DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2532#0045
24
GENERAL .INTRODUCTION
of the Roman imperial times.1 The passage relating to it in Pausanias is very obscure.
Mr. Frazer translates it: " It is said that beside the image of Hera once stood an image
of Hebe, also of ivory and gold, a work of Naucydes." In view of the date and evi-
dence of the above-mentioned coins, it has been remarked that the expression of doubt
(Xeyerat) refers to the authorship of Naucydes and not to the existence of the statue. 1
might add that if it does not refer to the existence of the statue, it might apply to the
identification of the statue as Hebe — nay, to identification and artist together. Thus
either Pausanias did not see the statue (which appears to conform to the usual reading
of the Greek); or he refers doubtfully to its being a work of Naucydes; or he doubts
whether it is a statue of Hebe; or, finally, he doubts whether the statue beside Hera is
the Naucydean Hebe. This Naucydes is recognized as the son of Patrocles," nephew and
probably pupil of the great Polycleitus. His brothers, also well-known sculptors, were
Daedalus and the younger Polycleitus. He may in his youth have been an assistant,
besides being the pupil of Polycleitus, and hence, as is the case with the pupils and
assistants of Phidias, the ascription to him of part of the gold and ivory statues in the
Heraeum may have been open to doubt.
The mind of Pausanias is evidently still in the temple Avhen lie proceeds to describe
more archaic images of Hera such as the one he mentions as being on a pillar. This
statue must not be confused with the earliest symbolical pillar representing Hera men-
tioned by Clement of Alexandria." Of this earliest symbolical pillar we shall ha\e
more to say when we deal with the sculpture; for it is highly probable that we have
discovered a portion of it in our excavations (see Fig. 15). The pillar may not have
stood within the second temple. The most ancient image seen by Pausanias in the
temple was " made of the wood of the wild pear-tree: it was dedicated in Tiryns by
Pirasus, son of Argus, and when the Argives destroyed Tiryns they brought the image
to the Heraeum: I saw it myself." The early terra-cottas, which we have found in
great numbers during our excavations, will perhaps throw some light on the nature of
the earliest image seen by Pausanias; and in the chapter on terra-cottas we shall again
refer to this wooden image.
Pausanias then notes " some other remarkable dedicatory offerings " in the temple,
such as an altar of silver with reliefs representing the marriage of Hebe and Heracles,
and a golden peacock adorned with " shining stones," dedicated by the Emperor Hadrian.
A peacock, this bird being sacred to Hera, is figured on the Argive coin with Hera and
Hebe referred to above. General Gordon (see p. 05), in his account of his excavations
at the Heraeum, mentions a part of a marble peacock which he excavated there. I no
longer believe that the bronze bird we found at the end of our first year, and which I
described as a peacock,4 is really a peacock. Pausanias further mentions " a golden
crown and purple robe, offerings of Nero," among the votive offerings in the temple.
The Periegete then leaves the interior of the temple and, unfortunately for us, breaks
off his description of the site upon which were at least nine buildings besides the second
temple. But we must be grateful that at least he did refer to " the foundations of the
1 Imhoof-Blumer and Gardner, op. cit. pi. i. 15 ; Ilitzig-
Bliiraner, op. cit. I. p. 5(57, where especial stress is laid
upon the unusual position of rex"V NavidSovs-
2 See Murray, Hist, of Gr. Sc. II. p. 234 ; Collision,
Hist, de Sculp, grecque; E. Gardner, Gr. Sculpt. II. p.
3.'!8; Furtwangler, Masterpieces, p. 225 ; see also Frazer's
note on 1'ausan. VI. 1. 3. The passages which refer to
the work of this eminent artist are in Overbeck, Schrift-
quellen, etc. No. 995 to 1001, as well as Nos. 983, 932,
517. For the inscription on the extant base of the Olym-
pian victor Eucles, see Die Inschriften v. Olympia, No.
159 ; Lowy, Inschr. Gr. Bildh. No. 86 ; and Frazer, I. c.
