DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4263#0063
,f0'
62
OF THE CHORAGIC MONUMENT OF LYSICRATES.
it. The dolphins relate to the story on the frieze, and are supposed to have been fixed here by means
of the cavity marked B, in Plate XXVIII. Fig 1. and 2. The medals introduced in this ornament
(Plate XXII. Fig- 6 and 7), are designed to shew that the Vitruvian scroll was sometimes used to
decorate the tops of cornices. That on the left hand is a medal of Marcus Aurelius. That on the
right is of the emperor Philip3.
Mons. Le Roy has not been more accurate in the view he has given of this building than in
those which are already animadverted on in the preceding chapters. For instance, he has made four
columns appear on the outside of the capuchin's house, when he should have represented only two
columns and one half-column in that situation ; and he has given only two legs to the tripods which
are wrought on the marble pannels, when they have three legs in the original.
In his historical account", he supposes that the inscription on the architrave of this building-
relates to athletic combats ; and, in his description of the sculpture on the frieze, he tells us, that the
groupes of figures represented there, favour his opinion ; his description of them is curious. ' In one
of these groupes', says he, ' are seen two boxers fighting, one of them has thrown the other under him,
and pulls his arms backward with all his might; in a second we observe a man fallen, and two others
with clubs ready to kill him; a third represents a man who seems as if he would tie another to a tree.
One sees moreover in this frieze several dead bodies, men carrying lighted torches, and two figures
with a vase between them. I suspect', says Mons. Le Roy, ' that they are two Athletas, who sacrifice
to Hercules ; for we see that hero in another groupe sitting on a funeral pile which they are going to
set on fire ; and the greatest part of the figures of this frieze have each of them a lion's skin. From
these observations on the inscription and the basso-relievos of this monument' continues Mons. Le
Roy, ' we think we may presume that it was erected in honour of several combatfcants of the tribe of
Acamantis, who vanquished in the athletic games; and that it was dedicated to Hercules, so re-
nowned for his combats.' This description is a continued series of mistakes. They have most of
them been made before, though in fewer words, by Wheler and Sponc: none of them are perhaps so
pleasant as Mons. Le Roy's change of the dolphins into dead men.
In the second part of his work, Mons. Le Roy says, that the height of the columns is about
ten of their diametersd, but in this he is mistaken. He tells us that, * the crowning of this edifice is
the most extraordinary part of it; its form, and richness,' says he, ' have caused some architects to
doubt of its antiquity; I formed the same judgement on it,' continues Mons. Le Roy, ' having seen a
drawing of this monument which Lord Charlemont had caused to be taken at Athens; but having in
this last city examined and considered this monument at my leisure, I changed my opinion. I have
mament, <
■•:'-\
a Numismata maximi moduli ex Cimeliarcho Ludovici XIV.
&c. ad exemplar Parisiense Eleutheropoli mdcciv. Plate 10
and Plate 27- Not having the original edition at hand, it was
thought sufficient to refer to this, and to take the examples from
it.
b II est facile de voir que cette inscription ne differe que par
les noms de eeux qui presiderent aux jeux, et qui remportercnt
les prix, de celles qui sont sur le portail de la Madone Spiliotissa
dont j'ai deja parle page 14. Je crois avoir assez bien prouve
que, dans ces demiers, il est question des combats athletiques, et
il me paroit tres-vraisembable que celle de la Lanterne de De-
mosthene, fait mention des semblablc combats; les grouppes des
figures que Ton voit sur la frise de ce monument favorisent cette
opinion ; dans une de ces grouppes on voit deux lutteurs qui
combattent, l'un tient l'autre renverse sous lui, et lui tire les
bras par dcrriere de toute sa force ; dans un second on remarque
un homme par terre, et deux autres avec des massues prets a l'as-
sommer; un troisieme represente un homme qui semble en vou-
loir lier un autre a un arbre. On voit encore dans cette frise
plusieurs morts, des hommes portant des flambeaux allumes, et
deux figures cntre lesquelles il y a une vase. Je soupconne que
ce sont deux athletes qui sacrifient a Hercule: car on voit ce
heros dans une autre grouppe assis sur un bucher auquel on met
le feu; et la plupart des figures de cette frise portent chacune
un peau de lion. De ces observations sur 1'inscription et les bas-
reliefs de ce monument, nous croyons pouvoir presumer qu'il fut
eleve en l'honneur de plusieurs combattants de la tribu Acaman-
tide, qui vainquirent dans les jeux athletiques, et qu'il fut dedie
a Hercule si renomme par ses combats. Mons. Le Roy, Part I.
p. 25.
c II y a quatorze grouppes de deux figures chacune, dont I'une
a presque toujours la depouille de lion. II y en a quelques-unes
qui combattent et d'autres qui sacrifient. La plus remarquable
de ces figures est un Hercule, &c. Spoil's Voyage, tome II. p-
173, 174.
d La proportion dc ces colonnes est dc plus de dix diametres
de haut. Le Roy, P. XI. p. 22.
