DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0369
EAST FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON.
*\ -> r
oj5
position a quiet beseeming the approach to the sacred building. Single groups
from this eastern frieze, showing the true beauty of the forms, and exquisite
surface-rendering, appear in Selections, Plates III. and IV.; and the centre
which occupied the space over the temple-entrance is represented in Fig. 151.
Here a sacred rite is being observed, in which five standing
mortals participate. On each side the gods themselves are
enthroned as honored guests in the midst of the people, who
stand or approach beyond them. But the gods are conceived
as unseen by the multitude, as the first approaching figures
have their backs turned upon these deities. Directly over
the entrance a stately woman (Fig. 151, a), doubtless a priest-
ess, takes a chair from the head of a smaller female attend-
ant, and will, in like manner, soon relieve a second who
approaches with her burden, and looks back seemingly at
the procession, of which this group is doubtless conceived
as a part.655 Beside the priestess, a dignified bearded man
(b) is engaged in taking from or handing to a beautiful youth
a robe ; or, it may be, he aids in folding it. This scene is
often explained as the ceremonious handing of the embroid-
ered peplos to a priest within the temple ; but the presence
°f the priestess and her two maidens makes it more probable
that this is a sacrificial scene outside the building, where
preparations are being made for the offering of the victims
represented in the frieze as approaching.656 Brunn first sug-
gested that the folded robe in question was probably nothing
else than the priest's own mantle (/aviation) ; since he alone
of the bearded men of the procession is not wrapped in this
robe, worn over the long chiton. Moreover, the strong resem-
blance of this folded cloth to the mantles worn by the rest,
having the same undulating border and ample size, but no
indication of embroidery, conflicts with the theory that it is g
the peplos. On the supposition, then, that this is a sacrifi- * 5" ^3'tTx>,:
cial scene, we may believe that the priest here lays off his 5
cumbrous garment, and hands it to his attendant, prepara- S SfiijjIgSLl
tory to the solemn act of slaying the victims. The repre- 2- ^
sentation on an Attic relief of a priest in the same untram-
melled dress, and holding the knife, is, moreover, strongly confirmatory of this
explanation. While the priest is thus engaged, the priestess lowers the chairs
that are to be occupied by him and her during the approach of the procession.
When all is ready, the priestess will lift up a prayer, the priest will slay the
victim, and lay its flesh upon the altar to be burned, a sweet-smelling and ac-
ceptable offering before the gods.65/ Such is, in all probability, the sacred
X
*\ -> r
oj5
position a quiet beseeming the approach to the sacred building. Single groups
from this eastern frieze, showing the true beauty of the forms, and exquisite
surface-rendering, appear in Selections, Plates III. and IV.; and the centre
which occupied the space over the temple-entrance is represented in Fig. 151.
Here a sacred rite is being observed, in which five standing
mortals participate. On each side the gods themselves are
enthroned as honored guests in the midst of the people, who
stand or approach beyond them. But the gods are conceived
as unseen by the multitude, as the first approaching figures
have their backs turned upon these deities. Directly over
the entrance a stately woman (Fig. 151, a), doubtless a priest-
ess, takes a chair from the head of a smaller female attend-
ant, and will, in like manner, soon relieve a second who
approaches with her burden, and looks back seemingly at
the procession, of which this group is doubtless conceived
as a part.655 Beside the priestess, a dignified bearded man
(b) is engaged in taking from or handing to a beautiful youth
a robe ; or, it may be, he aids in folding it. This scene is
often explained as the ceremonious handing of the embroid-
ered peplos to a priest within the temple ; but the presence
°f the priestess and her two maidens makes it more probable
that this is a sacrificial scene outside the building, where
preparations are being made for the offering of the victims
represented in the frieze as approaching.656 Brunn first sug-
gested that the folded robe in question was probably nothing
else than the priest's own mantle (/aviation) ; since he alone
of the bearded men of the procession is not wrapped in this
robe, worn over the long chiton. Moreover, the strong resem-
blance of this folded cloth to the mantles worn by the rest,
having the same undulating border and ample size, but no
indication of embroidery, conflicts with the theory that it is g
the peplos. On the supposition, then, that this is a sacrifi- * 5" ^3'tTx>,:
cial scene, we may believe that the priest here lays off his 5
cumbrous garment, and hands it to his attendant, prepara- S SfiijjIgSLl
tory to the solemn act of slaying the victims. The repre- 2- ^
sentation on an Attic relief of a priest in the same untram-
melled dress, and holding the knife, is, moreover, strongly confirmatory of this
explanation. While the priest is thus engaged, the priestess lowers the chairs
that are to be occupied by him and her during the approach of the procession.
When all is ready, the priestess will lift up a prayer, the priest will slay the
victim, and lay its flesh upon the altar to be burned, a sweet-smelling and ac-
ceptable offering before the gods.65/ Such is, in all probability, the sacred
X