DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.800#0400
378 ANCIENT ATHENS.
found united with Hygieia in the deme of Acharnse, and at Oropus.1
We have already seen her as Uacmvia, in the street leading from the
Peirai'c Gate to the Cerameicus.2
According to Plutarch, this statue was the work of Pheidias, and of
gold; but it was more likely gilded, for just before, as we have seen, he
says it was of bronze. Unless, indeed, as is more probable, he be
speaking of two different statues; one of bronze at the Propylsea, and
another of gold, or gilt, in another part of the Acropolis, and perhaps
in one of the temples. Of the latter statue—if it was a separate one—
Plutarch uses the word eSos,3 which some critics have interpreted to
mean the throne, or seat, on which the statue was seated.4 But the
absurdity is glaring of a golden pedestal for a bronze statue, and that
too made by Pheidias for the statue of an inferior artist. Wherefore
we think there can be little doubt that he is alluding to two different
statues. The term £§09 seems originally to have signified a seated
statue. Many of the more ancient statues of Athena were in that
posture. Thus Strabo says that the statue of that goddess described by
Homer as seated, had in his time been exchanged for one standing
upright; and he goes on to enumerate many seated ones of ancient
workmanship (goava) in Phocaea, Massilia, Eome, Chios, and other places.5
Such statues frequently carried something in their laps, and it was a
convenient posture for receiving the supplications of worshippers.
Hence probably the term yowd£e<r0ai, ' to clasp the knees,' to denote the
act of supplication; transferred also to abject entreaties of mortals.
The waxen tablets of the Eomans were placed upon the knees of the
gods, thus indicating that they were seated.6 But eSo? came at last to
denote any statue of a god, and to be used as equivalent to ayaXfui.7
1 Pausan. i. 31, 3; 34, 2. See Hobs, Arch. Aufs. i. 187.
2 i. 2, 4. Above, p. 198. 6 lib. xiii. p. 601.
3 6 Se 4>«8ms elpyii&To pkv tt/s Otov to " Propter quas fas est genua incerare
Xpvtrovv tSof, ical tovtov Srifuovfyyos fv rfj deorum.—Juv. x. 55.
(TTrjXr) dmi yiypairrai.—Per. 13. 7 *E8os • avrb to ayaXpa.—Bekk. Anecd.
* Thus Sillig in his Catalogus Artificum, Gr. 246, 3. Thus Isocrates: to t&v 6ea>v
voc. Pheidias: " Pericles aeneum Minervas iSt) k<u tovs raw o-vkav koL KaraicaUiv.—
Hygia; signum, et aureum ejus solium, hoc Paneg. 74 b. Where «8i; evidently means
quidem a Pheidia faciendum eoravifc"— statues. Most probably also in the
found united with Hygieia in the deme of Acharnse, and at Oropus.1
We have already seen her as Uacmvia, in the street leading from the
Peirai'c Gate to the Cerameicus.2
According to Plutarch, this statue was the work of Pheidias, and of
gold; but it was more likely gilded, for just before, as we have seen, he
says it was of bronze. Unless, indeed, as is more probable, he be
speaking of two different statues; one of bronze at the Propylsea, and
another of gold, or gilt, in another part of the Acropolis, and perhaps
in one of the temples. Of the latter statue—if it was a separate one—
Plutarch uses the word eSos,3 which some critics have interpreted to
mean the throne, or seat, on which the statue was seated.4 But the
absurdity is glaring of a golden pedestal for a bronze statue, and that
too made by Pheidias for the statue of an inferior artist. Wherefore
we think there can be little doubt that he is alluding to two different
statues. The term £§09 seems originally to have signified a seated
statue. Many of the more ancient statues of Athena were in that
posture. Thus Strabo says that the statue of that goddess described by
Homer as seated, had in his time been exchanged for one standing
upright; and he goes on to enumerate many seated ones of ancient
workmanship (goava) in Phocaea, Massilia, Eome, Chios, and other places.5
Such statues frequently carried something in their laps, and it was a
convenient posture for receiving the supplications of worshippers.
Hence probably the term yowd£e<r0ai, ' to clasp the knees,' to denote the
act of supplication; transferred also to abject entreaties of mortals.
The waxen tablets of the Eomans were placed upon the knees of the
gods, thus indicating that they were seated.6 But eSo? came at last to
denote any statue of a god, and to be used as equivalent to ayaXfui.7
1 Pausan. i. 31, 3; 34, 2. See Hobs, Arch. Aufs. i. 187.
2 i. 2, 4. Above, p. 198. 6 lib. xiii. p. 601.
3 6 Se 4>«8ms elpyii&To pkv tt/s Otov to " Propter quas fas est genua incerare
Xpvtrovv tSof, ical tovtov Srifuovfyyos fv rfj deorum.—Juv. x. 55.
(TTrjXr) dmi yiypairrai.—Per. 13. 7 *E8os • avrb to ayaXpa.—Bekk. Anecd.
* Thus Sillig in his Catalogus Artificum, Gr. 246, 3. Thus Isocrates: to t&v 6ea>v
voc. Pheidias: " Pericles aeneum Minervas iSt) k<u tovs raw o-vkav koL KaraicaUiv.—
Hygia; signum, et aureum ejus solium, hoc Paneg. 74 b. Where «8i; evidently means
quidem a Pheidia faciendum eoravifc"— statues. Most probably also in the