DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4265#0076
OF THE TEMPLE OF THESEUS.
75
a battle3 and a victory. It seems an action of great importance, for it is honoured with the presence
of six divinities, three of whom, though somewhat defaced, are yet to be distinguished for Jupiter,
Juno, and Minerva; it is not so easy to decide who are the divinities in the other groupe. Amongst
the combatants, there is one of superior dignity, more vigorous exertion, and more ample stature; a
robe trails behind him ; he hurls a stone of prodigious size at his adversaries. May it not represent
the phantom of Theseus, rushing impetuously upon the Persians at the battle of Marathon ? His mira-
culous apparition, on that memorable occasion, was firmly believed by the Athenians, and was one
inducement to their building this temple. The victory at Marathon was certainly one of their most
glorious achievements ; and there is a kind of modesty and piety in attributing (as here they appear
to do) this amazing victory to the protection of the gods, and the assistance of their hero, rather than
to their own valour. The last figure has evidently been employed in erecting a trophy.
It may be proper to observe, that the sculpture on this temple is very fine, and much relieved,
the limbs being in many places entirely detached, which is perhaps one-reason that they are so much
damaged.
Figs. 7> 8, 9, 10. The sculpture on the frieze of the posticum, representing the battle
of the Centaurs and Lapithae. Among the combatants one hero only has thrown a Centaur on the
ground, and is in the act of killing him. This hero I suppose to be Theseusb. In the centre of this
frieze is Caaneus, who, being invulnerable by weapons, is overwhelmed by a huge piece of rock, with
which two Centaurs are about to crush him ; this circumstance is introduced by Ovid in the descrip-
tion which he makes Nestor give of the battle of the Centaurs and Lapithas. " Metam. XII. 507." '
The Head-piece of this chapter "introduced among the vignettes in Plate IV. Fig. 4", repre-
sents Theseus coursing the Marathonian bull, copied from a ruined marble basso-relievo. " Fig. 5
delineates" the ornament painted in dark ochre, " which is" shewn in its proper situation in
Plates X. and XL of this chapter d.
The Tail-piece " shewn at Plate IV. Fig. 6 ", is a head of Theseus copied from a fine antique
cameo.
are in high relief. Their execution possesses equal merit, and it
is probable that they were designed, and possibly they were exe-
cuted by Micon. Casts of them were transmitted to England by
Lord Elgin's agents, which are now in the British Museum.
[bd.]
a As the frieze of the posticum probably related to Theseus,
that of the pronaos may have had allusion to Hercules. A contest,
in the presence of the six divinities, and the huge masses of rock
which the combatants appear to be hurling, could only relate to
the gigantomachia, or battle of the giants, in which Hercules,
with many of the gods, bore so conspicuous a part. The colours
that were formerly applied to these and the other sculptures of
this temple are incontestibly perceptible on a careful inspection
of them. The ground was an azure blue, the draperies were red,
blue, or green, and the accessories were bronze probably gilt.
The practice of painting sculpture by the ancients has been here-
tofore alluded to, in speaking of the sculpture of the Parthenon.
See Leake's Topy. of Athens. Dodwell's Travels, Vol. I. Stuart,
Vol. II. of this edition, notes, pp. 44 and 53. [eb.]
b See quotation from Pausanias, page 66. CED0
c In the Phigalian frieze this incident is also introduced. The
passage of Ovid is—i
Saxa, trabesque super, totosque involvite montes:
........et erit pro vulnere pondus. [ed.]
d " Mr. Revett says, that the ornament said to be painted in
dark ochre, was only scratched upon the marble, probably as an
outline to paint upon." QK -]
75
a battle3 and a victory. It seems an action of great importance, for it is honoured with the presence
of six divinities, three of whom, though somewhat defaced, are yet to be distinguished for Jupiter,
Juno, and Minerva; it is not so easy to decide who are the divinities in the other groupe. Amongst
the combatants, there is one of superior dignity, more vigorous exertion, and more ample stature; a
robe trails behind him ; he hurls a stone of prodigious size at his adversaries. May it not represent
the phantom of Theseus, rushing impetuously upon the Persians at the battle of Marathon ? His mira-
culous apparition, on that memorable occasion, was firmly believed by the Athenians, and was one
inducement to their building this temple. The victory at Marathon was certainly one of their most
glorious achievements ; and there is a kind of modesty and piety in attributing (as here they appear
to do) this amazing victory to the protection of the gods, and the assistance of their hero, rather than
to their own valour. The last figure has evidently been employed in erecting a trophy.
It may be proper to observe, that the sculpture on this temple is very fine, and much relieved,
the limbs being in many places entirely detached, which is perhaps one-reason that they are so much
damaged.
Figs. 7> 8, 9, 10. The sculpture on the frieze of the posticum, representing the battle
of the Centaurs and Lapithae. Among the combatants one hero only has thrown a Centaur on the
ground, and is in the act of killing him. This hero I suppose to be Theseusb. In the centre of this
frieze is Caaneus, who, being invulnerable by weapons, is overwhelmed by a huge piece of rock, with
which two Centaurs are about to crush him ; this circumstance is introduced by Ovid in the descrip-
tion which he makes Nestor give of the battle of the Centaurs and Lapithas. " Metam. XII. 507." '
The Head-piece of this chapter "introduced among the vignettes in Plate IV. Fig. 4", repre-
sents Theseus coursing the Marathonian bull, copied from a ruined marble basso-relievo. " Fig. 5
delineates" the ornament painted in dark ochre, " which is" shewn in its proper situation in
Plates X. and XL of this chapter d.
The Tail-piece " shewn at Plate IV. Fig. 6 ", is a head of Theseus copied from a fine antique
cameo.
are in high relief. Their execution possesses equal merit, and it
is probable that they were designed, and possibly they were exe-
cuted by Micon. Casts of them were transmitted to England by
Lord Elgin's agents, which are now in the British Museum.
[bd.]
a As the frieze of the posticum probably related to Theseus,
that of the pronaos may have had allusion to Hercules. A contest,
in the presence of the six divinities, and the huge masses of rock
which the combatants appear to be hurling, could only relate to
the gigantomachia, or battle of the giants, in which Hercules,
with many of the gods, bore so conspicuous a part. The colours
that were formerly applied to these and the other sculptures of
this temple are incontestibly perceptible on a careful inspection
of them. The ground was an azure blue, the draperies were red,
blue, or green, and the accessories were bronze probably gilt.
The practice of painting sculpture by the ancients has been here-
tofore alluded to, in speaking of the sculpture of the Parthenon.
See Leake's Topy. of Athens. Dodwell's Travels, Vol. I. Stuart,
Vol. II. of this edition, notes, pp. 44 and 53. [eb.]
b See quotation from Pausanias, page 66. CED0
c In the Phigalian frieze this incident is also introduced. The
passage of Ovid is—i
Saxa, trabesque super, totosque involvite montes:
........et erit pro vulnere pondus. [ed.]
d " Mr. Revett says, that the ornament said to be painted in
dark ochre, was only scratched upon the marble, probably as an
outline to paint upon." QK -]