Falkener, Edward: Ephesus and the temple of Diana (London, 1862)

242 TEMPLE OF DIANA.

columns, and their distribution. We have already
seen the vagueness of Pliny's description,1 and the
various manners in which the words " centum
viginti septem" may be interpreted.

It lias been endeavoured to explain the odd
number of columns given us by Pliny, by supposing
that those of the hypcethron are included in the
number. The numerous instances in -which we meet
with an uneven number of columns in the interior
of temples, Avould seem to denote something more
than mere chance. The Parthenon, (as established
by Mr. Knowles,) the temples of Apollo at Bassse,
of Apollo at Miletus, of Ceres at Bleusis, and
of Jupiter Olympius at Agrigentum, all have an
uneven number of columns at the extremity of the
hypasthron. As in all these instances there is no
central door of communication with the opistho-
domus, it is possible that the Greeks placed an
odd number of columns at the end, in order to
give greater importance to the naos or hypsethral
part of the temple, by giving the impression that
that was the chief, the only part of the temple.
Another reason may have been, that the statue
being placed in front of a column, and being of about
the same height, would render that column invisible,
and thus appear to be placed opposite a space of
more than twice the width of any of the others :
whereas, if placed opposite an intercolumniation,

1 See page 222.