DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15098#0032
24
were we well acquainted with all the conventional forms, under
which the divine or heroic personages of their mythology were
represented, our difficulties would vanish. So familiar, probably,
were all these forms to an Athenian eye, that each would at once
be recognised without the aid of symbols or other ordinary
accompaniments ; but we have no such means or facilities of
recognition; many of the forms have so much in common, and
the slight grades of distinction, which to them were decisive, are so
imperceptible by us, that we require all the aids which peculiar
symbols and attributes can confer. Of all these aids the present
state of the sculptures deprives us; the surface of the marbles is
much decayed ; the colour, which assisted in defining many objects,
is entirely obliterated; many of the objects themselves were com-
posed of metal, and these have all been removed; and still more
unfortunately, especially as regards these sculptures as works of
art, the heads have been destroyed by violence, and we have not
the character of the countenance to guide us in our decisions.
It is from the general form of each individual figure, and its
association with other figures, serving as a sort of context,
that we must form our opinions of the personages represented,
deriving at the same time some confirmation of our conjectures
from the little light, which our imperfect knowledge of Athenian
mythology affords us.
The illustrious personages, who are seated on either side of the
central group, are turned from the centre, and towards the pro-
cession, the columns of which are approaching in opposite direc-
tions. From the absence of all perspective in this, as in all other
sculptured representations of the ancients, we are at a loss to
ascertain the exact position in which these figures were intended
to be placed relatively to the processions, but we are inclined to
believe that they are supposed to be arranged in two lines on either
side of the temple, probably in the interior, in order that the
head of the procession, or at least those persons whose peculiar
were we well acquainted with all the conventional forms, under
which the divine or heroic personages of their mythology were
represented, our difficulties would vanish. So familiar, probably,
were all these forms to an Athenian eye, that each would at once
be recognised without the aid of symbols or other ordinary
accompaniments ; but we have no such means or facilities of
recognition; many of the forms have so much in common, and
the slight grades of distinction, which to them were decisive, are so
imperceptible by us, that we require all the aids which peculiar
symbols and attributes can confer. Of all these aids the present
state of the sculptures deprives us; the surface of the marbles is
much decayed ; the colour, which assisted in defining many objects,
is entirely obliterated; many of the objects themselves were com-
posed of metal, and these have all been removed; and still more
unfortunately, especially as regards these sculptures as works of
art, the heads have been destroyed by violence, and we have not
the character of the countenance to guide us in our decisions.
It is from the general form of each individual figure, and its
association with other figures, serving as a sort of context,
that we must form our opinions of the personages represented,
deriving at the same time some confirmation of our conjectures
from the little light, which our imperfect knowledge of Athenian
mythology affords us.
The illustrious personages, who are seated on either side of the
central group, are turned from the centre, and towards the pro-
cession, the columns of which are approaching in opposite direc-
tions. From the absence of all perspective in this, as in all other
sculptured representations of the ancients, we are at a loss to
ascertain the exact position in which these figures were intended
to be placed relatively to the processions, but we are inclined to
believe that they are supposed to be arranged in two lines on either
side of the temple, probably in the interior, in order that the
head of the procession, or at least those persons whose peculiar