DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15096#0013
iv
giving an example of perfection in sculpture, the name
of Phidias as naturally occurs as that of Homer when
he is instancing the summit of poetical excellence ;(3)
and when the same philosopher defines the intelligence
of the beautiful, he adds that it was an impossibility
that Phidias should not have understood the beauti-
ful :(4) Aristotle also, in philosophically defining the
application of 3o<pk, illustrates his argument by pointing
at Phidias as aofik XiQovyyoqW
According to Demetrius Phalereus, a contemporary
of Praxiteles, magnificence of style was united in the
works of Phidias with the most exquisite delicacy/6)
Plutarch states that his sculptures, " inimitable for
grace and beauty," CO seem to be endowed with a per-
petual freshness, which preserved their aspect untar-
nished by time. Cicero assures us (8) that nothing is
more perfect than the statues of Phidias ; and in another
passage he describes them as enchanting (9) the spec-
tator at first sight; Pliny, after describing some of
his works, apologises 0) for speaking cursorily of an
artist, who could never be sufficiently praised; the
3 Plat. Protagoras, s. 7. 4 Plat. Hippias major, s. 23. 5 Ethic, lib. vi. c. 7.
6 Demetrius Phalereus de Elocut. c. 14. Tt pBjaXuov Kal aKpifieg apa.
7 Plut. in Peric. S. 13. pop<j>ij 8" afilp.r\Ta tpya Kai yapiri. 8 Cic. Orat. s. 2.
9 lb. Brut. s. 64. 1 Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. xxxvi. c. iv. s. 4.
giving an example of perfection in sculpture, the name
of Phidias as naturally occurs as that of Homer when
he is instancing the summit of poetical excellence ;(3)
and when the same philosopher defines the intelligence
of the beautiful, he adds that it was an impossibility
that Phidias should not have understood the beauti-
ful :(4) Aristotle also, in philosophically defining the
application of 3o<pk, illustrates his argument by pointing
at Phidias as aofik XiQovyyoqW
According to Demetrius Phalereus, a contemporary
of Praxiteles, magnificence of style was united in the
works of Phidias with the most exquisite delicacy/6)
Plutarch states that his sculptures, " inimitable for
grace and beauty," CO seem to be endowed with a per-
petual freshness, which preserved their aspect untar-
nished by time. Cicero assures us (8) that nothing is
more perfect than the statues of Phidias ; and in another
passage he describes them as enchanting (9) the spec-
tator at first sight; Pliny, after describing some of
his works, apologises 0) for speaking cursorily of an
artist, who could never be sufficiently praised; the
3 Plat. Protagoras, s. 7. 4 Plat. Hippias major, s. 23. 5 Ethic, lib. vi. c. 7.
6 Demetrius Phalereus de Elocut. c. 14. Tt pBjaXuov Kal aKpifieg apa.
7 Plut. in Peric. S. 13. pop<j>ij 8" afilp.r\Ta tpya Kai yapiri. 8 Cic. Orat. s. 2.
9 lb. Brut. s. 64. 1 Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. xxxvi. c. iv. s. 4.