DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5074#0364
346
THE NIKE APTEEOS.
its five lofty gates, formed the magnificent object of
that view; in the foreground, on the left, stood the
equestrian statues of the sons of Xenophon, and on the
right the small but lovely Temple of Nike Apteros:
while, seen through the open gates and directly opposite
the centre of them, was the splendid statue of Athena
Polias, in bronze, whose helmet and spear were discern-
ible from the sea beyond Sunium: while mounting
the steps, the Parthenon and the Erechtheum — objects
dear to all Athenian hearts—were obliquely seen within
the Sacred Enclosure, Now, the Propylaea forms a great
hospital of its own sick and wounded; the scattered
fragments, a thousand statues, urns, vases, mouldings,
friezes, &c. &c, ranged upon shelves, or imbedded in
square frames filled up with clay, are here carefully
preserved ; it is delightful to see them so well cared for,
especially the immense number of valuable inscriptions:
but the scores of arms, legs, noseless heads, broken
fingers, bits of rounded shoulders, &c. &c, sorted under
their respective denominations, always reminded me of
" Tate and Brady's versification of the Psalms of David
with the poetry extracted."
The small Ionic temple of Nike Apteros was for two
hundred years completely lost—at last some fragments
were accidentally discovered in situ, and the whole was
built up again from its own ruins, and now stands in
wonderful perfection in its own place; many of its
friezes are intact, but copies of those taken away by
Lord Elgin ought to be sent out to replace the hiatus
of others. The Nike Apteros, or Wingless Victory, ex-
pressed the proud determination of the Athenians that
Victory should never be absent from their arms; they
therefore represented her without wings lest she should
use them in flying over to their enemies. It was from
here that old iEgeus threw himself down to end the
THE NIKE APTEEOS.
its five lofty gates, formed the magnificent object of
that view; in the foreground, on the left, stood the
equestrian statues of the sons of Xenophon, and on the
right the small but lovely Temple of Nike Apteros:
while, seen through the open gates and directly opposite
the centre of them, was the splendid statue of Athena
Polias, in bronze, whose helmet and spear were discern-
ible from the sea beyond Sunium: while mounting
the steps, the Parthenon and the Erechtheum — objects
dear to all Athenian hearts—were obliquely seen within
the Sacred Enclosure, Now, the Propylaea forms a great
hospital of its own sick and wounded; the scattered
fragments, a thousand statues, urns, vases, mouldings,
friezes, &c. &c, ranged upon shelves, or imbedded in
square frames filled up with clay, are here carefully
preserved ; it is delightful to see them so well cared for,
especially the immense number of valuable inscriptions:
but the scores of arms, legs, noseless heads, broken
fingers, bits of rounded shoulders, &c. &c, sorted under
their respective denominations, always reminded me of
" Tate and Brady's versification of the Psalms of David
with the poetry extracted."
The small Ionic temple of Nike Apteros was for two
hundred years completely lost—at last some fragments
were accidentally discovered in situ, and the whole was
built up again from its own ruins, and now stands in
wonderful perfection in its own place; many of its
friezes are intact, but copies of those taken away by
Lord Elgin ought to be sent out to replace the hiatus
of others. The Nike Apteros, or Wingless Victory, ex-
pressed the proud determination of the Athenians that
Victory should never be absent from their arms; they
therefore represented her without wings lest she should
use them in flying over to their enemies. It was from
here that old iEgeus threw himself down to end the