A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities Part 31

An elderly bearded man (No. 33), wearing a long chiton with short sleeves and shoes, stands next to No. 32. On his head are traces of metallic rust. He therefore may have worn a metallic wreath, for which the marble at the back of his head appears to have been hollowed. He turns his back to No. 32, and is engaged with a boy. The two figures between them support a large piece of cloth, folded once lengthwise, and twice breadthwise. In this case also archaeologists have been doubtful which is the giver and which is the receiver of the cloth; but the action represented is not one either of giving or receiving. From the peculiar way in which the boy grips an angle of the folded cloth between his elbow and his side, while his hands are otherwise occupied, the act of folding the cloth square seems to be represented. The portion nearest to the spectator is being dropped down till its edges are parallel with those of the lower part, so that the two parts should be exactly doubled.

The group of figures just described (30-34) contains the centre of the composition, and the interpretation of the frieze as a whole depends on the meaning we attach to this group. Leaving on one side the writers referred to on p. 147, who hold that the frieze does not represent the Panathenaic festival, we find that a majority of writers describes No. 32 as a Priestess of Athene, giving the sacred vessels to the Arrhephori or Ersephori, and No.

33 as a priest or Archon Basileus receiving or giving the sacred peplos of Athene. This view of Nos. 30-32 was necessarily abandoned, when it had been perceived that the objects held by the maidens are chairs, not baskets. As regards Nos. 33, 34, the main arguments for interpreting the cloth as the peplos are, that the accounts of the procession preserved in ancient authors show that the conveyance of the peplos of Athene was the princ.i.p.al feature in it. If we look to the place a.s.signed to this group in the eastern frieze, we find that these two figures (Nos. 33, 34) stand in the centre of the eastern front, under the apex of the pediment, and over the eastern door of the cella. They therefore occupy the most conspicuous place in the frieze, from the points of view alike of the sculptured G.o.ds and of the human spectator, and accordingly may well be supposed to be busy with the chief ceremony of the festival. This view is opposed by Flasch. He argues that if the delivery of the peplos is represented, there is a violation of the unity of time, as the act which was the main motive of the procession is being completed, while the procession is still in progress, and in part has not yet started. Flasch therefore holds that we have here the priest and priestess preparing for the sacrifice that is to take place on the arrival of the procession. The priestess is receiving chairs for herself and for the priest from the Diphrophori. Meanwhile the priest, who now only wears a long chiton, with short sleeves, has taken off his himation, and, after folding it several times, is seen giving it to an attendant to hold.

If, however, the action represented is merely that of folding, and is not yet completed, it is impossible to determine which is the giver and which the receiver. Nor would the difficulty be solved if this could be ascertained, as we do not know what ceremonies were performed when the peplos arrived. The surface of the cloth on the frieze is left quite plain; but, if it is the peplos, some indication of the embroidered design may have been given in colour.

[Sidenote: 35.]

We now reach the second group of deities, seated to the right of the central scene. The first figure is clearly that of Athene. She sits in a position corresponding to that of Zeus, and the G.o.ddess of Athens is thus put in the same rank as the supreme G.o.d. Athene is dressed in a chiton with diplodion and has short hair. An indistinct object about her left wrist has been supposed to be a snake from the fringe of the aegis of Athene, or by some writers to be the snake of Hygieia. But the object seems merely to be a bracelet in the form of a snake, which is not uncommon, and there is therefore no indication of an aegis. Four rivet holes in a straight line show that Athene held some attribute, probably a spear in her right hand.

[Sidenote: 36.]

Next to Athene is an elderly bearded figure, who turns his head towards her. He has a knotted staff under his right arm, and leans upon it heavily. This figure is usually known as Hephaestos. It is supposed that his lameness may be indicated by the awkward pose of his right foot, and by the staff on which he leans.

[Rightnote: VI.]

[Sidenote: 37.]

[Sidenote: 38.]

This slab, containing figures Nos. 37-47, now in a very fragmentary condition, was complete when drawn by Carrey, in 1674. A bearded male figure (No. 37) with his left hand raised is probably Poseidon. The left hand, according to Flasch, once held a trident. The next figure (No. 38), beardless and youthful, and seated in an easy att.i.tude, has of late years gone by the names of Apollo Patroos or Dionysos. The latter t.i.tle seems best suited to the somewhat effeminate figure, more fully draped than any other of the G.o.ds. A series of holes round the head shows the position of a bronze wreath, and one at the elbow shows that the left hand may have been supported by a thyrsos or sceptre.

[Sidenote: 39.]

A matronly figure (No. 39) is seated next to Dionysos, wearing a chiton, which is slipping off from the left shoulder, himation, cap and sandals. This figure is called Peitho by Michaelis and Peterson, on the ground that the worship of Peitho was a.s.sociated with that of Aphrodite Pandemos (No. 40) on the south side of the Acropolis. Flasch with more probability makes this G.o.ddess Demeter, arguing that Peitho was not ent.i.tled to a place among the great G.o.ds of Olympos, while Demeter is appropriately placed between Dionysos and Aphrodite. Flasch suggests that the right hand may have held an ear of corn. A hole shows that the object in question was made of bronze.

[Sidenote: 40.]

[Sidenote: 41.]

