A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities Part 33

[Sidenote: 35.]

[Sidenote: 36.]

[Sidenote: 37.]

Slab xiv. contains the third chariot with part of the team of horses. The marshal (No. 35) stands beyond the horses, and looks towards the charioteer. The charioteer (No. 36) had reins of bronze, as indicated by two rivet holes. Like the driver on slab xviii. he wears a chiton with long close-fitting sleeves. The apobates (No. 37) appears about to step down from the chariot. The wheel of this chariot as of that on slab xii. must have stood out entirely free from the ground. When Carrey drew this slab, the head of the charioteer (No. 36) and the head and body of the apobates (No. 37), of which only the lower part now remains, were extant. Close behind the wheel are traces of a horse's forefoot, which, as we see from Carrey's drawing, belonged to the chariot on the slab which follows next on the right (xv. according to the order of Michaelis).

[Rightnote: XV.]

[Sidenote: 38, 39.]

Of the fourth chariot group, which was also drawn by Carrey, we have only the mutilated group to which the charioteer (No. 38) and an apobates (No. 39) belong; this is made up of four fragments, of which the originals were found at Athens in 1837. In this group the apobates (No. 39) stands in the chariot, looking back to the chariot following so closely that the forelegs of the horses actually overlap this group. Here also the wheel was in part completely free from the ground of the relief.

[Rightnote: XVII.]

[Sidenote: 41.]

[Sidenote: 42.]

From Carrey's sketch we know that the chariot on slab xvii. was drawn by the horses, which occupied slab xvi., and whose hoofs are seen on slab xv., and that this was the fifth chariot group. The apobates (No. 41) of this chariot leans back, supporting himself by the right hand, which grasped the chariot rail (_antyx_), and is about to step off the chariot. The marshal (No. 42) steps back to the left, looking in the contrary direction; his left arm, m.u.f.fled in his mantle, is raised as a signal to the advancing throng; his right arm is also raised; the hand, now wanting, was just above the level of the head. His animated action forms a strong contrast to the still, calm att.i.tude of the marshal (No.

43) of the following group.

Slab xvii. is cast from the original, which was drawn at Athens by Stuart, and, having been buried on the Acropolis, was re-discovered there in 1833. The right side of this slab is broken away, but there can be no doubt that it comes next to slab xviii.

A photograph from the original is reproduced in Baumeister, _Denkmaeler_, p. 1186, fig. 1388.

[Rightnote: XVIII.]

[Sidenote: 43.]

[Sidenote: 44-45.]

In slab xviii. have been three figures. The marshal (No. 43) stands beside the horses, in a calmer att.i.tude than is usual in this part of the frieze; of the apobates (No. 45) nothing remains but his right arm and leg; and the lower part of his drapery, which indicates rapid movement. Of the charioteer (No. 44), we have only the lower part of the body and hands.

Parts of the harness can be seen on this slab, and also on slabs xiii., xix., xxi., xxiii. The general arrangement seems uniform, though there are differences of detail. The chariot pole ([Greek: rhymos]) pa.s.ses from below the chariot between the horses. An upright pin ([Greek: hestor]) pa.s.ses through the pole (slabs xiii., xviii., xix., xxiii). At this point the yoke ([Greek: zygon]) was secured by a ring ([Greek: krikos]) and by the yoke-band ([Greek: zyG.o.desmon]) (Hom. _Il._ xxiv.). The near end of the yoke, foreshortened and turned back, is visible on slabs xviii., xix., xxi., xxiii. On slabs xix., xxi. the yoke appears to be kept in position by a piece of metal pa.s.sing from the top of the pin to the pole, which may, perhaps, serve instead of the ring. On slab xix. there appears to be a loop of a leather thong on each side of the piece described. This may be a part of the yoke-band. The reins were usually guided by two rings attached to the yoke or to the pole, but these do not appear to be shown on the frieze. It is easy to see on slabs xviii., xix., xxi., that the yoke was only fixed to the two middle horses, the outer pair being attached by traces.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 12.--North Frieze, slab xix. (46. 47.)]

[Rightnote: XIX.]

The next slab (xix.) is a cast from the original at Athens, which is broken away on the right, so that all that remains of the charioteer (No. 47) is his right hand. At the side of the horses is a marshal (No. 46), who turns towards the chariot following on the right. Carrey's drawing supplies the upper part of this figure, and shows that he was holding up with his left hand the end of his mantle, apparently as a signal to the advancing procession. In fig. 12, slab xix. has been drawn in juxtaposition with the hitherto unplaced fragment No. 345, _12_. This slab was discovered in 1834.

[Rightnote: XX.]

Slab xx. is now lost, but a horse's head now at Athens (No. 345, _13_; Michaelis, pl. 12, xx.) may perhaps belong to it.

[Rightnote: XXI.]

Slab xxi. contains the bodies and hind quarters of the horses drawing the chariot seen on slab xxii. Between the charioteer (No.

48) and his horse is a fragment, showing the front of the chariot, and the tails of the horses, of which the original is at Athens, and which is not figured in Michaelis.

[Rightnote: XXII.]

[Sidenote: 48, 49.]

On the left of slab xxii. is a chariot with the charioteer (No.

