A Catalogue of Sculpture in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities Part 35

[Rightnote: XII.]

[Sidenote: 22, 23.]

[Sidenote: 24.]

[Rightnote: XIII.]

[Sidenote: 25.]

[Rightnote: XIV.]

[Sidenote: 26.]

[Sidenote: 27.]

[Rightnote: XV.]

[Sidenote: 28.]

[Sidenote: 29.]

[Rightnote: XVI.]

[Sidenote: 30.]

The next slab contains two mounted figures (Nos. 13, 14). No. 14 wears a mantle of skin. He is the only figure, on this side of the frieze, thus decorated. No. 15 stands at the side of a rearing horse, trying to control him. The violence of the action is shown by the muscular strain and the disordered dress of this figure, who wears a chiton, _exomis_, over which is a chlamys flying behind his back. On his head is a leathern cap. The attire of this figure is precisely similar to that of No. 8 and No. 19. Then follow six mounted figures (Nos. 16-21), all moving rapidly to the left. One of these (No. 17) wears the petasos, a flapping, broad-brimmed hat used by travellers. From No. 22 onward to the south-west angle, none of the figures are mounted. The first group (Nos. 22-24) is not unlike that already described (Nos. 4-6). A youth (No. 22) stands at the horse's head, and seems to be holding the reins. At the side of the horse stands a taller figure (No. 23), holding up his right hand as if giving an order to a person at some little distance. In his left hand he holds a short wand. This figure seems to be a marshal, though his dress, a chiton girt at the waist and a chlamys, differs from that of all the other marshals on the frieze, while it frequently occurs among the riders.

Behind the horse is a youth (No. 24) who, from his stature and att.i.tude, is a groom or attendant; a thick garment is cast over his shoulders. Next is a much mutilated figure (No. 25), who seems to be pressing his right foot against the heel of his horse's right fore leg to make him extend himself so as to lower his back for mounting. Behind this figure a horse springs forward, free from the control of his rider (No. 26), who has let him go in order to a.s.sist a comrade (No. 27). This latter figure tries to master a rearing horse, who threatens to escape from his control. In the upper portion of this figure a fragment from the original marble is adjusted to the cast. This fragment was brought from Athens many years ago, and presented to the Museum by M. J. J. Dubois in 1840.

The next figure (No. 28) stands at his horse's head, and behind him is a rider (No. 29) not yet mounted, who is drawing on his left boot in an att.i.tude very similar to that of No. 12; his right boot lies at the side of the rock on which his left foot is raised. The horses of both these figures, in contrast to the preceding group, stand tranquilly waiting to be mounted. The last figure on the western frieze (No. 30) on the return of the first slab of the south side stands holding up an ample mantle on his left arm, and seems to be putting it on. From the size of the mantle this figure might be that of a marshal, though his youthful appearance suggests that he is a rider.

SOUTH FRIEZE OF THE PARTHENON.

[Sidenote: =327.=]

In following the procession along the south side from west to east, we pursue one branch of the procession which corresponds in the main with that on the north side. The main difference is that on the south the victims consist of cows only, while on the north there are sheep as well as cows. It may therefore be the case that this side represents the Hecatomb offered by the Athenians themselves. All the victims are cows, in accordance with Greek ritual, which ordained the sacrifice of male animals to a G.o.d, and female animals to a G.o.ddess.

[Rightnote: I.]

[Sidenote: 1-4.]

The left-hand side of slab i. is still on the Parthenon; the right-hand portion, containing the figure, No. 4, was presented to the Museum by the late Mr. C. R. c.o.c.kerell. A marshal (No. 1) stands at the angle; the first horseman (No. 2) advances at a walk, thus conforming to the rule that the movement is always gentle at an angle of the frieze. The hors.e.m.e.n of this slab all wear chiton, chlamys, boots, and a leather cap with a flap (_katablema_) hanging over the nape of the neck.

[Rightnote: II.]

[Sidenote: 5-7.]

[Rightnote: III.]

[Sidenote: 8-9.]

Slab ii. is cast from the original on the Parthenon, which is in a very mutilated condition (cf. No. 345, _16_). Of No. 7 nothing now remains on this slab, but a bit of his drapery, and on slab iii.

his right foot and his horse's nose and forelegs. Slab iii. was complete on the left edge in the time of Stuart, who gives the head and forehand of the horse of No. 7. The horseman (No. 8) wears a chlamys only, which is cast back so as to show the entire right side of the body. This is the only figure on the south frieze who is so little clad.

