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of the common Theban buckler; their infantry are armed with
spears, their charioteers with short javelins *.

At one extremity of the West wing of the gateway, the begin-
ning of this engagement appears to be represented; the same
monarch being seen at the head of his troops advancing against
the double line of the enemy, and first breaking their ranks. At
the other extremity of the same wing, the conqueror is seated on
his throne after the victory, holding a sceptre in his left hand,
and enjoying the cruel spectacle of eleven of the principal
chieftains among his captives, lashed together in a row with a
rope about their necks : the foremost stretches out his arms for
pity, and in vain implores for a reprieve from the fate of his com-
panions : close to him is the twelfth on his knees, just going to
be put to death by the hands of two executioners. Above then,i
is the captive sovereign, tied with his hands behind him to a car,
to which two horses are harnessed ; these are checked from rush-
ing onward by the attendant, till the monarch shall mount and
drag behind him the unfortunate victim of his triumphs. Behind
the throne different captives are suffering death in various ways:
some like the Briareus, the executioner holding them by the
hair of their head; others dragged by chariots, or slain by the
arrow or the scimetar. There is then the conqueror's camp,
round which arc placed his treasures, and where the servants
are preparing a feast to celebrate his victory.

It was impossible to view and to reflect upon a picture so co-
pious and so detailed as this I have just described, without fancy-
ing that 1 here saw the original of many of Homer's battles, the
portrait of some of the historical narratives of Herodotus, and
one of the principal ground-works of the descriptions of Diodo-

* The number of human figures in this battle scene is not less than fifteen hundred '%
five hundred of which are on foot, the rest in chariots.

rus: