A more plausible ob inscribe his name npon the footstool of the god, an
jection is founded on the uncertainty of the tradition, honour which had been denied to him at Athenst
which Pausanias only records in the vague terms (Paus.
jection is founded on the uncertainty of the tradition, honour which had been denied to him at Athenst
which Pausanias only records in the vague terms (Paus.
William Smith - 1844 - Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities - c
In short, the administrations peats the criticism with a slight variation, “Du-
of Aristeides and Themistocles, and the early part riora et Tuscanicis proxima Callon atque Egesias,
of Cimon's, were fully engaged with sterner neces- jam minus rigida Calamis, molliora adhuc supra dictis
sities than even the restoration of the sacred edifices Myron fecit. ” Here we have the names of Cana-
and statues. At length even the appearance of chus, Callon, and Hegesias, representing the tho-
danger from Persia entirely ceased ; the Spartans roughly archaic school, and of Calamis as still
were fully occupied at home; the Athenians archaic, though less decidedly so, and then there is
had converted their nominal supremacy into the at once a transition to Myron and Polycleitus, the
real empire of the Aegean ; and the common younger contemporaries of Pheidias. If we inquire
treasury was transferred from Delos to Athens more particularly into the dates of these artists, we
(B. C. 465); at home Cimon was in the height of find that Canachus and Callon flourished probably
his power and popularity, and Pericles was just between B. c. 520 and 480. Hegesias, or Hegias,
coming forward into public life ; while the most is made by Pausanias a contemporary of Onatas,
essential defences of the city were already com- and of Ageladas (of whom we shall presently have
pleted. The period had undoubtedly come for to speak), and is expressly mentioned by Lucian,
the restoration of the sacred edifices and for the in connection with two other artists, Critios and
commencement of that brilliant era of art, which is Nesiotes, as tỉis malaias épgaolas, while Pliny, in
inseparably connected with the name of Pheidias, his loose way, makes him, and Alcamenes, and
and which found a still more complete opportunity Critios and Nesiotes, all rivals of Pheidias in 01.
for its development when, after the conclusion of 84, B. C. 444 [HEGIAS). Of the artists, whose
the wars which occupied so much of the attention names are thus added to those first mentioned, we
of Cimon and of Pericles during the following know that Critios and Nesiotes executed works
twenty years, the thirty years' truce was concluded about B. c. 477 [Critios]; and Onatas, who was
with the Lacedaemonians, and the power of Pericles contemporary with Polygnotus, was reckoned as a
was finally established by the ostracism of Thucy- Daedalian artist, and clearly belonged to the
dides (B. C. 445, 444); while the treasury of archaic school, wrought, with Calamis, in B. C. 467,
Athens was continually augmented by the contri- and probably flourished as late as B. C. 460. Ca-
butions levied from the revolted allies. There is, lamis, though contemporary with Onatas, seems to
indeed, no dispute as to the fact that the period have been younger, and his name (as the above
from B. C. 444 to the breaking out of the Pelopon- citations show) marks the introduction of a less
nesian War, B. c. 431, was that during which the rigid style of art (Calamis"). Thus we have a
most important works of art were executed, under
the administration of Pericles and under the super- It is, however, far from certain that the statue
intendence of Pheidias. The question really in of Apollo Alexicacos by Calamis, at Athens, fur-
dispute regards only the commencement of the nishes a sufficient ground for bringing down bis
period.
date to the great plague at Athens, in B. C. 430,
An important event of Cimon's administration 429. Pausanias merely assigns this as a traditional
affords a strong confirmation
to the general con- reason for the surname of the god, whereas we
clusion suggested by the above view of the history know it to have been an epithet very anciently
R 3
## p. 246 (#262) ############################################
2. 16
PHEIDIAS.
