6.66 The festival of Artemis Bendis is described in the opening pages of Plato's Republic. Socrates tells how he had gone down to the Piraeus, to pray to the goddess, and to see the new-fashioned processions in her honour. He was starting to return home when he was pressed by friends to stay and sup with them. What, don't you know," said Adeimantos, "that there will be a torch race on horseback in the evening, in honour of the goddess?" "On horseback? That is a novelty. Do you mean that they will have torches, and pass them one to another while racing with their horses?" "Yes," said Polemarchos.' The competition was probably one of squad against squad, and thus the whole band of youths would have been victorious. In 813. A fragment of another votive relief, shown by the inscription to have been dedicated by a victor in a torch race. this case a boy holds the burning torch over an altar. 814. Votive tablet in commemoration of a victory in the chariot race. A draped charioteer drives a chariot, drawn by four horses, which move to the left in spirited action. Over them floats in the air a winged Victory extending a wreath, now wanting, towards the charioteer. Beside the door to the Elgin Room are two busts, namely [We return to the middle of the Elgin Room, and leave it by a door in the middle of its east side, which leads to the Nereid Room.] THE NEREID ROOM. SUBJECT:-THE NEREID MONUMENT.* The building known as the Nereid Monument was discovered at Xanthos, in Lycia, by Sir Charles Fellows. Its remains were excavated and brought to England by a naval expedition in 1842. The monument stood on the edge of a low line of cliffs, immediately above the main approach to the city. The whole of the building, except a part of the solid substructure, had been shaken down by an earthquake, and when discovered the remains were scattered round the base and down the slopes of the hill. The general appearance of the whole is shown in the model exhibited which was made under the direction of Sir C. Fellows, * Fully described in the Catalogue of Sculpture, Vol. II. (3s.), Part IV. (sold separately at 1s.). It although later investigation has modified some of the details. may be generally described as a small Ionic building, of the form of a temple, standing on a lofty base, whose surfaces were relieved by two bands of frieze. In the original structure they were separated by a plain band about thrice the width of that which separates the two bands as now exhibited, on the reproduction of one of the ends of the building. The building had four columns at the ends, and six at the sides (not five, as shown in Fellows's model; see the corrected sketch, fig. 37). The order of the architecture from the stylobate to the cornice has been reconstructed in the S.E. corner of the room. The building was probably the tomb of some prince. The cycles of subjects represented (battles, hunting-scenes, scenes of banquet) occur on smaller tombs, such as those from Lycia in the Mausoleum Room (see p. 67). The date and occasion of the building have been much discussed, but it is usually assigned to the end of the fifth century B.C., and to sculptors greatly influenced by contemporary Athenian work. The First Frieze. On the First or Principal Frieze, which surrounded the lower part of the base, as shown in the model, we have scenes of combat between Greeks and barbarians aided by Greeks. The Greeks are either in heavy armour, in light armour, or nude. The latter must be supposed to be treated according to the conventional heroic type, since it is unlikely that any combatants of historic times went nude into battle. The barbarians wear the Persian bonnet, long close-fitting tunic, mantle and trousers. The cavalry appear to be only on the side of the barbarians, but this is not certain. 850-854. Scenes of combat. In 850 the figure of the fallen barbarian is curiously twisted, so that we see the face and breast, but also the back of the legs. In 854 the Greek has thrust his enemy through the head with his spear, and now seeks to withdraw it, while he treads down the head of his foe with his foot. 855. An archer, with a piece of cloth fastened to the lower edge of his shield- an appendage often seen in works of art from Asia Minor. 857. A wounded Greek, supported and defended by a companion. This was a favourite theme with Greek sculptors. (Compare the friezes of Wingless Victory and of Phigaleia, nos. 421 and 540 in the Phigaleian Room.) 861. The rider seems to be wounded, and dismounts with difficulty, assisted by two comrades, while the horse kneels down in a way practised in antiquity. The Second Frieze. The Second Frieze, which crowned the base of the building, has more the character of an historical record than the first. In each we have a representation of warfare, but the one may be compared to the battles of the Homeric poems, while the other is more like the warfare of Herodotus. In the larger frieze we have scattered combats and nude heroic figures. In the smaller frieze we have the disciplined movements of well-drilled bodies of troops. With one doubtful exception (874) there are no nude figures. The narrative is more elaborate, and instead of a series of combats, four distinct episodes of a campaign are clearly told, the meaning of the whole being made plain by detailed representations of landscape and architecture. In the large frieze, locality is only suggested by a few pieces of rock on the ground. The second frieze is also distinguished from the first by the absence of cavalry. It has been compared with the Assyrian reliefs, but it has little in common with them except the broad fact that it represents a series of contemporary events with minute and copious detail. Not only in artistic style, but also in its treatment of perspective, landscape and composition, our frieze is far removed from F those of Assyria, with their conventional perspective and primitive arrangement of the figures. It is, however, one of the best examples of a local Lycian style. 