DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5253#0510
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE NIOBE GROUP. —ATTIC SCULPTORS OF THE FOURTH CENTURY li.C.
Niobc Myth. — Niobe Marbles. — Their Date. — Description. — Artistic Character and Thought.—
Widely scattered Traces. — Artists of the Age of Scopas and Praxiteles. — Silanion. — Euphranor.
The story of Niobe was sung first in the "Iliad," then by successive lyric
poets, — Archilochos, Alcaios, Sappho, and Pindar : finally yEschylos and Sopho-
cles worked it up into powerful tragedy. Although varying somewhat in detail
as told by these different writers, its outlines are simple and harmonious.94&
Niobe, the daughter of Tantalos, her home in Sipylos, becomes the happy wife
of Amphion of Thebes, and in time the proud mother of many blooming sons
and daughters. As her father had communed with the immortals, so Niobe
was privileged to have the companionship of Leto, the wife of Zeus himself,
and mother of Apollo and of Artemis. But forgetful of her mortal origin, and
filled with unbecoming pride, Niobe exulted over her friend by reason of her
numerous offspring, and, according to one story, even presumptuously bade the
Thebans no longer to bring offerings to Leto and her divine children, but to
worship her, their own happy queen, instead. The indignant Leto, with light-
ning speed, now repaired to her son Apollo and daughter Artemis, adjuring
them to mete out punishment to such impiety. The angered gods, carrying
out their mother's entreaty, sought out Niobc's offspring, usually said to have
numbered fourteen, boys and girls, each equalling the sacred number seven.
According to one version, the sons were in the palccstra at Thebes, two of
them engaged in wrestling; according to another, they were hunting on rocky
Kithairon : while the daughters were all at home. In one short day the silver-
toned arrows of the gods laid them low, like budding flowers, fresh and dewy,
broken off in their youthful beauty. The bereft mother was left to mourn
alone, and even though turned to stone, as the story went, still wept, and re-
fused to be comforted ; her anguish serving as a warning to all who were
tempted to overweening pride. Tragedy, concentrating the myth, made the
dire event take place, not in widely scattered places, but beneath the very
eyes of the agonized mother; and, in the remains existing, art follows its lead-
ings. Although Pheidias represented the scene on the throne of his Olympic
Zeus, the most celebrated treatment of the subject is ascribed sometimes to
475
THE NIOBE GROUP. —ATTIC SCULPTORS OF THE FOURTH CENTURY li.C.
Niobc Myth. — Niobe Marbles. — Their Date. — Description. — Artistic Character and Thought.—
Widely scattered Traces. — Artists of the Age of Scopas and Praxiteles. — Silanion. — Euphranor.
The story of Niobe was sung first in the "Iliad," then by successive lyric
poets, — Archilochos, Alcaios, Sappho, and Pindar : finally yEschylos and Sopho-
cles worked it up into powerful tragedy. Although varying somewhat in detail
as told by these different writers, its outlines are simple and harmonious.94&
Niobe, the daughter of Tantalos, her home in Sipylos, becomes the happy wife
of Amphion of Thebes, and in time the proud mother of many blooming sons
and daughters. As her father had communed with the immortals, so Niobe
was privileged to have the companionship of Leto, the wife of Zeus himself,
and mother of Apollo and of Artemis. But forgetful of her mortal origin, and
filled with unbecoming pride, Niobe exulted over her friend by reason of her
numerous offspring, and, according to one story, even presumptuously bade the
Thebans no longer to bring offerings to Leto and her divine children, but to
worship her, their own happy queen, instead. The indignant Leto, with light-
ning speed, now repaired to her son Apollo and daughter Artemis, adjuring
them to mete out punishment to such impiety. The angered gods, carrying
out their mother's entreaty, sought out Niobc's offspring, usually said to have
numbered fourteen, boys and girls, each equalling the sacred number seven.
According to one version, the sons were in the palccstra at Thebes, two of
them engaged in wrestling; according to another, they were hunting on rocky
Kithairon : while the daughters were all at home. In one short day the silver-
toned arrows of the gods laid them low, like budding flowers, fresh and dewy,
broken off in their youthful beauty. The bereft mother was left to mourn
alone, and even though turned to stone, as the story went, still wept, and re-
fused to be comforted ; her anguish serving as a warning to all who were
tempted to overweening pride. Tragedy, concentrating the myth, made the
dire event take place, not in widely scattered places, but beneath the very
eyes of the agonized mother; and, in the remains existing, art follows its lead-
ings. Although Pheidias represented the scene on the throne of his Olympic
Zeus, the most celebrated treatment of the subject is ascribed sometimes to
475