ) is an artistic term for the highly realistic optical illusion of three-dimensional space and objects on a two-dimensional surface. ''Trompe l'oeil'', which is most often associated with painting, tricks the viewer into ...
style. This image, it is assumed, was intended to blend in with the actual garden that would have grown within the unroofed portion of the ''peristyle''. To the left of the ''peristyle'' was a fresco known as the Sacrifice of Iphigenia, in which a nude
Iphigenia
In Greek mythology, Iphigenia (; grc, Ἰφιγένεια, , ) was a daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra, and thus a princess of Mycenae.
In the story, Agamemnon offends the goddess Artemis on his way to the Trojan War by hunting ...
is taken by
Ulysses and Achilles to be sacrificed just before
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
delivers a deer to be sacrificed in her place. The right side of the painting depicts Calchas the seer holding his hand to his mouth to indicate his divine revelation. Iphigenia's father Agamemnon sits on the left side of the panel facing away from the group with his face covered with a veil, similar to another painting of the scene by the artist Timanthes.
Dining room
The dining room contained three large panels and several smaller ones. The smaller panels feature depictions of soldiers and depictions of the four seasons as young women. The three larger panels depict cupids and a young couple, a scene featuring Artemis, and a scene of
Theseus
Theseus (, ; grc-gre, Θησεύς ) was the mythical king and founder-hero of Athens. The myths surrounding Theseus his journeys, exploits, and friends have provided material for fiction throughout the ages.
Theseus is sometimes describ ...
leaving
Ariadne
Ariadne (; grc-gre, Ἀριάδνη; la, Ariadne) was a Cretan princess in Greek mythology. She was mostly associated with mazes and labyrinths because of her involvement in the myths of the Minotaur and Theseus. She is best known for havi ...
behind as he boards a ship.
Cultural references
The House of the Tragic Poet has served as the focus of many works of fiction and poetry. Among the more famous works is Lord Edward Bulwer Lytton's ''
The Last Days of Pompeii
''The Last Days of Pompeii'' is a novel written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1834. The novel was inspired by the painting ''The Last Day of Pompeii'' by the Russian painter Karl Briullov, which Bulwer-Lytton had seen in Milan. It culminates in ...
'', in which the author invents the personal life of the owner, Glaucus, but accurately describes the house's details. ''In the Redness of Dawn'' by author Waldemar Kaden depicts the house as being inhabited by a Christian man named Gaius Sabinus.
Another well-known work is Vladimir Janovic's ''The House of the Tragic Poet'', an epic poem based on images from the mosaic and fresco images throughout the villa. The house is also featured in ''
JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Golden Wind'', where the Boss of the gang Passione hides a key near the dog mosaic. The next story features three of the protagonists traveling to Pompeii to retrieve the key.
Interpretations
Art historians and Classics scholars have long been fascinated by the House of the Tragic Poet because of the unique way in which it juxtaposes images from different periods and locations throughout mythological Greece. No single angle within the villa allows one to view all of the images present. Instead, one is required to move around the villa, looking at different combinations of pieces. This logistical fact allows viewers to draw on larger themes of
Greek mythology
A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the origin and nature of the world, the lives and activities ...
, especially on the relationships between the powerful men and women and also the deities of ancient Greece.
Gallery
File:Affreschi romani - pompei - alcesti e admeto2.jpg, Alcestis and Admetus
File:Crono e Rea assistita da Iride.jpg, Cronus and Rhea assisted by Iris, fresco, fourth style, c. 65 CE
File:Achilles Briseis MAN Napoli Inv9105 n01.jpg, Achilles surrenders Briseis
File:Elena aiutata a salire sulla nave di paride verso troia, 9108.JPG, Helen of Sparta boards a ship for Troy
File:Iphigeneia sacrificed MAN Napoli Inv9112.jpg, Sacrifice of Iphigenia
File:Atrium, Pompeii (15165185315).jpg, Atrium
File:Casa del poeta tragico. 02.JPG, Juxtaposed murals in the atrium
File:Preliminary study of painted wall-decoration in the House of the Tragic Poet in Pompeii (2) watercolor by Luigi Bazzani.jpg, Frescoed wall
File:Preliminary study of painted wall-decoration in the House of the Tragic Poet, 1876 watercolor by Luigi Bazzani.jpg, Frescoed wall
File:Choregos actors MAN Napoli Inv9986.jpg, Mosaic depicting a cast of tragic actors
File:Cave Canem Poeta Trágico 01.jpg, Cave Canem Mosaic
References
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Buildings and structures completed in the 2nd century BC
1824 archaeological discoveries
Archaeology of Italy
Cultural depictions of Achilles
T