Morphology

The word is a compound of the adjective chrysos, 'golden', and the noun keros 'horn'.

Statements

The adjective χρυσόκερως is used by ancient authors primarily in two contexts: as a term for the doe of Artemis, which Herakles was to catch as part of his twelve labours, and as a term for sacrificial cattle, whose horns were covered with a gold plate for decoration. These two contexts probably contributed to one late antique mythographer's description of Hermes' stolen flock of Apollon, Artemis' brother, as "golden-horned" (Philostratus, Imagines, 1.26.3). Besides, the adjective still appears in the writings of grammarians as an example of words that are conjugated within the so-called 'Attic declension'.

Homer knows the custom of decorating the horns of sacrificial cattle with gold (cf. Hom., Il. 10.294, Od. 3.430-438), although he does not use the adjective χρυσόκερως. As Homer himself explains in the referenced passages from the Odyssey, the gilding of the horns is to make the gift more pleasing to the goddess (ἵν᾽ ἄγαλμα θεὰ κεχάροιτο ἰδοῦσα, 438). It seems inappropriate to relate the noun ἄγαλμα of the quoted passus to the sacrificed heifer (so, e.g., Autenrieth 1984, s.v. ἄγαλμα). More likely, it is used here in its usual sense of a votive gift (so e.g. Montanari 2015, s.v. ἄγαλμα): once the sacrifice has been fulfilled, the skull of the heifer with its gilded horns will be deposited in the temple and it is in this form that it will gladden the eyes of Athena (so Seaford 2004: 62 ff.).

Since cattle were the most expensive type of sacrificial animal, cattle with gilded horns represented the most expensive possible form of animal sacrifice, associated with the most important state holidays (IG I3 78a ➚, 36-40, see → Eleusinian Inscriptions ➚). The expression 'golden-horned cattle' can also be used as a metonymy for costly sacrifices (Pl., Alc.2. 149c).

Appearances

Aeschin 3.164; Thphr. De piet. Fr. 7, Fr. 8; [Pl.] Alc. 2. 149c; J. AJ 13.242; Plu. Aem. 33.2; [Plu.] Apoph. 184e; Polyaen. 8.43; Lib. Decl. 23.1.10.