DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5065#0049
LYSIPPOS AND HIS SCHOOL. 39
It cannot be doubted, that Lysippos himself often treated subjects drawn from the cycle
of the family of the iEacidae, and from their exploits, when we consider that his illustrious
protector, Alexander the Great, was sprung from that race on his mother's side ; whilst, on
the father's side, he was also a Heraclida ;8 and notwithstanding his pretension (which may
appear to us as fanciful, but which was in fact political) to pass for the son of Zeus Ammon,
Alexander assuredly was not less proud of the real origin of his race, than of an opinion,
however general among the vulgar, that he was in a still nearer relationship to the gods.
* See Plutarch's Alexander, in init.
IX.
ON SOME HISTORICAL EVENTS WITH WHICH THE BRONZES OF SIRIS
ARE PROBABLY CONNECTED.
Another ^Eacida, Pyrrhos, king of Epiros, who resembled Alexander in genius, in his rare
endowments of mind, in the most undaunted bravery, and in his adventurous achievements,
was not less proud of belonging to the same heroic family, to which the representation of our
bronzes refers. After the brilliant victory he had gained over Antigonos and his Galatian
troops, Pyrrhos consecrated, according to an ancient usage,9 to Athene-Itonis the most beautiful
and splendid amongst the spoils of his conquest, and added the haughty inscription which
Plutarch has preserved to us.1
The expedition which this warlike prince made in aid of Tarentum against the Romans
(B. C. 280), must necessarily have brought into the south of Italy a great variety of rich and
splendid Greek armour, the produce of the best manufactories of the time : and a large portion
of these valuable objects would have been left there by the Greeks when thev returned
home. In the first battle which Pyrrhos fought with the Romans (near the river Siris,
between Heraclea and Pandosia), his splendid armour was very near being fatal to him, in
attracting the assaults of the enemy. He was prevailed upon to exchange it for that of his
friend Megacles, who was soon after slain by a Roman (whom Plutarch calls Dexoos), and who
9 See Additional Note XV.
1 Pyrrhos (ed. Paris, p. 400). This is the passage in Plutarch :---------6 St Uippoc £vruxVa(rt tovovtoiq p.iyi<jrov
aliTq 7iy>6c $6%av oloptvog StaireirpaxOai to wepl rove VaXaTctQ, ra KaXXiora ical XafiirporaTa rwv Xa(j>vpwv aviOijKSv etf to
itpuv rije Itwvicog 'A8r)vag, toSe to tXeyfiov IwiypwpaQ :
Tovg Ovptove 6 MoAoito-oc 'irwviSt Swpov 'AOavq
Tlvppoc; cmb OpaaLwv EKpipatrev TaXaTav,
TravTa tov 'Avriyovov KaOeXwv arparov' o v piya Qavfia'
Al\p.r)Tal Ka! vvv Kal ir a p o c Ataic/Sat.
It cannot be doubted, that Lysippos himself often treated subjects drawn from the cycle
of the family of the iEacidae, and from their exploits, when we consider that his illustrious
protector, Alexander the Great, was sprung from that race on his mother's side ; whilst, on
the father's side, he was also a Heraclida ;8 and notwithstanding his pretension (which may
appear to us as fanciful, but which was in fact political) to pass for the son of Zeus Ammon,
Alexander assuredly was not less proud of the real origin of his race, than of an opinion,
however general among the vulgar, that he was in a still nearer relationship to the gods.
* See Plutarch's Alexander, in init.
IX.
ON SOME HISTORICAL EVENTS WITH WHICH THE BRONZES OF SIRIS
ARE PROBABLY CONNECTED.
Another ^Eacida, Pyrrhos, king of Epiros, who resembled Alexander in genius, in his rare
endowments of mind, in the most undaunted bravery, and in his adventurous achievements,
was not less proud of belonging to the same heroic family, to which the representation of our
bronzes refers. After the brilliant victory he had gained over Antigonos and his Galatian
troops, Pyrrhos consecrated, according to an ancient usage,9 to Athene-Itonis the most beautiful
and splendid amongst the spoils of his conquest, and added the haughty inscription which
Plutarch has preserved to us.1
The expedition which this warlike prince made in aid of Tarentum against the Romans
(B. C. 280), must necessarily have brought into the south of Italy a great variety of rich and
splendid Greek armour, the produce of the best manufactories of the time : and a large portion
of these valuable objects would have been left there by the Greeks when thev returned
home. In the first battle which Pyrrhos fought with the Romans (near the river Siris,
between Heraclea and Pandosia), his splendid armour was very near being fatal to him, in
attracting the assaults of the enemy. He was prevailed upon to exchange it for that of his
friend Megacles, who was soon after slain by a Roman (whom Plutarch calls Dexoos), and who
9 See Additional Note XV.
1 Pyrrhos (ed. Paris, p. 400). This is the passage in Plutarch :---------6 St Uippoc £vruxVa(rt tovovtoiq p.iyi<jrov
aliTq 7iy>6c $6%av oloptvog StaireirpaxOai to wepl rove VaXaTctQ, ra KaXXiora ical XafiirporaTa rwv Xa(j>vpwv aviOijKSv etf to
itpuv rije Itwvicog 'A8r)vag, toSe to tXeyfiov IwiypwpaQ :
Tovg Ovptove 6 MoAoito-oc 'irwviSt Swpov 'AOavq
Tlvppoc; cmb OpaaLwv EKpipatrev TaXaTav,
TravTa tov 'Avriyovov KaOeXwv arparov' o v piya Qavfia'
Al\p.r)Tal Ka! vvv Kal ir a p o c Ataic/Sat.