PIEIDIAS.
series of artists of the archaic school, extending! mined ; the 6th has been noticed already; and the
quite down to the middle of the fifth century, B. C. ; 7th may be disposed of as another example of the
and therefore the conclusion seems unavoidnble loose way in which Pliny groups artists together.
that the establishment of the new school, of which The conclusion will then be that Ageladas flourished
Pheidias was the head, cannot be referred to a during the first half and down to the middle of the
period much earlier,
fifth century BC. The limits of this article do
But a more positive argument for our artist's not allow us to pursue this important part of the
date is supplied by this list of names. Besides subject further. For a fuller discussion of it the
Agendas, whom most of the authorities mention reader is referred to Müller, de Phidiae Vita, pp.
as the teacher of Pheidias, Dio Chrysostom (Or. iv. 11, &c. Müller maintains the probability of
p. 558) gives another name, which is printed in Ageladas having visited Athens, both from his
the editions 'Italou, but appears in the MSS. as having been the teacher of Pheidias and Myron,
innor, out of which prior may be made by a and from the possession by the Attic payus of
very slight alteration ; and, if this conjecture be Melite of his statue of Heracles (Schol. ad Arig-
admitted, we have, as a teacher of Pheidias, He- toph. Ran, 504). He suggests also, that the time
gias or Hegesins, who, as we have seen, was cons of this visit may have taken place after the alliance
temporary with Onatas. Without any conjecture, between Athens and Argos, about B. c. 461; but
however, we know that Ageladas of Argos, the this is purely conjectural.
principal master of Pheidias, was contemporary The above arguments respecting the date of
with Onatns, and also that he was the teacher of Pheidias might be confirmed by the particular facts
Myron and Polycleitus. It is true that a new set that are recorded of him ; but these facts will be
of difficulties here arises respecting the date of best stated in their proper places in the account of
Ageladas himself; and these difficulties have led his life. As the general result of the inquiry, it is
Thiersch to adopt the conjecture that two artists clearly impossible to fix the precise date of the
of the same name have been confounded together. birth of the artist; but the evidence preponderates,
This easy device experience shows to be always we think, in favour of the supposition that Pheidias
suspicious ; and in this case it seems peculiarly began to work as a statuary about OL 79, B. C.
arbitrary, when the statement is that Ageladas, 464 ; and, supposing him to hare been about
one of the most famous statuaries of Greece, was twenty-five years old at this period, bis birth
the teacher of three others of the most celebrated would fall about 489 or 490, that is to say, about
artists, Pheidias, Myron, and Polycleitus, to sepa- the time of the battle of Marathon. We now re-
rate this Ageladas into two persons, making one turn to what is known of his life.
the teacher of Pheidias, the other of Myron and It is not improbable that Pheidias belonged to a
Po! ycleitus. Certainly, if two artists of the name family of artists ; for his brother or nephew Pa-
must be imagined, it would be better to make naenus was a celebrated painter; and he himself is
Pheidins, with Myron and Polycleitus, the disciple related to have occupied himself with painting,
of the younger.
before he turned his attention to statuary. (Plin.
The principal data for the time for Ageladas are H. N. xxx«. 8. 8. 31. ) He was at first instructed
these :- 1. He executed one statue of the group in statuary bs native artists (of whom Hegias
of three Muses, of which Canachus and Aristocles alone is mentioned, or supposed to be mentioned,
made the other two; 2. he made statues of Olympic under the altered form of his name, Hippias, see
victors, who conquered in the 65th and 66th Olym- abore), and afterwards by Ageladas. The occasion
piads, B. c. 520,516, and of another whose victory for the development of his talents was furnished
was about the same period ; 3. he was contempo- (as has been already argued at length) by the
rary with Hegias and Onatas, who flourished about works undertaken, chiefly at Athens, after the
B. C. 467 ; 4. he made a statue of Zeus for the Persian wars. Of these works, the group of statues
Messenians of Naupactus, which must have been dedicated at Delphi out of the tithe of the spoils
after B. c. 455; 5. he was the teacher of Pheidias, would no doubt be among the first ; and it has
Myron, and Polycleitus, who fiourished in the therefore been assumed that this was the first
middle of the fifth century, B. C. ; 6. he made a great work of Pheidias : it will be described pre-
