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The dromedary psychopomp

I had recently informed the reopening of July 7 rooms of Greek sculpture in the Louvre (cf. http://cheminsantiques.blogspot.com/2010/06/dans-les-secrets-de-la-venus-de-milo.html ). Naturally, I did not take long to go there. I was delighted to see my favorites, among them three of Praxiteles (or attributed to, or copied from, I care about such subtleties, the enjoyment of contemplation), Apollo Sauroctonus (= killer lizard, in this case a lizard), Aphrodite and Artemis at the apple hanging up his coat: the gods young, sophisticated, graceful, carved in marble almost translucent flakes. Even the Venus de Milo seemed less than usual pitcher - is it different light (it is now in daylight near a window)? do you read the comments that have been allocated (in the famous blog)? - And I found his smile seductive beauty of a troubling ...

More importantly, I discovered a relief that I do not remember ever having seen. This is indeed soon fifteen years that I have a passion for camels, and about the same (and more) that I have traveled the halls of the Louvre. This is a bas-relief of a camel ridden by a girl with butterfly wings:



The legend does heighten the mystery
"Votive relief (?):
Psyche on a camel
second century av. JC
Alexandria Troas (Turkey)
Marble
function as the interpretation of this relief is not certain. Psyche with butterfly wings mounted on a camel could symbolize the voyage of the soul toward the world of the Blessed. "

In Greek, the soul is called "psyche" and is often personified as a young girl, especially in the beautiful story of Apuleius tells the story of Eros (Love) and Psyche, but this story is after four centuries to our relief, and there is also no mention of a trip by camel (the narrator is an ass, but that's another story!).

In Greek mythology, the epithet "psychopomp '(=' conductor of souls") was often attributed to the god Hermes, when its function is to conduct the souls of those who have just died to the world of the dead.

In the Wikipedia article devoted to the word "psychopomp" I read that psychopomps deities "are often associated with animals such as horses, seals, ravens, dogs, owls, sparrows, or the dolphins. "

Well we'll have to add the camel! I think in fact there is no more beautiful setting to achieve the world of the Blessed, the slow pace and quiet its not safe and swaying.