On the west side the procession is still in a state of preparation, but its general direction is northwards, and it must therefore be regarded as associated with the north side.

All through the frieze are magistrates and heralds marshalling the order of the procession. It has been objected that many features which we know to have formed a part of the original ceremony, as, for instance, the ship, are not found on the frieze; but Pheidias would only select for his composition such details from the actual procession as he considered suitable for representation in sculpture.

Technically, a leading characteristic of the reliefs is that they are cut inwards from the front plane into the marble, instead of being built up from a background plane like the metopes. Hence the outermost surfaces are broad and flat, with a sudden recession at their boundaries, which serves to define the subjects with admirable clearness, when seen from a distance. That, however, which distinguishes the processional part of the frieze from all other reliefs is the management of a succession of overlapping surfaces. Instead of a comparatively lifeless succession of prominences, we have (in such parts as the cavalcade) wave upon wave, giving the impression of continuous recession, though the actual variation is only one of an inch or two.

EAST FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON.

324. 1. A man standing on the return face of slab xliv. (South Frieze), looks back and makes a signal to the procession approaching along the south side, and thus makes a connexion between the south and east sides of the frieze.

3-17. Maidens, walking in pairs, at the head of the procession, with bowls, jugs, and sacrificial implements of uncertain use, perhaps

Fig. 21.-The East Frieze (Slabs I.-III.) restored.

the stands in which turned the ends of the spits used in roasting the sacrifice. This would explain the ring at the top. The full number of the maidens was sixteen, but one is lost.

18-23.

A marshal heads the procession, and approaches a group

of five men, who await it. With the corresponding group of four men (nos. 43-46) they may represent the Athlothetae, who controlled all the arrangements, or perhaps they are merely typical citizens. It has also been suggested that they may (if we count in no. 18) be the ten legendary heroes, whose names were given to the ten Attic tribes of Cleisthenes.

24-30. First group of deities. The youthful elastic figure to the left (24) must be Hermes, the swift messenger, of whom the high boots and the broad-brimmed hat spread on his knees, are specially characteristic. His right hand is pierced and has held a metallic object, probably the herald's staff, caduceus.

25-26. For this pair of figures the names of Dionysos and Demeter are perhaps to be preferred, since the torch is a definite attribute of Demeter, and Dionysos would be her natural companion. 27. This is probably Ares. The somewhat negligent attitude is that of a person tired of sitting on a seat without a back, and clasping his knee with his hands to rest the spine.

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of his spear.

His left foot rests on the shaft

28-30. The bearded figure (no. 30) on the left of the central group is distinguished from the rest by the form and ornaments of his chair, which has a back and also a side rail supported by a Sphinx, while all the other figures are seated on stools. It has been generally admitted that this deity is Zeus. It is therefore reasonable to suppose that the goddess seated next to him (no. 29) is his consort Hera. The winged figure in attendance on the pair has been generally called Iris, but the flowing drapery is more appropriate to Nike or Victory. The head of the figure, which was discovered in 1889 in the excavations on the Acropolis, is admirably perfect. The left hand raises a mass of the hair as if to fasten it in a coil. The head was broken off at an early period and built into a wall, and thus escaped the mutilations suffered by the remainder of the slab.

Fig. 22. Slave with seat.

31-35. Between the group of gods just described and the corresponding group on the right side of the centre, we have a group of five figures.

We must suppose that these figures are in front of the two groups of gods, who may be regarded as sitting in a continuous

semicircle.

No. 31 is a maiden holding an uncertain object, perhaps a footstool, on her left arm, and supporting on her head a seat covered with a cushion, not unlike the seats of the gods, but smaller. She has a small pad on her head to make the weight easier to bear.

The cut (fig. 22) showing one of the slaves of Cepheus carrying

a stool with a cushion is taken from a vase in the British Museum, E 169.

no.

a

No. 32 is another maiden, advancing slowly to the right, carrying a similar seat. She is confronted by a matronly woman, probably Priestess, who raises her right hand to take the chair.