The next figure (No. 40) most of which is only preserved in Carrey's drawing (Fig. 11), is unmistakably shown to be Aphrodite, by the winged boy Eros who stands at her knee. Aphrodite wears a chiton, himation, a cap, and to judge from Carrey's drawing a veil. She rests her left hand on the shoulder of Eros, extending her forefinger, as if pointing out some object in the procession to the boy. Eros (No. 41) carries a parasol which conveniently fills the s.p.a.ce above his head and his wings.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 11.--East frieze of the Parthenon, Nos. 39-41.]

[Sidenote: 42-45.]

On the right of the G.o.ds is a group of four figures corresponding to the five (Nos. 18-22) on the left. One of these (No. 43) is young and beardless; the rest are elderly, and all have staffs and himatia. No. 42 wears sandals. These four figures are leaning on their staffs, and three of them are looking towards the advancing procession, while the fourth (No. 45) turns his back to it and appears to be conversing with his companions.

[Sidenote: 46.]

[Sidenote: 47.]

The next figure (No. 46) is an officer, more immediately concerned with the procession. It is evident from the way in which his head is thrown back and his arm raised that he is not addressing the group beside him, but is making a signal to some person at a considerable distance. He may be supposed to be making a signal to the southern half of the procession, and thus helps the spectator to keep the two parts connected together in his mind. The next figure (No. 47), a similar officer, stands facing the advancing maidens.

Slab vi., which was complete in Carrey's time, has since suffered greatly, and the parts now exhibited have been combined from several sources. At some unknown period the slab was broken through No. 40, much of No. 40 being destroyed. The original fragment, with the figures Nos. 37-39, is now at Athens, where it was dug up in 1836. Since the cast in the Museum was made, parts of the right hand and right foot of Poseidon have been injured (_Trans. of R. Soc. of Lit._, v. (1856) p. 67; Baumeister, _Denkmaeler_, p. 1187. fig. 1389). About 1787 Fauvel took a mould from the slab as he found it, which is now in the Louvre. The slab then existed from the middle of No. 41 to the joint after No.

47. Between 1787 and 1800 Nos. 41, 42 were lost, and the slab was divided through No. 45, probably for convenience of transport.

To facilitate the division, No. 45, and the arm of No. 46, were chiselled away. The main part of the figures Nos. 42-47 is the original marble. The additions to the marble are the right foot of No. 39, the main part of Nos. 40, 41, the lower part and the head of No. 42, the heads and b.r.e.a.s.t.s of Nos. 43, 44, the whole of No.

45, and part of the head of No. 47, together with his legs. These parts are princ.i.p.ally derived from the mould of Fauvel in the Louvre. Certain fragments, however, are cast from originals at Athens, namely, the chair-leg and some drapery of No. 40, the knees of No. 41, and the head and left foot of No. 47.

[Rightnote: VII.]

[Sidenote: 48.]

The next magistrate, or officer (No. 48), seems to hold in his hand a _kanoun_, or dish, such as those in which the corn, sashes, or sacrificial implements were usually brought to the altar. The position of the left hand seems to show that the thumb is inserted in a boss, as in a phiale omphalote. Holes in the marble may indicate sashes of bronze, hanging from the dish.

[Sidenote: 49, 50.]

Two maidens (Nos. 49, 50) are seen standing with empty hands.

Perhaps one has given up the dish which is held by the officer (No. 48.) In that case these would be Canephori, maidens of n.o.ble birth, whose privilege it was to carry in the procession the dishes just described. They are draped in long chitons, with diplodia, and wear small mantles over the shoulders.

[Sidenote: 51.]

[Sidenote: 52, 53.]

Another officer (No. 51) stands looking towards the procession.

He has held in the right hand some object in metal, perhaps a herald's staff. Two holes for the attachment of it are visible in the marble. The gesture of the left hand shows that the officer is giving some order to the two maidens before him (Nos. 52, 53), who stand with empty hands, like Nos. 49 and 50.

[Sidenote: 54.]

[Sidenote: 55.]

The next maiden (No. 54) walks alone, carrying a bowl (phiale), used for sacrificial libations. No. 55 looks back at the figure on the next slab (No. 56), and helps her to carry her burden.

Slab vii. is a cast from the original, which was removed from the Acropolis by Choiseul-Gouffier in 1787, and is now in the Louvre.

The right foot of the magistrate (No. 48) is cast from a fragment which is still at Athens.

[Rightnote: VIII.]

[Sidenote: 56.]

[Sidenote: 57, 58]

[Sidenote: 59, 60]

The next maiden (No. 56), a.s.sisted by No. 55, holds a thymiaterion with a conical cover, used for burning incense. Censers of this form are not uncommon on Greek vases. (Cf. Vases in the B. M., C.

32, E. 98, E. 241, E. 285, E. 352.) Next follow two figures (Nos.

57, 58), each carrying in the right hand a jug, oinochoe, then two more (Nos. 59, 60), carrying phialae.

In this slab the heads of Nos. 57, 59, 60, which have been adjusted to their places since the publication of the work of Michaelis, are cast from the originals at Athens. The slab in its present condition is shown in Mitch.e.l.l, _Selections_, pl. 4.

[Rightnote: IX.]

The east side of the frieze was completed by the short return of a slab which was still in existence in the time of Stuart. On this slab were two maidens, belonging to the procession. The second of these carried a phiale.

NORTH FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON.

[Sidenote: =325.=]