DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.47071#0135
HELLENISTIC ART
131
published until after his death in 19 b.c. ; nor, on the other
hand, is it likely that the poet could have seen the group,
which probably was not removed from Rhodes to Rome
until a later date, when it was placed in the Baths of Titus.
In all probability the two versions of the story are entirely
independent of each other, except in so far as they
both deal with the same myth. But this fact does not
affect the soundness of Lessing’s criticism in general, or
the distinction he draws between the appeal to the ear,
with its possible extension in time, and the effect to the
eye, with its possible extension in space.
Let us now compare the two versions. Virgil first tells
us how Laocoon, with the proverbial words “ timeo
Danaos et dona ferentes,” launched a spear against the
wooden horse. After this, as he was sacrificing to Nep-
tune, we have first a long description of the terrible ap-
proach of the two snakes from Tenedos across the sea.
“ Then first the two snakes wind themselves about the
little bodies of his two sons, and bite and feed upon their
limbs. Then (Post) they seize on the father, as he
rushes to their aid with a weapon, and bind him in mighty
coils ; they entwine twice about his waist, twice about his
neck their scaly bodies, and tower head and neck above
him. He tries with his hand to loosen their coils, the black
venom sprinkling his priestly fillets. His terrible shrieks
ascend to heaven.” Then the snakes slip away and dis-
appear beneath the shield of the goddess. The impression
here conveyed is that the children are enveloped and
slain before the father, who comes to their aid, is attacked.
It is hardly conceivable that the three could in such a
sequence of events be drawn together into such a group
as we see in the sculpture. This would be no proof
that neither version was known to the authors of the
other, if such knowledge were otherwise probable. The
131
published until after his death in 19 b.c. ; nor, on the other
hand, is it likely that the poet could have seen the group,
which probably was not removed from Rhodes to Rome
until a later date, when it was placed in the Baths of Titus.
In all probability the two versions of the story are entirely
independent of each other, except in so far as they
both deal with the same myth. But this fact does not
affect the soundness of Lessing’s criticism in general, or
the distinction he draws between the appeal to the ear,
with its possible extension in time, and the effect to the
eye, with its possible extension in space.
Let us now compare the two versions. Virgil first tells
us how Laocoon, with the proverbial words “ timeo
Danaos et dona ferentes,” launched a spear against the
wooden horse. After this, as he was sacrificing to Nep-
tune, we have first a long description of the terrible ap-
proach of the two snakes from Tenedos across the sea.
“ Then first the two snakes wind themselves about the
little bodies of his two sons, and bite and feed upon their
limbs. Then (Post) they seize on the father, as he
rushes to their aid with a weapon, and bind him in mighty
coils ; they entwine twice about his waist, twice about his
neck their scaly bodies, and tower head and neck above
him. He tries with his hand to loosen their coils, the black
venom sprinkling his priestly fillets. His terrible shrieks
ascend to heaven.” Then the snakes slip away and dis-
appear beneath the shield of the goddess. The impression
here conveyed is that the children are enveloped and
slain before the father, who comes to their aid, is attacked.
It is hardly conceivable that the three could in such a
sequence of events be drawn together into such a group
as we see in the sculpture. This would be no proof
that neither version was known to the authors of the
other, if such knowledge were otherwise probable. The