statue of Heracles Alexicacos, at Melite, which sently. The statue of Athena Promachus would
was supposed to have been set up during the great probably also, for the same reason of discharging
plague of B. C. 430—429 ; and 7. he is placed by a religious duty, be among the first works under-
Pliny, with Polycleitus, Phradmon, and Myron, taken for the ornament of the city, and we shall
at 01. 87, B. C. 432. Now of these data, the 3rd, probably not be far wrong in assigning the execu-
4th, and 5th can alone be relied on, and they are tion of it to about the year B. C. 160. This work,
not irreconcileable with the 1st, for Ageladas from all we know of it, must have established his
may, as a young man, have worked with Canachus reputation ; but it was surpassed by the splendid
and Aristocles, and yet have flourished down to productions of his own hand, and of others work-
the middle of the fifth century: the 2nd is entirely ing under his direction, during the administration
inconclusive, for the statues of Olympic victors of Pericles. That statesman not only chose Phei-
were often made long after their victories were dias to execute the principal statues which were to
be set up, but gave him the orersight of all the
applied to various divinities, and analogy would works of art which were to be erected. Plutarch,
lead us to suppose its origin to be mythical rather from whom we learn this fact, enumerates the fol-
than historical. The matter is the more important, lowing classes of artists and artificers, who all
inasmuch as Ageladas also (on whose date the worked under the direction of Pheidias : 76KTOVES,
present question very much turns) is placed by πλάσται, χαλκοτύποι, λιθουργοί, βαφείς, χρυσού
some as late as this same plague on the strength of μαλακτήρες και ελέφαντος, ζωγράφοι, ποικιλται,
his statue of Heracles Alexicacos. (Comp. Müller, Topeutai. (Plut. Peric. 12. ) Of these works the
de Phidiae Vita, pp. 13, 14. )
chief were the Propylaea of the Acropolis, and,
## p. 247 (#263) ############################################
PHIEIDIAS.
247
PHEIDIAS.
ahore all, that most perfect work of human art, Graec. p. 400, ed. Müller. ) It must be remem-
the temple of Athena on the Acropolis, called bered that this is the statement of Philochorus, as
the Parthenon or the Hecatompedon, on which, as quoted by two different scholiasts ; but still the
the central point of the Athenian polity and reli- general agreement shows that the passage is toler-
gion, the highest efforts of the best of artists were ably genuine. Of the corrections of Palmerius,
employed. There can be no doubt that the sculp- one is obviously right, namely the name of Pythio-
tured ornaments of this temple, the remains of dorus for Scylhodorus; for the latter archon is not
which forin the glory of our national museum, were mentioned elsewhere. Pythodorus was archon in
executed under the immediate superintendence of OL 87. 1, B. C. 432, and seven years before him
Pheidias ; but the colossal statue of the divinity, was the archonship of Theodorus, Ol. 85. 3, B. c.
which was enclosed within that magnificent shrine, 438. In the latter year, therefore, the statue was
was the work of the artist's own hand, and was dedicated ; and this date is confirmed by Diodorus
for ages esteemed the greatest production of Greek (xii. 31), and by Eusebius, who places the making
statuary, with the exception of the similar, but of the statue in the 2d year of the 85th Olympiad. "
even more splendid statue of Zeus, which Pheidias This is, therefore, the surest chronological fact in
afterwards executed in his temple at Olympia. the whole life of Pheidias. t
The materials chosen for this statue were ivory and The other parts, however, of the account of
gold; that is to say, the statue was formed of plates Philochorus, are involved in much difficulty. On
of ivory laid upon a core of wood or stone, for the the very face of the statement, the story of Pheidias
flesh parts, and the drapery and other ornaments having been first banished by the Athenians, and
were of solid gold. It is said that the choice of these afterwards put to death by the Eleinns, on a charge
materials resulted from the determination of the precisely similar in both cases, may be almost cer-
Athenians to lavish the resources of wealth, as well tainly pronounced a confused repetition of the same
as of art, on the chief statue of their tutelary deity ; event. Next, the idea that Pheidias went to Elis
for when Pheidias laid before the ecclesia his design as an exile, is perfectly inadmissible. This will be
for the statue, and proposed to make it either of clearly seen, if we examine what is known of the
ivory and gold, or of white marble, intimating visit of Pheidias to the Eleians.
