“But the principal relic of faded grandeur was the ample oval of the shield-like stern-piece, intricately carved with the arms of Castile and Leon, medallion about by groups of mythological or symbolical devices; uppermost and central of which was a dark satyr in a mask, holding his foot on the prostrate neck of a writhing figure, likewise masked” (1513-14).
I think the most important aspect that is alluded to in this excerpt are the masks. Disguises in “Benito Cereno” keep Captain Delano in a constant state of shifting perceptions, which drives the plot forwards. Additionally, the disguises complicates the various ideas or arguments being made on race in the story.
An initial interpretation of the masked satyr is Babo, who is presented as a loyal servant to Captain Cereno. Babo is always at his side and many times is the subject of gratitude and thanks by Cereno. Throughout Delano’s time on board San Dominick, the character that Babo plays distracts from his true power over the entire ship. It is clear in the declarations and testimonies at the end that he was the mastermind of the rebellion, which can be reflected by the satyr’s foot on the neck of the other figure (possibly Benito Cereno who is also “masked” and is acting within the system of slavery) on the stern-piece. However, it has to be addressed then what the satyr means. Satyrs are mythological creatures that look like humans but have horse/goat features (legs/lower-half, ears, horns, etc), which then present Babo’s true self as animalistic or unreal or “other”, presenting a racist ideology. The rebellion’s significance then is simplified to a socially Darwinistic line of thought. Instead of stemming from moral or ethical issues, the rebellion is the result of distinct racial differences.
Continuing this initial interpretation, Benito Cereno could be the victim in this scene. Benito Cereno disguises himself as a sickly, passive, and distant captain, when in fact, this disposition is due to the threat on his life. The mask (his weakness) acts in driving away suspicion as to the true power dynamic, where in reality he is not captain but hostage. Also, the victim of the satyr’s aggression can be generalized to the practice of slavery (Benito Cereno was facilitating the transport of the slaves aboard, contributing to the global system of slavery).
Yet, this interpretation can be analyzed in many different ways. I think another possibility would to think of it the other way around and in the framework of each parties’ outcome. Who benefited even after all the destruction? Who is depicted in what light? It seems that the argument could be made that the Europeans/Americans are the satyr. Or it could be interesting to think Captain Delano individually, and what his role could be in the scene? Could the system of slavery be the satyr? There is any number of interpretations, and often they cannot be strictly confined to the excerpt above, but it does provoke a number of questions on what is trying to be said of race in this story.
I think this is a really important observation, as the plot seems to revolve around some truth lurking beneath the surface — at least of Captain Delano’s consciousness. Reading your comment, I am particularly struck by the connection between the satyr stern-piece and Captain Delano’s racist, animal-like conceptions not only of Babo, but all the enslaved individuals on board. While this is, unfortunately, not an original or by any means unique racist trope, it is disturbingly frequent and extensive throughout “Benito Cereno.” Since the story is written from Delano’s perspective, the reader has access only to his observations and perceptions. Thus, we see quite clearly the limitations of his consciousness and thought processes, which primarily revolve around his own self-perception as heroic and his interactions with Benito Cereno, whom he repeatedly suspects of having ulterior and dire motives. In regards to the enslaved people on board, he only considers them against his own preconceived racist ideologies, including the animal comparisons. This also might speak to his discomfort when Babo seems to assert himself as more than just a “servant” and almost like a friend to Cereno (of course, we ultimately discover a different dynamic). Anyway, from this perspective, the satyr seems to me symbolic of Delano’s ignorance. Just as the Captain cannot see past the animal-like, “wild” facade of a satyr and to the skeleton concealed beneath — whose exposure would reveal the truth of the situation — Delano’s own self-deception by images of black people as “wild,” animal-like, and incompetent shields him from recognizing Babo as the “leader” and the ultimate revelation of the slave revolt. Therefore, the most important mask in the story is, arguably, self-imposed, and potentially representative of white European and American ignorance through the “mask” of all their justifications for the institution of slavery.