3 Strom. I. 24. 151, from the Phoronis.
4 Excavations, etc. p. 5.
GENERAL .INTRODUCTION
of the Roman imperial times.1 The passage relating to it in Pausanias is very obscure.
Mr. Frazer translates it: " It is said that beside the image of Hera once stood an image
of Hebe, also of ivory and gold, a work of Naucydes." In view of the date and evi-
dence of the above-mentioned coins, it has been remarked that the expression of doubt
(Xeyerat) refers to the authorship of Naucydes and not to the existence of the statue. 1
might add that if it does not refer to the existence of the statue, it might apply to the
identification of the statue as Hebe — nay, to identification and artist together. Thus
either Pausanias did not see the statue (which appears to conform to the usual reading
of the Greek); or he refers doubtfully to its being a work of Naucydes; or he doubts
whether it is a statue of Hebe; or, finally, he doubts whether the statue beside Hera is
the Naucydean Hebe. This Naucydes is recognized as the son of Patrocles," nephew and
probably pupil of the great Polycleitus. His brothers, also well-known sculptors, were
Daedalus and the younger Polycleitus. He may in his youth have been an assistant,
besides being the pupil of Polycleitus, and hence, as is the case with the pupils and
assistants of Phidias, the ascription to him of part of the gold and ivory statues in the
Heraeum may have been open to doubt.
The mind of Pausanias is evidently still in the temple Avhen lie proceeds to describe
more archaic images of Hera such as the one he mentions as being on a pillar. This
statue must not be confused with the earliest symbolical pillar representing Hera men-
tioned by Clement of Alexandria." Of this earliest symbolical pillar we shall ha\e
more to say when we deal with the sculpture; for it is highly probable that we have
discovered a portion of it in our excavations (see Fig. 15). The pillar may not have
stood within the second temple. The most ancient image seen by Pausanias in the
temple was " made of the wood of the wild pear-tree: it was dedicated in Tiryns by
Pirasus, son of Argus, and when the Argives destroyed Tiryns they brought the image
to the Heraeum: I saw it myself." The early terra-cottas, which we have found in
great numbers during our excavations, will perhaps throw some light on the nature of
the earliest image seen by Pausanias; and in the chapter on terra-cottas we shall again
refer to this wooden image.
Pausanias then notes " some other remarkable dedicatory offerings " in the temple,
such as an altar of silver with reliefs representing the marriage of Hebe and Heracles,
and a golden peacock adorned with " shining stones," dedicated by the Emperor Hadrian.
A peacock, this bird being sacred to Hera, is figured on the Argive coin with Hera and
Hebe referred to above. General Gordon (see p. 05), in his account of his excavations
at the Heraeum, mentions a part of a marble peacock which he excavated there. I no
longer believe that the bronze bird we found at the end of our first year, and which I
described as a peacock,4 is really a peacock. Pausanias further mentions " a golden
crown and purple robe, offerings of Nero," among the votive offerings in the temple.
The Periegete then leaves the interior of the temple and, unfortunately for us, breaks
off his description of the site upon which were at least nine buildings besides the second
temple. But we must be grateful that at least he did refer to " the foundations of the
1 Imhoof-Blumer and Gardner, op. cit. pi. i. 15 ; Ilitzig-
Bliiraner, op. cit. I. p. 5(57, where especial stress is laid
upon the unusual position of rex"V NavidSovs-
2 See Murray, Hist, of Gr. Sc. II. p. 234 ; Collision,
Hist, de Sculp, grecque; E. Gardner, Gr. Sculpt. II. p.
3.'!8; Furtwangler, Masterpieces, p. 225 ; see also Frazer's
note on 1'ausan. VI. 1. 3. The passages which refer to
the work of this eminent artist are in Overbeck, Schrift-
quellen, etc. No. 995 to 1001, as well as Nos. 983, 932,
517. For the inscription on the extant base of the Olym-
pian victor Eucles, see Die Inschriften v. Olympia, No.
159 ; Lowy, Inschr. Gr. Bildh. No. 86 ; and Frazer, I. c.
3 Strom. I. 24. 151, from the Phoronis.
4 Excavations, etc. p. 5.