The elderly bearded man (no. 34), who is probably a Priest, is engaged with a boy. The two figures between them support a large piece of cloth, supposed to be the peplos, folded once lengthwise, and twice breadthwise.

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 natural and obvious explanation of this incident is that it represents the delivery of the new peplos, whose conveyance was the original motive of the whole procession. The only difficulty in the matter was that the action of the priestess with the maidens ought to be of co-ordinate importance, and something more than the receiving of a chair for her own use. Such a significance is given to the action, if we accept the suggestion (made by Furtwaengler and E. Curtius) that the seats are to be set out in ceremonial manner, for the gods who are invited to be present to watch the procession. The two groups of deities show their supposed spiritual presence, and the episode with the seats shows the ceremony that was actually performed to symbolise it.

It was further suggested by E. Curtius, on the authority of a sacrificial inscription from Magnesia, that the cloth is not the peplos, but a carpet to be put before the seats of the gods. The incident is thus made a single one, and the unity of time is preserved. It seems, however, improbable that the peplos would be entirely omitted.

36. We now reach the second group of deities, seated to the right of the central scene. The first figure is clearly that of Athenè. She sits in a position corresponding to that of Zeus, and the Goddess of Athens is thus put in the same rank as the Supreme God.

37. Next to Athenè is an elderly bearded figure heavily built, and leaning on his staff, who is usually known as Hephaestos.

38-48. Slab vi. This slab has been sadly mutilated since the time of Carrey. 38-40 were found at Athens. A considerable part is taken from a mould made in the eighteenth century. Small portions of what is broken away have been re-discovered at Athens and at Palermo. A portion of the head of Aphroditè has lately been identified and placed in position.

38. This figure is probably Poseidon.

39. This figure has of late years been called Apollo or Dionysos, while the figure no. 25 takes the alternative titles of Dionysos or Apollo. The title of Apollo is to be preferred for no. 39. The seated figure next to him (no. 40) is, in that case, Artemis, seated with her twin brother.

40-42. The winged boy with a parasol is undoubtedly Eros, who must be the companion of his mother Aphroditè.

43-46. On the right of the gods is a group of four figures

corresponding to the five (nos. 19-23) on the left. They seem to be engaged in conversation while awaiting the arrival of the procession.

47. The next figure (no. 47) 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 he is making a signal to some person at a considerable distance, while the next figure (no. 48), a similar officer, faces the advancing maidens.

49-61. The remainder of the east side is given to two officers and the procession of maidens. No. 49 has a bowl, nos. 56-57 carry between them an incense burner. Nos. 49-56 (slab vii.) are casts from the original in the Louvre. After 61 were two maidens (fig. 23) on the return side of the first slab of the North Frieze, now lost.

62

63

Fig. 23. The last figures of the east side, from Stuart.

NORTH FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON.

325. At the head of the procession on the north side we meet a troop of cows and sheep, led by an escort. Each cow is led by cords held by two youths, one on each side; each sheep is led by one boy. There are some grounds for the conjecture that the Athenian colonies contributed both cows and sheep to the festival, while the Athenians are not known to have sacrificed anything except cows. It is therefore presumed that the victims on this side of the frieze, on which alone sheep are represented, are some of the colonial offerings. In that case the men by whom the victims are conducted would be the delegates sent by the colonies.

3-11. Cattle with escort. The illustrations (fig. 24), in which the extant fragments are combined with drawings by Carrey and Stuart, give an idea of the complete composition, which is now in a fragmentary state.

12. A marshal.

13-19. Youths carrying trays of offerings (only one of three is extant) and pitchers of wine.

20-27. We see the arms of the first musician, the remainder being lost (see fig. 24). The band of musicians consisted, when complete, of four pipe-players and four lyre-players, but is now very imperfect (see fig. 25).

28-43*. The musicians were followed by a troop of sixteen elders, conversing and moving slowly along. The last two look back to the chariot procession.

44-68. The chariots (see figs. 25, 26, 27). This part of the frieze, which is in very fragmentary condition, consists of a series