868-870. A sortie from a walled city. Behind the battlements are seen the heads and shields of some of the defenders. A woman also throws up her arms in distress. 871 b, 872. These two slabs (which ought to be in one line) show an assault on the city with scaling ladders. The storming party have planted their ladders against one of the walls beside the city gate. 876 b,-878. Parley. We have a view of the city walls and buildings. In 877 is a high Lycian tomb, surmounted by a winged Sphinx, flanked by two lions. The defenders seem to be holding a discussion, and a messenger, who has come on a mule, addresses them. 879-880. Surrender. Two elderly citizens try to make terms with the victorious commander, who is enthroned and covered with an umbrella, held by an attendant. 884 a. Four captives, unarmed, bareheaded, and with hands bound, are led away by soldiers. The Third Frieze. The Third Frieze stood immediately on the capitals of the columns, without the interposition of the usual architrave. (See the cast inserted in this position in the restored order.) It contains scenes of battle, field sports and offerings of gifts, subjects such as naturally occur on the tomb of a man of rank, and suggest the leading occupations of his life. There are no data for the arrangement, but it may be supposed that the slabs were grouped according to their subjects. The Fourth Frieze. The Fourth Frieze is believed to have surmounted the upper walls of the central chamber externally. It contains scenes of banqueting and of sacrifice. The order of the slabs is uncertain, but two sides seem to have been given to each subject. 908. This slab is unfinished, and illustrates the sculptor's method of work. The field is first sunk to the required depth, leaving the figures in outline, of the height of the original surface. The figures are then worked in the round. The Nereids. The monument derives its name from the graceful figures, half running, half flying, which stood in the intervals between the columns. They seem to be scudding along the surface of the waves. Below 909 is a sea-bird floating on the water; below 910 a large fish, and so with others. Hence, the name of Nereids was given to the figures soon after their discovery, and, though various other interpretations such as sea-breezes, or personifications of ships -have been suggested, it is still most generally accepted. The Pediments. Parts are preserved of each pediment (or gable) group. 924 (over the door of the Mausoleum Room) is incorporated in its architectural setting. The ancient fragments on which the restoration is based can readily be distinguished. In the relief, worshippers do reverence to two stately, enthroned figures, one of each sex. If the whole monument is a tomb, and therefore to be interpreted by the analogy of other sepulchral reliefs, the two enthroned figures are the heroified dead, who are approached by worshippers. 925. Relief from the left half of the west pediment, with a combat of foot soldiers against cavalry. 926 (above the restored pediment); 927, two groups, which stood each on the apex of one of the pediments. In each case a nude youth was carrying a female figure in his arms. The groups are much mutilated and the subjects uncertain. 927 has been called Peleus with Thetis, or one of the Dioscuri (Castor or Pollux) with a daughter of Leukippos. The Lions. Parts were found of four lions, which were probably symmetrically disposed with reference to the central chamber. Two of these (929, 930) are fairly complete. They have manes of an archaic and conventional form. [We leave the Nereid Room by the North door, and descend the staircase, to the Mausoleum Room.] THE MAUSOLEUM ROOM.* SUBJECT:-TWO LARGE LYCIAN TOMBS; MAUSOLEUM; SCULPTURES FROM PRIENÈ; CNIDOS LION. On each side of the staircase are two large Tombs from Xanthos, which should be studied in connection with the Nereid Monument. 950. (Fig. 38.) From the inscriptions in the Lycian character, this structure is known as the tomb of Payava. The inscriptions also mention a Persian Satrap, who authorised the tomb, and who may perhaps be identified with a Satrap, called by the Greeks Autophradates, who may have held power at Xanthos, between about 375 and 362 B.C. 1-2. On each side of the roof is a relief, with an armed figure and a charioteer drawn by four galloping horses. A curious feature is the wing which is attached to each chariot, beside or upon the wheels. The pairs of projecting lions' heads on each side are architectural additions, and have no relation to the relief. On the * Fully described in the Catalogue of Sculpture, Vol. II. (3s.), Parts IV., V. (sold separately at 1s. each). |