DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15097#0066
55
METOPE VIII.
In the group represented upon this Metope, the victory evidently
and strongly inclines towards the Centaur. In the course of their
conflict the Greek has fallen backwards over a large wine vessel,
which had perhaps, in an earlier stage of the fight, been hurled
against him. The Centaur has seized him in the act of falling by
the ancle of the left leg, in order to prevent his recovery, and has
raised his right arm to consummate his destruction. The Greek
endeavours to save his fall and to embarrass his opponent, by
strongly seizing him by the hair, but his right hand, as in No. III.,
is necessarily put towards the ground to correct his balance and
support his body, which is so overpowered, that little hope could be
entertained that he could sustain himself by his hold on the Cen-
taur's hair, even for the short moment which might be necessary to
aim a blow against his almost triumphant adversary; and such an
effort, even if he could make it, would be clearly anticipated by the
uplifted arm of the Centaur. The subdued action and over-
balanced position of the Greek are clearly impressed upon the
spectator, and are admirably contrasted with the animated and
triumphant vigour of the Centaur, the very action of whose tail is
indicative of his confidence of victory.
This is one of the most beautiful of the Metopes. The compo-
sition is elegant, light, and spirited, gracefully enriched and per-
fected by the folds of drapery suspended from the left arm of the
Greek and falling lightly over the prostrate vessel, relieving the
angle formed by it and the body of the fallen warrior, as the lion's
skin of the Centaur does that between his human and animal
body; the execution is correct and finished, the action admirably
conceived, intelligible, and interesting. The victory, though almost
METOPE VIII.
In the group represented upon this Metope, the victory evidently
and strongly inclines towards the Centaur. In the course of their
conflict the Greek has fallen backwards over a large wine vessel,
which had perhaps, in an earlier stage of the fight, been hurled
against him. The Centaur has seized him in the act of falling by
the ancle of the left leg, in order to prevent his recovery, and has
raised his right arm to consummate his destruction. The Greek
endeavours to save his fall and to embarrass his opponent, by
strongly seizing him by the hair, but his right hand, as in No. III.,
is necessarily put towards the ground to correct his balance and
support his body, which is so overpowered, that little hope could be
entertained that he could sustain himself by his hold on the Cen-
taur's hair, even for the short moment which might be necessary to
aim a blow against his almost triumphant adversary; and such an
effort, even if he could make it, would be clearly anticipated by the
uplifted arm of the Centaur. The subdued action and over-
balanced position of the Greek are clearly impressed upon the
spectator, and are admirably contrasted with the animated and
triumphant vigour of the Centaur, the very action of whose tail is
indicative of his confidence of victory.
This is one of the most beautiful of the Metopes. The compo-
sition is elegant, light, and spirited, gracefully enriched and per-
fected by the folds of drapery suspended from the left arm of the
Greek and falling lightly over the prostrate vessel, relieving the
angle formed by it and the body of the fallen warrior, as the lion's
skin of the Centaur does that between his human and animal
body; the execution is correct and finished, the action admirably
conceived, intelligible, and interesting. The victory, though almost