REMAINS OF THE ARCHAIC TEMPLE.

29. Base of sculptured column.

The base has necessarily

been reconstructed from various fragments, which cannot be proved to have belonged originally to the same column, but the combined

Fig. 41.-Attempted restoration of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus.

fragments serve to give a general idea of the appearance of the base, and show that the older temple anticipates the use of columns sculptured with high relief, which are such a marked feature of the later temple.

Below the sculptures came a moulding [shown near the wall] which contains fragments of an inscription, restored as Ba[odevs] Kp[oivos] av[énk]ev (King Croesus dedicated (the column)'), a confirmation of the statement of Herodotus quoted above.

2726, 2727. Two Ionic capitals, restored from fragments in the same manner.

46. The cornice of the archaic temple, which has been built up from small fragments, like the base and capital, is unique in form. In place of the small cornice with floral decorations, common in later temples, the archaic temple of Artemis was surmounted by a lofty cornice nearly three feet high. Lions' heads projected at intervals, and drained off the rain water. The intervals between the lions' heads were occupied by metope-like compositions, carved in a delicate early style. It is impossible to reconstruct the separate groups with much certainty, although the subjects can, to a certain extent, be conjectured. An attempted restoration of a combat between a Lapith and a Centaur is exhibited. The frieze also included chariots and horses; warriors in chariots, and on foot; and perhaps scenes with Harpies or Sirens.

THE LATER TEMPLE.

The early temple, the fragmentary remains of which have just been described, was destroyed by a fire. The fire was kindled by Herostratos, an Ephesian citizen, in order to make his name immortal; and it is said that this happened on the night of the birth of Alexander the Great, in the summer of 356 B.c.

The work of reconstruction was begun forthwith. Portions of the older temple were used as materials in the foundations of the new building, which stood on the same ground. Its columns were sold by auction; the men contributed their property and the women their ornaments towards the cost of rebuilding. It is said that Alexander (probably about 334 B.C.) offered to the Ephesians to bear the entire cost, if he were allowed to have his name inscribed, and that the offer was declined. The older temple, however, had the dedicatory inscription of Croesus, and fragments remain of similar inscriptions on the later temple. We know also that Prienè had no such scruples in the case of Alexander (see the inscribed pilaster in the Hall of Inscriptions).

The temple was probably finished towards the end of the fourth century B.C., and continued in use till the decline of paganism. The importance to the town of the worship of Diana in the first century is vividly shown by the account of St. Paul's stay at Ephesus and of the riot raised by tradesmen interested in the maintenance of the credit of the goddess (Acts xix.).

The extant remains of the temple are so fragmentary, and in some respects so peculiar, that the restoration is largely conjectural. Its most striking architectural feature is the use of sculptured columns, an arrangement adopted from the archaic temple.

According to the present arrangement (fig. 41) the square sculptured piers are surmounted by circular sculptured drums, being the lowest drums of the columns.

This combination is suggested by the fact that the square bases have been prepared on their upper surfaces to serve as the beds of circular drums, and as the circumference of the prepared bed coincides with that of the best preserved of the sculptured drums, it has been inferred that the two were placed in contact. See the exhibited plans and restorations by Messrs. A. S. Murray and J. C. Watt, according to which the piers stand on one of the lower steps of the platform, so that their upper surface is level with that of the stylobate. The sculptured drums by which they are surmounted are thus exactly level with the corresponding drums which rest on the stylobate. It is, however, a matter of conjecture that this arrangement was employed, and the recent excavations failed to confirm it.

Beginning at the left, or South end of the piers, we have:—

1200-1203.

On the base Heracles and an Amazon in combat (?); on the drum, parts of four figures in Persian costume. 1204-1206. (Plate XIV.) On the base, a combat between two powerful figures. No attributes are preserved, but the forms of the figures would be appropriate to a combat between Heracles and the giant Kyknos.

On the drum, a scene commonly thought to represent an incident in the story of Alcestis, wife of Admetos, who consented to die on behalf of her husband, and was rescued from the clutch of Death by Heracles. See the Alcestis of Euripides (translated by R. Browning, in Balaustion's Adventure). If so, it represents a version of the story of Alcestis rather different from that of Euripides. The central woman is Alcestis. Hermes is about to escort her to the upper world, with the assent of Pluto and Persephonè, the figures on the right. The winged figure is Thanatos (Death), who has been vanquished by Heracles (the watching figure on the left), and makes a sign to Alcestis to start on her way.