however his own preference for the latter, the There can be little doubt that the account of Phi-
people at once resolved that those materials which lochorus is true so far as this, that the statue at
were the most costly should be employed. (Val. Olympia was made by Pheidias after his great
Max, i. 1. $ 7. ) The statue was dedicated in the works at Athens. Heyne, indeed, maintains the
3d year of the 85th Olympiad, B. c. 438, in the contrary, but the fallacy of his arguments will pre-
archonship of Theodorus. The statue itself will sently appear. It is not at all probable that the
be described presently, with the other works of Athenians, in their eagerness to honour their god-
Pheidias ; but there are certain stories respecting dess by the originality as well as by the magnificence
it, which require notice here, as bearing upon the of her statue, should have been content with an
life and death of the artist, and as connected with imitation of a work so unsurpassable as the statue
the date of his other great work, the colossal statue of Zeus at Olympia-; but it is probable that the
of Zeus at Olympia.
Eleians, as the keepers of the sanctuary of the
The scholiast on Aristophanes (Pax, 605) has supreme divinity, should have desired to eclipse the
preserved the following story from the Atthis of statue of Athena : and the fact, that of these two
Philochorus, who flourished about B. c. 300, and statues the preference was always given to that of
whose authority is considerable, inasmuch as he Zeus, is no small proof that it was the last executed.
was a priest and soothsayer, and was therefore Very probably, too, in this fact we may find one of
well acquainted with the legends and history of the chief causes of the resentment of the Athenians
his country, especially those bearing upon religious against Pheidias, a resentment which is not likely
matters. “ Under the year of the archonship of
Pythodorus (or, according to the correction of It is not, however, absolutely necessary to
Palmerius, Theodorus), Philochorus says that the adopt the other correction of Palmerius, eodpov
golden statue of Athena was set up in the great for Ilvlodópov, since Philochorus may naturally
temple, having forty-four talents' weight of gold, have placed the whole account of the trial
, fight,
under the superintendence of Pericles, and the and death of Pheidias under the year of his death;
workmanship of Pheidias. And Pheidias, appear or the scholiasts, in quoting the account of his
ing to have misappropriated the ivory for the scales death, given by Philochorus under the year of
(of the dragons) was condemned. And, having Pythodorus, may have mixed up with it the be-
gone as an exile to Elis, he is said to have made ginning of the story, which Philochorus had put in
the statue of Zeus at Olympia ; but having finished its proper place, under the year of Theodorus. The
this, he was put to death by the Eleians in the correction, however, makes the whole matter clearer,
archonship of Scythodorus (or, according to the and the words drò toútov rather favour it.
correction of Palmerius, Pythodorus), who is the + It is remarked by Müller, with equal inge-
seventh from this one (i. e. Theodorus), &c. '” And nuity and probability, that the dedication of the
then, further down, ** Pheidias, as Philochorus statue may be supposed to have taken place at the
says in the archonship of Pythodorus (or Theo-Great Panathenaea, which were celebrated in the
dorus, as above), having made the statue of Athena third year of every Olympiad, towards the end of
pilfered the gold from the dragons of the chrysele- the first month of the Attic year, Hecatombaeon,
pbantine Athena, for which he was found guilty that is, about the middle of July.
and sentenced to banishment; but having come to # The form in which Seneca puts this part of
Elis, and having made among the Eleians the the story, namely, that the Eleians borrowed Phei-
statue of the Olympian Zeus, and having been dias of the Athenians, in order to his making the
found guilty by them of peculation, he was put to Olympian Jupiter, is a mere fiction, supported by
death. " (Schol. in Arist. ed. Dindorf ; Fragm. Histor. no other writer. (Senec. Rhet. ii. 8. )
## p. 248 (#264) ############################################
248
PHEIDIAS.
