Mitchell, Lucy M.: A history of ancient sculpture (New York, 1883)

WEST-PEDIMENT SCULPTURES, vEGINA. 241

fallen, and, still more, for burial, continually appears in Greek literature, —
a feeling which is still strong in Greece, where it is believed that the souls of
the unburied ever wander as unhappy shades.4lS

The marbles of these two pediments were long branded alike with the slur
"archaic and ^Eginetan," until Brunn drew attention to decided differences
in them, showing the one facing the west to be stiffer, and hence the older.
To the sculptures of this west pediment, then, we naturally first turn. Here
Athena, standing in the midst of the conflict, and arrayed in armor for the
stern tasks of war, towers above the human warriors on each side, and, filling
up the full height of the pediment, by her greater size symbolizes her divine
superiority. In one hand the goddess holds her protecting shield extended
over the fallen helpless hero at her feet, and in the other was doubtless origi-
nally her lance. On her shoulders, and hanging down her back, lies, like a broad
cloak, the dread agis, its shaggy rim, according to Homeric song, bordered
with terror, and in its centre the Gorgon head, "deformed and dreadful," a sign
of woe. The holes round about the outer edge of the agis indicate that it was
once fringed with serpents' heads made of separate pieces of marble, or perhaps
bronze. The Gorgon head 111 the centre was doubtless also of metal, and
traces of color on the rest of the agis indicate that it was painted. The god-
dess wears the closely fitting Attic helmet with its high crest, now broken
away. Over a fine under-garment, visible only under the arms, is carefully laid
her generous outer mantle, falling below the agis down to the feet in regular
folds and ends. This drapery, although precise, is not monotonous, like imi-
tated archaic works. The folds grow agreeably wider towards the bottom; and
the zigzag end is enlivened by little depressions, producing pleasing variations
of light and shade on the surface. But these attractions of the quaintly draped
figure, of course, do not appear in the tiny cut, and must be sought for in the
presence of the marble itself. Such of the hair as appears is carefully divided
into masses, one falling over the brow, two others at the side, and one down
the back, and is represented in stiffly parallel wave-lines. Traces of color, and
the holes in her forehead, as well as a bronze curl left on the temple of another
statue, show that many details were left to color and bronze. From her ears
doubtless hung metal ear-rings, but of other jewellery there is no sign. How
constrained and unnatural her position! Every indication of the female form
is absent. The set lines of her garments appear in striking contrast to the
figures of the nude, bending warriors about her, in which the details of the
strained forms are admirably given. The sculptor, perhaps, had floating before
his mind some time-honored Palladium clad in holy garments, such as we see
painted on vases, and from whose traditional pose, with all his skill in the nude,
he did not venture to break away. It may well be questioned, however,
whether it would have been possible for these early artists to have represented
naturally the form of the goddess beneath the heavy agis and long, full drapery;