592 EXTANT WORKS OF THE ROMAN PERIOD.

giant powers have evidently been overtasked, and he seems to be
looking to the past without triumph, and to the future without hope.
There can be little doubt that the original design of this statue was
the work of Lysippus, who, as we have seen, made Heracles the
subject of especial study, and represented him in every age and form.
But in this, as in other statues of this period, the copyist tries to
improve upon his model, and to surpass his master. Even Lysippus
sought to influence the beholder by colossal size and massive pro-
portions, but he did so without violating the principles of true art
and refined taste. In the work before us the tendency of the
Alexandrine school towards exaggeration, and a too great aiming at
effect, is carried to an extreme far removed from the moderation
which characterises all the best Greek work. To give an idea of
gigantic strength, the body of the hero is represented as composed of
the coarsest materials, and as developed by unceasing labour, not to
harmonious beauty, but to unwieldy clumsiness, of proportion. The
size of the muscles is exaggerated almost to deformity ; they show,
as Winckelmann expresses it, like ' piled-up hills.' The enormous
breadth of the shoulders and breast is still further enhanced by
contrast with the too small head.1 But Heracles not only bore the
weight of the world on his massive shoulders, he also outran the
Keryneian Stag ; and the artist knows no better means of reminding
us of this than giving abnormal and disfiguring length to the legs.
These are the cheap expedients of one who is not sufficiently initiated
by genius into the mysteries of nature to work upon her lines, and to
represent superhuman powers in human forms. We may perhaps
mention in this connexion the so-called

Heracles Mastai, a colossal figure in gilt bronze in the Sala
Rotonda of the V atican. It was found near Pompcy's Theatre, and
had evidently been hidden either from robbers in search of metal, or
from Christians in search of heathen idols. The execution of different
parts is very unequal in merit, the knees and shins being well formed,
while the flesh of the stomach is of very inferior workmanship. The

1 There is a similar hcail of Heracles in
the Hrit. Mus. with a more affecting ex-
pression, which may be a copy or replica of

the l'arnesian. It was found near Mount
Vesuvius.—jI/ii/'M'j pf the B, M. i. pi. II,