;Sc
vSt
62
OF THE CHORAGIC MONUMENT OF LYSICRATES.
it. The dolphins relate to the story on the frieze, and are supposed to have been fixed here by means
of the cavity marked B, in Plate XXVIII. Fig 1. and 2. The medals introduced in this ornament
(Plate XXII. Fig- 6 and 7), are designed to shew that the Vitruvian scroll was sometimes used to
decorate the tops of cornices. That on the left hand is a medal of Marcus Aurelius. That on the
right is of the emperor Philip3.
Mons. Le Roy has not been more accurate in the view he has given of this building than in
those which are already animadverted on in the preceding chapters. For instance, he has made four
columns appear on the outside of the capuchin's house, when he should have represented only two
columns and one half-column in that situation ; and he has given only two legs to the tripods which
are wrought on the marble pannels, when they have three legs in the original.
In his historical account", he supposes that the inscription on the architrave of this building-
relates to athletic combats ; and, in his description of the sculpture on the frieze, he tells us, that the
groupes of figures represented there, favour his opinion ; his description of them is curious. ' In one
of these groupes', says he, ' are seen two boxers fighting, one of them has thrown the other under him,
and pulls his arms backward with all his might; in a second we observe a man fallen, and two others
with clubs ready to kill him; a third represents a man who seems as if he would tie another to a tree.
One sees moreover in this frieze several dead bodies, men carrying lighted torches, and two figures
with a vase between them. I suspect', says Mons. Le Roy, ' that they are two Athletas, who sacrifice
to Hercules ; for we see that hero in another groupe sitting on a funeral pile which they are going to
set on fire ; and the greatest part of the figures of this frieze have each of them a lion's skin. From
these observations on the inscription and the basso-relievos of this monument' continues Mons. Le
Roy, ' we think we may presume that it was erected in honour of several combatfcants of the tribe of
Acamantis, who vanquished in the athletic games; and that it was dedicated to Hercules, so re-
nowned for his combats.' This description is a continued series of mistakes. They have most of
them been made before, though in fewer words, by Wheler and Sponc: none of them are perhaps so
pleasant as Mons. Le Roy's change of the dolphins into dead men.
In the second part of his work, Mons. Le Roy says, that the height of the columns is about
ten of their diametersd, but in this he is mistaken. He tells us that, * the crowning of this edifice is
the most extraordinary part of it; its form, and richness,' says he, ' have caused some architects to
doubt of its antiquity; I formed the same judgement on it,' continues Mons. Le Roy, ' having seen a
drawing of this monument which Lord Charlemont had caused to be taken at Athens; but having in
this last city examined and considered this monument at my leisure, I changed my opinion. I have
mament, <
■•:'-\
a Numismata maximi moduli ex Cimeliarcho Ludovici XIV.
&c. ad exemplar Parisiense Eleutheropoli mdcciv. Plate 10
and Plate 27- Not having the original edition at hand, it was
thought sufficient to refer to this, and to take the examples from
it.
b II est facile de voir que cette inscription ne differe que par
les noms de eeux qui presiderent aux jeux, et qui remportercnt
les prix, de celles qui sont sur le portail de la Madone Spiliotissa
dont j'ai deja parle page 14. Je crois avoir assez bien prouve
que, dans ces demiers, il est question des combats athletiques, et
il me paroit tres-vraisembable que celle de la Lanterne de De-
mosthene, fait mention des semblablc combats; les grouppes des
figures que Ton voit sur la frise de ce monument favorisent cette
opinion ; dans une de ces grouppes on voit deux lutteurs qui
combattent, l'un tient l'autre renverse sous lui, et lui tire les
bras par dcrriere de toute sa force ; dans un second on remarque
un homme par terre, et deux autres avec des massues prets a l'as-
sommer; un troisieme represente un homme qui semble en vou-
loir lier un autre a un arbre. On voit encore dans cette frise
plusieurs morts, des hommes portant des flambeaux allumes, et
deux figures cntre lesquelles il y a une vase. Je soupconne que
ce sont deux athletes qui sacrifient a Hercule: car on voit ce
heros dans une autre grouppe assis sur un bucher auquel on met
le feu; et la plupart des figures de cette frise portent chacune
un peau de lion. De ces observations sur 1'inscription et les bas-
reliefs de ce monument, nous croyons pouvoir presumer qu'il fut
eleve en l'honneur de plusieurs combattants de la tribu Acaman-
tide, qui vainquirent dans les jeux athletiques, et qu'il fut dedie
a Hercule si renomme par ses combats. Mons. Le Roy, Part I.
p. 25.
c II y a quatorze grouppes de deux figures chacune, dont I'une
a presque toujours la depouille de lion. II y en a quelques-unes
qui combattent et d'autres qui sacrifient. La plus remarquable
de ces figures est un Hercule, &c. Spoil's Voyage, tome II. p-
173, 174.
d La proportion dc ces colonnes est dc plus de dix diametres
de haut. Le Roy, P. XI. p. 22.
;Sc
vSt