DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4098#0404
TEMPLE OF THESEUS. 363
metopee with which the temple is ornamented. Ten of these fill the
eastern or principal front, and the four first on the south and north
sides of the temple next to that front.
According to Plutarch,1 Hercules obtained from Aidoneus, king
of Molossia, the liberty of Theseus; who, when he returned to
Athens, evinced his gratitude by affixing the name of his benefactor
to several buildings, which had been previously denominated The-
seia. The Athenians in after ages, when erecting a temple to their
ancient king, were probably influenced by a similar motive to
embellish that edifice with the labours of Hercules.
Over the Pronaos is represented in high relief a combat between
some warriors, which has no allusion to the Amazons; for though
there are six draped figures, some of which are apparently females,
yet they are in a sitting posture, quietly contemplating the fight.
Their position and superior stature designate them as divinities.
The old story of the Centaurs and the Lapithai is represented on
the inner frize of the posticum or western end.
Amongst these figures a Lapithais seen killing a Centaur, and ano-
ther Lapitha is throwing a large stone at his antagonist. This seems
to have been a common mode of fighting in the earliest times, and
to have been practised by the greatest heroes, and even by the gods
themselves. Homer2 represents Minerva throwing a large stone at
Mars; and he puts the same rustic weapon into the hands of Dio-
medes,3 of Ajax,4 and other chiefs. Virgil5 alludes to a similar kind
of warfare—" Jamque faces, et saxa volant, furor arma ministrat."
The Ikonoklastic fairy seems to have been Avrecked on the sculp-
ture of the Theseion, nearly as much as on that of the Parthenon.
The figures are considerably mutilated ; but enough still remains to
shew that they are of a grand and heroic style, superior even to the
Life of Theseus. See Euripid. Hercul. furens. v. 1328. * Iliad. 21. v. 404.
Iliad. 5. v. 302. 4 Iliad. 12. v. 380. s iEneid. 1. v. 150.
3 A 2
metopee with which the temple is ornamented. Ten of these fill the
eastern or principal front, and the four first on the south and north
sides of the temple next to that front.
According to Plutarch,1 Hercules obtained from Aidoneus, king
of Molossia, the liberty of Theseus; who, when he returned to
Athens, evinced his gratitude by affixing the name of his benefactor
to several buildings, which had been previously denominated The-
seia. The Athenians in after ages, when erecting a temple to their
ancient king, were probably influenced by a similar motive to
embellish that edifice with the labours of Hercules.
Over the Pronaos is represented in high relief a combat between
some warriors, which has no allusion to the Amazons; for though
there are six draped figures, some of which are apparently females,
yet they are in a sitting posture, quietly contemplating the fight.
Their position and superior stature designate them as divinities.
The old story of the Centaurs and the Lapithai is represented on
the inner frize of the posticum or western end.
Amongst these figures a Lapithais seen killing a Centaur, and ano-
ther Lapitha is throwing a large stone at his antagonist. This seems
to have been a common mode of fighting in the earliest times, and
to have been practised by the greatest heroes, and even by the gods
themselves. Homer2 represents Minerva throwing a large stone at
Mars; and he puts the same rustic weapon into the hands of Dio-
medes,3 of Ajax,4 and other chiefs. Virgil5 alludes to a similar kind
of warfare—" Jamque faces, et saxa volant, furor arma ministrat."
The Ikonoklastic fairy seems to have been Avrecked on the sculp-
ture of the Theseion, nearly as much as on that of the Parthenon.
The figures are considerably mutilated ; but enough still remains to
shew that they are of a grand and heroic style, superior even to the
Life of Theseus. See Euripid. Hercul. furens. v. 1328. * Iliad. 21. v. 404.
Iliad. 5. v. 302. 4 Iliad. 12. v. 380. s iEneid. 1. v. 150.
3 A 2