PILEIDIAS
to have been felt, much less manifested, at the exile, banished for peculation ? All that is told us
moment when he had finished the works which of his visit combines to show that he went attended
placed Athens at the very summit of all that was by his principal disciples, transferring in fact his
beautiful and maguificent in Grecian art. It is school of art for a time from Athens, where his
necessary to bear in mind these arguments from the chief work was ended, to Elis and Olympia, which
probabilities of the case, on account of the meagre- he was now invited to adorn. Among the artists
ness of the positive facts that are recorded. There who accompanied him were Colores, who worked
is, however, one fact, which seems to fix, with to. with him upon the statue of Zeus, as already upon
lerable certainty, the time when Pheidias was en- that of Athena, and who executed other important
gaged on the statue at Olympia. Pausanias informs works for the Eleians ; PANAENUS, his relative,
us (v. 11. & 2) that, on one of the flat pieces which who executed the chief pictorial embellishments of
extended between the legs of the throne of the the statue and temple ; ALCAMENES, his most dis-
statue, among other figures representing the athletic tinguished disciple, who made the statues in the
contests, was one of a youth binding his head with hinder pediment of the temple ; not to mention
a fillet (the symbol of victory), who was said to re- Paeonius of Mende, and CLEOETAS, whose con-
semble Pantarces, an Eleian boy, who was beloved nection with Pheidias, though not certain, is ex-
by Pheidias ; and that Pantarces was victor in tremely probable. It is worthy of notice that,
the boys' wrestling, in Ol. 86, B. C. 436. If there nearly at the time when the artists of the school of
be any truth in this account, it follows, first, that Pheidias were thus employed in a body at Olympia,
the statue could not have been completed before those of the Athenian archaic school - such as
this date, and also that, in all probability, Pheidias Praxias, the disciple of Calamis, and Androsthenes,
was engaged upon it at the very time of the victory the disciple of Eucadmus, were similarly engaged
of Pantarces. That the relief was not added at a on the iemple at Delphi (see Müller, de Phid. lit.
later period, is certain, for there is not the least p. 28, n. y. ). The honour in which Pheidias lived
reason for supposing that any one worked upon the among the Eleians is also shown by their assigning
statue after Pheidias, nor would any subsequent to him a stndio in the neighbourhood of the Allis
artist have the motive which Pheidias had to re- (Paus. v. 15. $ 1), and by their permitting him to
present Pantarces at all.
A more plausible ob inscribe his name npon the footstool of the god, an
jection is founded on the uncertainty of the tradition, honour which had been denied to him at Athenst
which Pausanias only records in the vague terms (Paus. v. 10. § 2 ; Cic. Tusc. Quaest. i. 15). The
doukévai tò eldos néyovo. . But it must be remem- inscription was as follows:-
bered that the story was derived from a class of
persons who were not only specially appointed to
Φειδίας Χαρμίδου υιος Αθηναίος μ' επόηση.
the charge of the statue, but were the rery de Without raising a question whether he would thus
scendants of Pheidias, and who had, therefore. solemnly have inscribed his name as an Athenian
every motive to preserve every tradition respecting
him. The very utmost that can be granted is, if he had been an exile, we may point to clearer
that the resemblance may have been a fancy, but proofs of his good feeling towards his native city
that the tradition of the love of Pheidias for Pan- in some of the figures with which he adorned his
tarces was true ; and this would be sufficient to great work, such as that of Theseus (Paus. r. 10.
fix, pretty nearly, the time of the residence of the $ 2), and of Salamis holding the aplustre, in a
artist among the Eleians. If we are to believe group with personified Greece, probably crowning
Clemens of Alexandria, and other late writers, her (Paus. v. 11. § 2). These subjecis are also
Pheidias also inscribed the name of Pantarces on
important in another light. They seem to show
the finger of the statue (Cohort. p. 16 ; Arnob. Eleians were on a good understanding with Athens,
that the work was executed at a time when the
adv. Gent. vi. 13).