[Rightnote: IV.]

[Sidenote: 10-12.]

On slab iv., the greater part of which still remains on the Parthenon, are the remains of three figures (Nos. 10, 11, 12).

On the right side are two fragments of this slab, brought away by Lord Elgin, one of which only is given by Michaelis. The other has been since discovered in the magazines of the Museum.

[At this point it has been necessary to interrupt the sequence by placing slabs xiv., xv., xx. on the sides of the pilaster. These slabs are described below in their respective places.]

[Rightnote: V.]

[Sidenote: 12-14.]

[Rightnote: VI.-IX.]

[Sidenote: 15-25.]

On slab v., No. 13 wears a close-fitting cuira.s.s, but is bare-headed. Compare the figures 26-35, and the description of Theagenes in the pa.s.sage of Heliodorus, quoted on p. 148. Slabs vi.-ix. contain unarmed Athenian hors.e.m.e.n, riding bare-headed and for the most part wearing chiton with double girdle and boots only. The head of the rider, No. 15, is unfinished. The horses at this part of the frieze have manes with a large forelock turned upwards.

[Rightnote: X.-XIII.]

[Sidenote: 26-37.]

[Rightnote: XIV.-XVI.]

[Sidenote: 38-43.]

There is a break in the composition at the beginning of slab x., and a change of subject is marked by the group not being carried across the joint. The figures (Nos. 26-37) on slabs x.-xiii. are evidently arranged in two ranks of six hors.e.m.e.n each, and are distinguished from most of the riders in the southern cavalcade by wearing a cuira.s.s under which is a short chiton. Three of these figures (Nos. 33, 36, 37) have a cuira.s.s consisting of a breastplate and backpiece, which are united at the sides by a strip of flexible scale armour. From the cuira.s.s hang down the flaps, which protected the loins. These cuira.s.ses also have shoulder straps. The riders, Nos. 26-36, wear the plain cuira.s.s, rigid and close-fitting ([Greek: thorax stadios]). All the riders in this part of the procession wear high boots with a flap turning over below the knee. They are all bareheaded except No. 36, who wears a cap or helmet with a flap behind; No. 33, who also wears a cap; and No. 35, who has a diadem over which must have been a metallic wreath, as there are four holes for its attachment on the crown of the head. A chlamys hangs from the left arm of Nos. 26, 27, 28. Slab xiv., which is a cast from the original at Athens, and slab xv. are now exhibited on the pilaster. Slab xvi., which is also a cast from the original at Athens, is in its place. Slab xiv. contains the head of the horse of No. 37. In front of it is a s.p.a.ce marking a division, and another body of six hors.e.m.e.n (Nos.

38-43). These appear to be uniformly dressed in helmet, chiton without cuira.s.s, and boots, and, although the positions of xv., xvi. are conjectural, the sequence proposed seems highly probable.

In front of No. 43 there is a s.p.a.ce similar to that between Nos.

37, 38. On the right side of xvi. is the outline of a horse's crupper, and floating above it in the air appears to be the long end of a mantle of skin such as is worn by No. 14 in the west frieze; behind No. 44 appears to be part of a garment of the same texture, the outline of which is seen above the horse's hind quarter. It is, however, doubtful whether xvi. and xvii. joined each other. Perhaps between them was a slab in which the hors.e.m.e.n wore similar mantles of skin.

From this point the military order of the procession becomes less marked, or is obscured by the defective state of the marble. There is also more variety in the costumes of the riders.

[Rightnote: XVII.]

[Sidenote: 45*.]

Slab xvii. is a cast from the original at Athens. Since the publication of the work of Michaelis, two fragments have been adjusted on the right, which prove the connection of the slab with No. xviii. by supplying the hind quarters of a horse of which the rest has been in xviii. These two fragments, which were unknown to Michaelis, also supply the forehand of another horse and the body of the rider (No. 45*) from the waist to below the knee (see fig.

14).

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 14.--South frieze, slab xvii. (44. 45. 45*.)]

[Rightnote: XVIII.]

The original of slab xviii. is at Athens, and was in its present mutilated condition when drawn by Carrey.