DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15098#0078
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interest. These magistrates consisted of the nine archons, of whom
the three chief, having been elected, like the rest, by lot, might
perhaps be young and inexperienced in the various duties of their
office, and were therefore permitted or required each to nominate
two persons of age, gravity and reputation to assist them ;l and it
is to this custom perhaps that we are to look for that mixture of
young men with those of maturer years in this assemblage of
magistrates, and not merely to the artist's desire to give addi-
tional beauty and variety to his composition. Still further assist-
ance was derived from officers who were named Nomophylaces;
conservators of established rites and ceremonies, who had seats
appointed for them at all public assemblies, and at solemn fes-
tivals had chairs immediately opposite to and corresponding with
those of the archons; they were distinguished upon public occa-
sions by a white riband, but no such insigne of office can now
be discerned upon any of the figures on these marbles. There
were also Heralds peculiarly appointed for public ceremonies,
and said to have been selected from the Athenian family of the
Eunidse, part of whose duty it was to perform both in the vocal
and instrumental choruses during sacred ceremonies.2 The cos-
tume of all these priests, magistrates, or officers, of whatever
grade or title, is exactly the same, with only some slight variation
in the mode of adjustment, nor can we discover any object
by which to distinguish the titles or occupations of the persons
represented, unless it be the staff with which some are fur-
nished, and which others do not possess. This staff has certainly
nothing to do with the age of the persons, as, in this plate,
the young man, who forms the last figure but one towards the
left, is leaning on one, as well as the three elderly persons with
whom he is immediately associated. In Plate XXXVI. the
1 Potter's Antiq. b. i. c. xii.
2 J. Pollux. Onomas. viii. 103. Hesychius and Harpocration, voc. EweTScu.
interest. These magistrates consisted of the nine archons, of whom
the three chief, having been elected, like the rest, by lot, might
perhaps be young and inexperienced in the various duties of their
office, and were therefore permitted or required each to nominate
two persons of age, gravity and reputation to assist them ;l and it
is to this custom perhaps that we are to look for that mixture of
young men with those of maturer years in this assemblage of
magistrates, and not merely to the artist's desire to give addi-
tional beauty and variety to his composition. Still further assist-
ance was derived from officers who were named Nomophylaces;
conservators of established rites and ceremonies, who had seats
appointed for them at all public assemblies, and at solemn fes-
tivals had chairs immediately opposite to and corresponding with
those of the archons; they were distinguished upon public occa-
sions by a white riband, but no such insigne of office can now
be discerned upon any of the figures on these marbles. There
were also Heralds peculiarly appointed for public ceremonies,
and said to have been selected from the Athenian family of the
Eunidse, part of whose duty it was to perform both in the vocal
and instrumental choruses during sacred ceremonies.2 The cos-
tume of all these priests, magistrates, or officers, of whatever
grade or title, is exactly the same, with only some slight variation
in the mode of adjustment, nor can we discover any object
by which to distinguish the titles or occupations of the persons
represented, unless it be the staff with which some are fur-
nished, and which others do not possess. This staff has certainly
nothing to do with the age of the persons, as, in this plate,
the young man, who forms the last figure but one towards the
left, is leaning on one, as well as the three elderly persons with
whom he is immediately associated. In Plate XXXVI. the
1 Potter's Antiq. b. i. c. xii.
2 J. Pollux. Onomas. viii. 103. Hesychius and Harpocration, voc. EweTScu.