Besides urging the objections just referred to
that is, before the breaking out of the Pelopon-
nesian War.
against the story of Pantarces, Heyne endeavours
From the above considerations, making allowance
to establish an earlier date for the statue from that
of the temple ; which was built out of the spoils also for the time which so great a work would ne-
taken in the war between the Eleians and Pisaeans. cessarily occupy, it may be inferred, with great
The date of this war was 01. 50, B. c. 580 ; but it probability, that Pheidias was engaged on the
is impossible to argue from the time when spoils Eleians, for about the four or five years from B. C.
statue of Zeus and his other works among the
were gained to the time when they were applied 437 to 434 of 433. It would seem that he then
to their sacred uses : and the argument, if pressed returned to Athens, and there fell a victim to the
at all, would obviously prove too much, and throw
back the completion of the temple long before the jealousy against his great patron, Pericles
, which
time of Pheidias. On the whole, therefore, we
was then at its height. That he was the object of
may conclude that Pheidias was at work among the general consent of the chief ancient authorities
some fierce attack by the party opposed to Pericles,
the Eleians about B. c. 436, or two years later tban forbids us to doubt ; and a careful attention to the
the dedication of his Athera of the Parthenon.
Now, was he there at the invitation of the internal politics of Athens will, perhaps, guide us
Eleians, who desired that their sanctuary of the through the conflicting statements which we bare
supreme deity, the centre of the religious and social to deal with, to a tolerably safe conclusion.
union of Greece, should be adorned by a work of
The most important testimony on the subject,
art, surpassing, if possible, the statue which had and one which is in fact enough to settle the
just spread the fame of Athens and of Pheidias question, is that of Aristophanes (Pur, 605),
over Greece ; or was he there as a dishonoured
+ He had, however been honoured by the in-
• The important bearing of this tradition on scription of his name on a column as the maker of
the question of the age of Pheidias is obvious. the throne of the goddess. (Plut. Per. 13. )
## p. 249 (#265) ############################################
PHEIDIAS.
249
PHEIDIAS.
B. C.
where, speaking of the commencement of the war, from official records,
namely the archonship of Py-
he says :
thodorus, or B. C. 432. The death of Pheidias hap-
Πρώτα μεν γαρ ήρξεν άτης Φειδίας πράξας κακώς: pened about the time of the completion of the last
elta Hepikaéns poendels us per do xou vas túxns, of those great works which he superintended,
τας φύσεις υμών δεδoικώς και τον αυτοδαζ τρόπον, about the time when he went to Elis, A. c. 437.
namely, the Propylaea, which had been commenced
πριν παθείν τι δεινόν, αυτός εξέφλεξε την πόλιν,
εμβαλών σπινθήρα μικρόν Μεγαρικού ψηφίσματος, | of the life of Pheidias, according to their actual or
It will be useful to give a synopsis of the events
κάξεφύσησεν τοσούτον πόλεμον, κ. τ. λ.
probable dates.
From this passage we learn, not only that Pheidias
Ol.
suffered some extreme calamity at the hands of the 490 72. 3 Battle of Marathon.
Athenians, but that the attack upon him was of 488 73. 1 Pheidias born about this time.
such a nature as to make Pericles tremble for his 468 77. 4 Cimon commences the temple of
own safety, and to hurry the city into war by the
passing of the decree against Megara, which decree 464 79. 1 Pheidias
studies under Ageladas,
Theseus.
was made not later than the beginning of B. C. 432.
probably about this time, having
It is clear that Pericles was at that period ex-
previously been instructed by
tremely unpopular with a large party in Athens,
who, thinking him too powerful to be overthrown 460 80. ] Pheidias begins to flourish about this
Hegias. Aet. 25.
by a direct attack, aimed at him in the persons of
his most cherished friends, Pheidias, Anaxagoras; 457 80. 3 The general restoration of the temples
time. Aet. 29.
and Aspasia. This explanation is precisely that
destroyed by the Persians com-
given by Plutarch (Peric. 31), who furnishes us with
menced about this time.