48) and apobates (No. 49) who is stepping into the chariot. On the right of this slab is an attendant (No. 50) standing at the heads of the horses of the last chariot group. The lower fragments of this slab are at Athens. The left-hand upper corner, which was wanting in the time of Stuart, was brought home by Lord Elgin.

The upper fragment next to it, was once in the possession of the Society of Dilettanti, and was presented by that body. It had probably been brought from Athens by Chandler.

Stuart, 2nd ed., II., p. 50, note C.

[Rightnote: XXIII.]

[Sidenote: 52.]

The chariot group represented on slabs xxii., xxiii. is represented as standing still, and was probably the last chariot in the procession. This slab is shorter than any of the others representing chariot groups. Part of the head of the apobates (No.

52) is supplied in plaster from the original fragment at Athens.

A fragment of an apobates, which may well belong to the figure No. 52, has recently been fitted to the left of slab xxiv., thus proving that No. xxiv. is the first slab of the cavalry, and making it very probable that No. xxiii. is the last slab of the chariots. This fragment, incorrectly drawn, is a.s.signed by Michaelis to slab xxviii. of the south side.

[Rightnote: XXIV.-XLII.]

[Sidenote: 54-109.]

From this point to the north-west angle of the frieze we have a continuous procession of Athenian cavalry. The hors.e.m.e.n advance in a loose throng, in which no division into ranks or troops, nor indeed any settled order, can be made out. The groups, being very crowded, are carried on from slab to slab continuously, so that the vertical lines of the joints intersect the figures, while on the western frieze, on the contrary, the groups, being more scattered, are always completed on single slabs. The general effect of a body of horse in rapid movement is admirably rendered in the composition of the northern frieze, and is particularly fine in slabs x.x.x.-xlii., in which the effect has not been marred by mutilation. Though the entire composition is pervaded by the same general motion, a wonderful fertility of invention is shown in the arrangement of the successive groups. In the one hundred and twenty-five mounted figures in this cavalcade we do not find one single monotonous repet.i.tion.

Though the horses bound along with a fiery impatience, which seems at every moment ready to break loose from all control, these irregular movements never disturb the even hand and well-a.s.sured seat of the riders. Thus, as the cavalcade dashes along like a torrent, a rhythmical effect is produced by the contrast of the impetuous horses and their calm, steadfast riders.

In this part of the frieze there is great variety in the costumes and accoutrements of the hors.e.m.e.n. Crested helmets are worn by Nos. 59, 62; flexible leather caps by Nos. 84, 93, 96; a taenia by No. 97, and a petasos by No. 105. Some figures wear high boots with flaps at the knee as Nos. 98, 103, &c., while others wear boots without flaps as Nos. 90, 91, 92; a few have bare feet, as Nos. 72, 87, 89. The usual dress is a sleeveless chiton and a cloak. Some riders, however, wear a chiton only, as Nos. 59, 60 63, 72, &c., and others wear a cloak only, as Nos. 64, 76, 79, 87, 94. It may be mentioned that, according to Theophrastus, it was a mark of the man of small ambitions, when he took part in a cavalry procession, to give all his garments to a slave to carry home except only his cloak, in which he would display himself, walking about the agora. The chiton may have either one girdle, as No. 72, or two girdles, as Nos. 57, 59, &c. In a few instances it has long sleeves, as in Nos. 73, 75, 80, 84, 97, 98, 109. Two riders wear a cuira.s.s, viz. Nos. 62, 92. The reins and bridles were in nearly every instance of bronze, marked by rivet holes behind the horse's ear, at his mouth and in the rider's hands. Marble reins are seen in the right hands of Nos. 98, 103.

[Rightnote: XXIV.]

[Sidenote: 52.]

Slab xxiv. is shown, as has been already stated, to have contained the first of the cavalry, by the figure of the apobates which has been fitted to its left side. Neither this fragment nor that at the upper right hand corner have been engraved by Michaelis.

[Rightnote: XXV.]

[Sidenote: 57.]

Slab xxv. was complete when drawn by Stuart. Only a fragment, containing part of No. 57, now survives. This is not inserted, in its place in the frieze, but is fixed beside the south door to the Elgin Room.

[Rightnote: XXVI.]

[Rightnote: XXVII.-x.x.xI.]

Slab xxvi. is proved by Stuart's drawing to be continuous with the fragmentary slab xxv. Between slabs xxvi. and x.x.xi. the order is uncertain. The arrangement of plate 13 of Michaelis has been followed. It may be a.s.sumed that a slab (xxvii.) is lost between xxvi. and xxviii., which may have included the fragment No. 345, _15_. Slab x.x.x. when complete may have fitted to xxix.; but, as it has the joint preserved on the right, there can be no doubt that it did not fit to No. x.x.xi. Between these two, therefore, another slab may be supposed to be missing. The three slabs enumerated as lost, viz. xx., xxvii., and the slab between x.x.x., x.x.xi., may be supposed to have been about 12 feet long. The missing part of x.x.x.

may be 2 feet. Of the 25 ft. 10 in. of the frieze lost without record 14 feet are thus accounted for; the remaining 11 ft. 10 in. may be due to the loss of two more slabs, containing a chariot group, or to miscalculated proportions in Carrey's drawing.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 13.--Slab xxv. restored from Stuart (from Michaelis).]