Part 46 (1/2)

The subject of the West frieze of the Theseion admits of no doubt.

Here we have represented the Battle of the Centaurs and Lapiths at the marriage feast of Peirithoos. It has been pointed out that this frieze appears to consist of metope-like groups, with a few figures added to give continuity between the different groups, such as is appropriate to a frieze. Thus, compare No. 403, _1_ with the Parthenon Metope, No.

307. In the parts of the frieze, not represented by casts, compare the group engraved Overbeck, _Gr. Plast._ 3rd ed. i., p. 348, No. 2, with Michaelis, pl. 3, xxiv.; Overbeck, No. 6, with Parthenon metope, No.

311; Overbeck No. 8 with Michaelis, pl. 3, xi.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 16.--The disposition of the West Frieze of the Theseion. (From Baumeister).]

[Sidenote: =403.= 1.]

Combat of Centaur and Lapith. The Lapith is defeated and has fallen to the ground. He supports his body with the right arm, of which the hand alone remains. The left hand, which is wrapped in the chlamys, is raised imploringly to the Centaur, to whom also the head is turned. The victorious Centaur rears up above the Lapith, and is about to hurl a great stone, or perhaps a hydria, with both hands.

Height of this and the following slabs, 2 feet 9-1/2 inches; length, 2 feet 10 inches. _Mus. Marbles_, IX., pl. 18.

Between Nos. 1 and 2 is a group, of which the Museum does not possess a cast, representing two Lapiths and a fallen Centaur.

[Sidenote: 2.]

On the left is a group of a Lapith and a Centaur. The combatants have for the moment drawn a little apart. The Lapith has recoiled for a blow; the attention of the Centaur seems more directed to the group on his left. The symmetry of the grouping, which is apparent in the frieze as a whole, requires us to regard these two figures as connected, though they may appear somewhat separated.

The Centaur brandishes a branch of a tree, to which his hands are still attached, though the arms are lost. The Lapith had both arms raised, and perhaps held a battle-axe. His dress is a chlamys.

We next have a group of two Centaurs, rearing up, and heaving together a rock wherewith to crush the invulnerable Lapith, Kaineus, who is half buried in the ground between them, and who endeavours to defend himself with his s.h.i.+eld uplifted on his left arm. His head is turned towards the Centaur on the right. His right arm, now wanting, may have rested on the ground. But it is possible, to judge from indications on the ground of the relief, that it was bent at the elbow, and pierced with a sword the abdomen of the Centaur. The Lapith wears a helmet.

On the right of this group is a Lapith hastening to give succour to Kaineus. His right arm, which was bent back at the elbow, had been raised to strike. His left arm has been m.u.f.fled in a chlamys. He also wore a petasos, part of which is seen behind the shoulders. On the right of this figure is a group of a Lapith attacking a Centaur. The Lapith wears a crested helmet; on his left arm is a s.h.i.+eld, within which his chlamys hangs from his arm. He also wears sandals. He places his left foot on a rock.

The Centaur opposed to him is rearing, with his back turned to the spectator; his right arm, drawn back, has held some weapon, probably the branch of a tree; on his left arm and shoulder is the skin of a lion or panther which hangs down his back.

Length, 10 feet 9 inches. _Mus. Marbles_, IX., pls. 18, 19.

The next group on the frieze, which is not represented by a cast, contains a Centaur struggling with a Lapith who has fallen on his knees.

[Sidenote: 3.]

On the left is a Lapith, armed with s.h.i.+eld and helmet, and wearing a chiton and sandals. He seems about to attack a Centaur, who rears to the right over the body of a Lapith, who has sunk down in a sitting position.

Length, 2 feet 9 inches. _Mus. Marbles_, IX., pl. 20.

Most of the figure of the seated Lapith, and the whole of the succeeding group of a Lapith and Centaur are not represented by casts in the Museum.

CASTS OF THE EAST FRIEZE OF THE THESEION.

On the east frieze is represented a battle in the presence of six seated deities arranged in two groups. In one part of the frieze the combatants are hurling vast rocks. Colonel Leake (_Topography of Athens_, 2nd ed. p. 504), supposed that Heracles and some of the G.o.ds are engaged in a battle with giants, while other deities, among them some who usually take a leading part in the fray, merely sit and watch. This, however, is a scheme of Gigantomachia to which no parallel can be adduced.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Fig. 17.--The disposition of the East Frieze. (From Baumeister).]

Brunn (_Sitzungsber. der k. bayer. Akad. Phil.-hist. Cl._, 1874, ii., p. 51), supposes the battle here represented to be that fought by the Athenians under Theseus against Eurystheus in defence of the Heracleidae. The scene on the left would thus represent the first rout of the troops of Eurystheus; then would come the storming of the Skironian pa.s.s by Theseus, where we might expect ma.s.ses of rocks to be hurled on the a.s.sailants. The kneeling figure on the left of the central group (404, _4_), who is being bound would, according to Brunn, be Eurystheus, who was taken prisoner and put to death. The figure on the extreme right (404, _8_), who is stooping forward, Brunn supposes to be one of the victors erecting the boundary stone, which, according to the Attic legend, was set up by Theseus to mark the limits of the Peloponnese on the side of Attica.

The theory is highly ingenious; but it demands a forced interpretation of the rocks to suppose them to be lining the two sides of a pa.s.s; and it overlooks the close parallelism with the east frieze of the Parthenon, where the two groups of G.o.ds must be supposed to form a single background to the scene. Also, the Skironian pa.s.s was a road between rocks and the sea. Moreover, the vast size of the rocks indicates a giant race, rather than a group of warriors who are reduced to using stones in an extremity.

If the subject has any connection with Theseus, the theory of K. O. Muller seems the best that has been proposed. According to Muller (_Kunstarch. Werke_, iv. p. 1) it represents the Athenians under Theseus attacking the Pallantidae, or sons of Pallas, who was a son of Pandion, king of Attica. These in Attic legend (Plut.

_Theseus_, 13) formed a league against Theseus. Muller supposes them to have been a race akin to the giants. Compare Soph. _aegeus, fr._ 19, ed. Dindorf, [Greek: ho skleros houtos kai gigantas ektrephon Pallas]. See also Muller (p. 8) on the close connection between Pallas, son of Pandion, and the Attic Pallene, with Pallas the giant and the Thracian Pallene, the field of the great war of the G.o.ds and giants.

[Sidenote: =404.= 1.]