particulars of the accusation against Pheidias. At 444 84. 1 Sole administration of Pericles. --
the instigation of the enemies of Pericles, a certain
Pheidias overseer of all the public
Menon, who had been employed under Pheidias,
works. Aet. 44.
laid an information against him for peculation, a 438 85. 3 The Parthenon, with the chrys-
charge which was at once refuted, as, by the advice
of Pericles, the gold had been affixed to the statue
elephantine statue of Athena,
in such a manner that it could be removed and the 437 85. 4 Pheidias goes to Elis. - The Propy-
finished and dedicated. Aet. 50.
weight of it examined (comp. Thuc. ii. 13). The
accusers then charged Pheidias with impiety, in 436 86. 1 Pantarces Olympic victor.
laea commenced.
having introduced into the battle of the Amazons, 433 86. 4 The statue of Zeus at Olympia coin-
on the shield of the goddess, his own likeness and
that of Pericles, the former as a bald old man*, 432 87. 1 Accusation and death of Pheidias.
pleted.
hurling a stone with both his hands, and the latter
as a very handsome warrior, fighting with an The disciples of Pheidias were Agoracritus,
Amazon, his face being partially concealed by the Alcamenes, and Colotes (see the articles).
hand which held his uplifted spear, so that the II. His Works. The subjects of the art of
likeness was only visible on a side view. On this Pheidias were for the most part sacred, and the
latter charge Pheidias was thrown into prison, following list will show how favourite a subject
where he died from disease, or, as the less scrupu- with him was the tutelary goddess of Athens. In
lous partizans of Pericles maintained, from poison. describing them, it is of great importance to ob-
The people voted to his accuser Menon, on the serve, not only the connection of their subjects,
proposal of Glycon, exemption from taxes, and but, as far as possible, their chronological order.
charged the generals to watch over his safety. The classification according to materials, which is
Plutarch then proceeds (c. 32) to narrate, as parts adopted by Sillig, besides being arbitrary, is rather
of the same train of events, and as occurring about a hindrance than a help to the historical study of
the same time, the attacks upon A spasia and Anax- the works of Pheidias.
agoras, and concludes by distinctly affirming that 1. The Athena at Pellene in Achaia, of ivory
the attack on Pheidias inspired Pericles with a and gold, must be placed among his earliest works,
fear, which induced him to blow into a flame the if we accept the tradition preserved by Pausanias,
smouldering sparks of the coming war (as de did that Pheidias made it before he made the statues
Φειδίου προσέπταισε το δήμο, φοβηθείς το δικασ- | of Athena in the Acropolis at Athens, and at
thplov, uémdorta TÒY RÓA EUov Kal ÚROTUDÓLevov Plataeae. (Paus. vii. 27. 8 1. ) If this be true, we
εξέκαυσεν, ελπίζων διασκεδάσειν τα εγκλήματα, have an important indication of the early period at
Kal TanELVÉGELV Tòv plávov). To complete the evi- which he devoted his attention to chryselephan-
dence, Philochorus, though he (or the scholiasts who tine statuary. This is one of several instances in
quote him) has made a confusion of the facts, may which we know that Pheidias worked for other
be relied on for the date, which he doubtless took states besides his native city and Elis, but unfor-
tunately we have no safe grounds to determine the
This is another piece of circumstantial evi- dates of such visits.
dence respecting the age of Pheidias ; and Thiersch 2. It cannot be doubted that those statues which
regards it as the hinge on which the whole question were made, or believed to have been made out of
turns! But very little can be inferred from it. It the spoils of the Persian wars, were among his
may even be doubted whether Pheidias really was earliest works, and perhaps the very first of his
bald, or whether the baldness of the figure was not great works (at least as to the time when it was
an intentional disguise, like the uplifted hand and undertaken, for it would necessarily take long to
spear of Pericles. But, suppose the fact to be complete), was the group of statues in bronze,
taken literally, can it alone decide whether he was which the Athenians dedicated at Delphi, as a
fifty or seventy?
votive offering, out of the tithe of their share of
## p. 250 (#266) ############################################
250
PIIEIDIAS.
