DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4324#0035
PRIENE.
13
This stone, which is inscribed also on one side, with the many other fragments by it, seems to
indicate, that the fronts and external faces of the antae were covered with inscription; and from
the degrees of magnitude in the letter, it may be conjectured, a regard was had to perspective,
the greater being higher, and more remote, the smaller nearer to the eye; so that, at the proper
point of view for reading, all might appear nearly of the same proportion. Many of these stones
were much too ponderous to be turned up, or moved aside, by any strength or power we could
apply; which is the more to be regretted, as the legends of several are perfectly uninjured. We
carefully copied those portions to which we could gain access; but these, as not relating to the
history of the temple, are reserved for publication in our collection of inscriptions.
The above memorial may perhaps be deemed decisive in respect to the age of the fabric: but
it should be remembered, that Alexander was ambitious of inscribing such works; and it will be
unfair to conclude that this was not begun, if not far advanced or nearly finished, when he entered
Asia; since on his arrival at Ephesus in his way hither, it is related, that finding the Temple of
Diana,* which had been destroyed by Herostratus about the time of his birth, rebuilding under
the direction of Dinocrates, he offered the Ephesians to defray all their past expenses, and to
complete the edifice, for the gratification, which, it appears, he procured at Priene, to wit, the
privilege of inscribing it as the dedicator; and this, trifling as it may seem, was then esteemed so
honourable and important, that he could not obtain it even on terms so very liberal and
magnificent.
The architect of this august temple was the Pytheus, or, as he is named in another passage,
Phileos, mentioned in the article of Teos. The ruin, as Vitruvius also does, may bear testimony
to the nobleness of his genius. He described it in a written exposition; and it is recorded, he
conceived so highly of his profession, as to assert in his commentaries, that it behoved an architect
to excel more in all arts and sciences, even than the individuals who had carried each by their
application and industry, to the summit of reputation.
But, glorious as this fabric was when entire, it presented also another object of admiration to the
heathen traveller; for Pausanias,^ after affirming that Ionia was adorned with temples, such as no
other province could boast, and enumerating the principal, adds, " You would be delighted too
with that of Minerva at Priene, on account of the statue."
* Ton Se veuv Ttjg ApjepuSog Txpujog piev Xepcritypuv (Mscripti
Apx«Ppuv) ripxtjeicloviio-ev, %lr xXXog evoi^a-e pet^u' ug Se rvjov
HpoifjpaTog rig tvnrpy\<rtv, xXXov xpieivca Kxjecncevxcrxv—AXefcxvtyov
$*} Totg E<pe<rioig V7ro<rx£<r§xi to. yeyovojx, xxi rx pteXXovjx
xvxXuptxTX, e(p u tz tv\v nviypocqyp xujov s^eiv' Tvg <5s pj sSeXrjtrxr
—eirctivei te tov tmov\ct tuv Etpenuv irpog j3x<rtXex' cog a sroETrei
Seu §toig xvx^r\ptx\x Kxjxcrx.£ux^en/' pcejx h Tyv th veu crwTtXiixv,
ov (pycnv (o Ap]Bf*iSupog) uvoct XetpopcoKpccjisg (Mss. XeipoxpxTxg et
AeivoxpocTvg) spyov—Strab. p. 640.
•f Ideoque de veteribus Architects, Pythius, qui Prienee,
sedem Minervoe nobiliter est architectatus, ait in suis Coiu-
mentariis, Architectum omnibus artibus et doctrinis plus
oportere posse facere, quam qui sing-ulas res suis industriis
et exercitationibus ad suinniam claritatem perduxerunt. Id
autem re non expeditur. Vitruv. L. i- c. 1.
In another passage he is named Pitheus.
+ E^e< ds (luvix) xxi lepx olx a% 6T£/>a>9v—yaSetrig <T ocv kxi
t« ev EpuSpoug 'HpxKXeiu, kxi ASrjvxg tco ev U.pirjv» vxco' tv\co piev
t» xyxXfjcx^og tlvexx. Pausan. L. vii. p. 533.