1207-1211. On the base, Nereids riding on Hippocamps or sea-horses. On the drum, a group of standing figures. There is no clue to the subject represented.

1212-1213. On the base, Victories leading animals to sacrifice, namely, on the front face a ram, and on the second face a bull. On the drum a series of seated and standing figures, not identified.

The more strictly architectural remains of the temple include the following:

1220. Base, with stylobate and lowest drum of an unsculptured column. These fragments were found in their original position by Mr. Wood, and have been re-erected as found. They came from

the column which was near the middle of the south (long) side of the temple.

1223. Ionic capital, placed on the top of a shaft, partly restored in plaster. The eye of the left hand volute is left plain and unfinished, and shows the lines and compass points used in setting out the volutes.

1224. Restored Ionic capital, combined with the upper part of the flutings, and surmounted by a piece of the architrave. Of this architrave, or of the corresponding member of the earlier temple, Pliny reports that it was placed in position by means of bags of sand, which were slowly emptied. The central slab refused to fall into its place, and the architect went to bed meditating suicide. The goddess, however, appeared to him in a vision and assured him that she had settled the stone. In the morning it was found in its place.

1233. Fragments of the cornice having an acanthus ornament, sculptured in bold relief, and deeply undercut. The lion's head adjoining is equally bold work.

MISCELLANEOUS SCULPTURES.

This room also contains a certain number of sculptures, not connected with the temple of Artemis, which were found at Ephesus by Mr. Wood in the course of his search for the temple. They include

1248-1249. Parts of a frieze from the front of the stage of the Great Theatre, with reclining Satyrs.

1253. Unfinished relief of a Triton, blowing a shell. The subject is roughly blocked out, but is nowhere worked to its final surface.

1288. A piece of unfinished palmette moulding, showing how the pattern was marked out, and then worked in detail.

The room also contains in its north-east, and south-east corners, a series of sculptures belonging for the most part to the Hellenistic period. Among the most noteworthy are:

1857. A fine portrait-head of Alexander the Great (fig. 42), probably of contemporary Greek work, found at Alexandria. This head shows finely the points recorded as characteristic of Alexander, namely, a lion-like mane of hair rising up from the forehead, a swimming eye, and a slight turn of the head to the left shoulder, in consequence of a wound. This inclination of the neck is said to have been imitated by the princes who shared the empire of Alexander (Plutarch, Pyrrhus viii.), and in later times was copied by Caracalla (see p. 111).

432. A colossal draped statue of Dionysos, seated, which formerly surmounted a small portico dedicated by Thrasyllos to commemorate a victory in a dramatic contest. Erected after 320 B.C. on the south slope of the Athenian Acropolis.

1506. Male head (from Cyrenè), interesting for the treatment of the eyes. The whites of the eyes remain, as inlaid pieces of marble, surrounded by plates of bronze. The pupils, now wanting, were inlaid in a different colour.

504. Head of Hera (?). Ideal female head wearing a lofty diadem. The hair was brought to the back of the head, where it was tied in a knot, now lost.

1600. A fine head of Hermes, or perhaps Heracles, from the Aberdeen collection. This head, which has a striking resemblance to the Hermes of Praxiteles, has lately been claimed as another original work by the hand of that sculptor.

1743. A head of Perseus, with pathetic expression. He

wears a winged helmet, but the left wing was separately attached and is now wanting.

1684. Torso of a Muse, finely draped. The moulded base on which the statue stands is said to have been found with it. If so, the inscription records that the statue was erected by the people in honour of Theodoros, and that the sculptor's name was Apollodoros, son of Zenon, of Phocaea. Found at Erythrae.

1852. Portrait head, probably of a poet, wearing an ivy wreath. An interesting example of half idealised portraiture of the Alex andrine period.

1510. Sculptured capital, from Salamis (in Cyprus) with the foreparts of winged bulls. Between the bulls is a female figure,

which terminates below the waist in acanthus stems and leaves.