DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18216#0378
3(34
CATALOGUE OF SCULPTURE.
The inscription may be thus translated: "Here over
the architrave, Karpos, making this dedication, placed
Cyrene, mother of cities, slayer of lions, in token of great
hospitality. Libya, who has the glory of being a third
continent, heivelf crowns her."
Cyrene stands on the left, in attire very like that of
Artemis as a huntress. She wears a chiton reaching to
the knees, over which is a chlamys, and buskins; her
hair is drawn back from her face. Both her arms are
locked round the lion's neck. Libya wears a long
chiton girt at the waist, and a mantle fastened between
the hivasts and falling down behind; her hair, bound
with a diadem, is ai ranged over her forehead in long,
regular curls, and falls down her neck ; at her side is
an animal couchant, of which the head is broken off,
and which is perhaps a gazelle. The scene takes place
on rocky ground. Two vines arch their branches over
the group.
According to the legend told by Pindar (Pyth. ix. 26)
Cyrene was the daughter of Hypseus, king of the Lapiths
in Thessaly, whose flocks she guarded against wild beasts.
Apollo, seeing her slaying a lion in the valleys of Pelion,
became enamoured of her, and carried her off to the
part of Libya which afterwards bore her name. Accord-
ing to another legend (Scholiast on Apoll. Ehod. Argon.,
ii., 408, &c), Eurypylos, king of Libya, had promised a
portion of his kingdom to the person who would slay a
lion then dreaded for his ravages, Cyrene performed this
exploit, and received in reward the promised district.
It is probably in connection with this later legend that
Lib}'a is introduced crowning Cyrene in the relief.
Aristaeus, a mythic founder of Cyrene, was the son of
Apollo and Cyrene. The form of the relief suggests that
it may have been a metope, and the words iirep /xehdOpoLo
in the inscription have therefore been translated " above
CATALOGUE OF SCULPTURE.
The inscription may be thus translated: "Here over
the architrave, Karpos, making this dedication, placed
Cyrene, mother of cities, slayer of lions, in token of great
hospitality. Libya, who has the glory of being a third
continent, heivelf crowns her."
Cyrene stands on the left, in attire very like that of
Artemis as a huntress. She wears a chiton reaching to
the knees, over which is a chlamys, and buskins; her
hair is drawn back from her face. Both her arms are
locked round the lion's neck. Libya wears a long
chiton girt at the waist, and a mantle fastened between
the hivasts and falling down behind; her hair, bound
with a diadem, is ai ranged over her forehead in long,
regular curls, and falls down her neck ; at her side is
an animal couchant, of which the head is broken off,
and which is perhaps a gazelle. The scene takes place
on rocky ground. Two vines arch their branches over
the group.
According to the legend told by Pindar (Pyth. ix. 26)
Cyrene was the daughter of Hypseus, king of the Lapiths
in Thessaly, whose flocks she guarded against wild beasts.
Apollo, seeing her slaying a lion in the valleys of Pelion,
became enamoured of her, and carried her off to the
part of Libya which afterwards bore her name. Accord-
ing to another legend (Scholiast on Apoll. Ehod. Argon.,
ii., 408, &c), Eurypylos, king of Libya, had promised a
portion of his kingdom to the person who would slay a
lion then dreaded for his ravages, Cyrene performed this
exploit, and received in reward the promised district.
It is probably in connection with this later legend that
Lib}'a is introduced crowning Cyrene in the relief.
Aristaeus, a mythic founder of Cyrene, was the son of
Apollo and Cyrene. The form of the relief suggests that
it may have been a metope, and the words iirep /xehdOpoLo
in the inscription have therefore been translated " above