13
This stone, which is inscribed also on one side, with the many other fragments by it, seems to
indicate, that the fronts and external faces of the antae were covered with inscription; and from
the degrees of magnitude in the letter, it may be conjectured, a regard was had to perspective,
the greater being higher, and more remote, the smaller nearer to the eye; so that, at the proper
point of view for reading, all might appear nearly of the same proportion. Many of these stones
were much too ponderous to be turned up, or moved aside, by any strength or power we could
apply; which is the more to be regretted, as the legends of several are perfectly uninjured. We
carefully copied those portions to which we could gain access; but these, as not relating to the
history of the temple, are reserved for publication in our collection of inscriptions.
The above memorial may perhaps be deemed decisive in respect to the age of the fabric: but
it should be remembered, that Alexander was ambitious of inscribing such works; and it will be
unfair to conclude that this was not begun, if not far advanced or nearly finished, when he entered
Asia; since on his arrival at Ephesus in his way hither, it is related, that finding the Temple of
Diana,* which had been destroyed by Herostratus about the time of his birth, rebuilding under
the direction of Dinocrates, he offered the Ephesians to defray all their past expenses, and to
complete the edifice, for the gratification, which, it appears, he procured at Priene, to wit, the
privilege of inscribing it as the dedicator; and this, trifling as it may seem, was then esteemed so
honourable and important, that he could not obtain it even on terms so very liberal and
magnificent.
The architect of this august temple was the Pytheus, or, as he is named in another passage,
Phileos, mentioned in the article of Teos. The ruin, as Vitruvius also does, may bear testimony
to the nobleness of his genius. He described it in a written exposition; and it is recorded, he
conceived so highly of his profession, as to assert in his commentaries, that it behoved an architect
to excel more in all arts and sciences, even than the individuals who had carried each by their
application and industry, to the summit of reputation.
But, glorious as this fabric was when entire, it presented also another object of admiration to the
heathen traveller; for Pausanias,^ after affirming that Ionia was adorned with temples, such as no
other province could boast, and enumerating the principal, adds, " You would be delighted too
with that of Minerva at Priene, on account of the statue."
* Ton Se veuv Ttjg ApjepuSog Txpujog piev Xepcritypuv (Mscripti
Apx«Ppuv) ripxtjeicloviio-ev, %lr xXXog evoi^a-e pet^u' ug Se rvjov
HpoifjpaTog rig tvnrpy\<rtv, xXXov xpieivca Kxjecncevxcrxv—AXefcxvtyov
$*} Totg E<pe<rioig V7ro<rx£<r§xi to. yeyovojx, xxi rx pteXXovjx
xvxXuptxTX, e(p u tz tv\v nviypocqyp xujov s^eiv' Tvg <5s pj sSeXrjtrxr
—eirctivei te tov tmov\ct tuv Etpenuv irpog j3x<rtXex' cog a sroETrei
Seu §toig xvx^r\ptx\x Kxjxcrx.£ux^en/' pcejx h Tyv th veu crwTtXiixv,
ov (pycnv (o Ap]Bf*iSupog) uvoct XetpopcoKpccjisg (Mss. XeipoxpxTxg et
AeivoxpocTvg) spyov—Strab. p. 640.
•f Ideoque de veteribus Architects, Pythius, qui Prienee,
sedem Minervoe nobiliter est architectatus, ait in suis Coiu-
mentariis, Architectum omnibus artibus et doctrinis plus
oportere posse facere, quam qui sing-ulas res suis industriis
et exercitationibus ad suinniam claritatem perduxerunt. Id
autem re non expeditur. Vitruv. L. i- c. 1.
In another passage he is named Pitheus.
+ E^e< ds (luvix) xxi lepx olx a% 6T£/>a>9v—yaSetrig <T ocv kxi
t« ev EpuSpoug 'HpxKXeiu, kxi ASrjvxg tco ev U.pirjv» vxco' tv\co piev
t» xyxXfjcx^og tlvexx. Pausan. L. vii. p. 533.