PIIEIDIAS.
the Persian spoils. The statues were thirteen which he mentions in such a way as to imply,
in number, namely, Athena A pollo, Miltiades, probably but not certainly, that it also was a
Erechtheus, Cecrops, Pandion, Celeus, Antiochus, statue of Athena. The key in the hand of this
Aegeus, Acamas, Codrus, Theseus, Phyleus. (Paus. statue was probably the symbol of initiation into
x. 30. § 1. )
the mysteries.
3. The colossal bronze statue of Athena Proma- 8. We now come to the greatest of Pheidias's
chus, in the Acropolis, was also said to have been works at Athens, te irory and gold statue of
made out of the spoils of Marathon ; but it is im- Athena in the Parthenon, and the other sculptures
portant to remember the sense in which this must which arlorned thnt temple. It is true, indeed,
probably be understood, as explained above. Böt- that none of the ancient writers ascribe expressly
tiger supposes that it was placed in the temple of to Pheidias the execution of any of these sculp-
Athena Polias (Andeutungen, p. 8+, Amullhea, tures, except the statue of the goddess herself ;
vol. ii. p. 314); but there can be no doubt that it but neither do they mention any other artists as
stood in the open air, between the Propylaea and having executed them: so that from their silence,
the Parthenon, as it is represented on the coin men combined with the statement of Plutarch, that all
tioned below. It was between fifty and sixty feet the great works of art of the time of Pericles were
high, with the pedestal ; and the point of the spear entrusted to the care of Pheidias, and, above all,
and the crest of the helmet were visible as far off from the marks which the sculptures themselves
ns Sunium to ships approaching Athens. (Strab. bear of having been designed by one mind, and
vi. p. 278 ; Paus. i. 28. § 2 ; comp. Herod. v. 77. ) that a master mind, it may be inferred with cer-
It was still standing as late as a. D. 395, when it tainty, that all the sculptures of the Parthenon
was seen by Alaric. (Zosimus, v. 6. ) It repre- are to be ascribed to Pheidias, as their designer
Bented the goddess holding up both her spear and and superintendent, though the actual execution of
shield, in the attitude of a combatant. (Ibid. ) The them must of necessity have been entrusted to
entire completion of the ornamental work upon this artists working under his direction. These sculp-
statue was long delayed, if we are to believe the tures consisted of the colossal statue of the goddess
statement, that the shield was engraved by Mys, herself ; and the ornaments of the sanctuary in which
after the design of Parrhasius. (See Mys, Par- she was enshrined, namely, the sculptures in the
RHASIus: the matter is very doubtful, but, con- two pediments, the high-reliefs in the metopes of
Bidering the vast number of great works of art on the frieze, and the continuous bas relief which
which Pheidias and his fellow-artists were en- surrounded the cella, forming a sort of frieze be-
gaged, the delay in the completion of the statue is neath the ceiling of the peristyle.
not altogether improbable. ) This statue is ex- The great statue of the goddess was of that kind
hibited in a rude representation of the Acropolis, of work which the Greeks called chrysclephantine,
on an old Athenian coin which is engraved in and which Pheidias is said to have invented. Up
Müller's Denkmäler, vol. i. pl. xx. fig. 104. to his time colossal statues, when not of bronze,
4. Those faithful allies of the Athenians, the were acroliths, that is, only the face, hands, and
Plataeans, in dedicating the tithe of their share feet, were of marble, the body being of wood,
of the Persian spoils, availed themselves of the which was concealed by real drapery. An example
skill of Pheidias, who made for them a statue of of such a statue by Pheidias himself has been
Athena Areia, of a size not much less than the mentioned just above. Pheidias, then, substituted
statue in the Acropolis. The colossus at Plataeae for marble the costlier and more beautiful material,
was an acrolith, the body being of wood gilt, and ivory, in those parts of the statue which were un-
the face, hands, and feet, of Pentelic marble. (Paus. clothed, and, instead of real drapery, he made the
ix. 4. & 1. ) The language of Pausanias, here and robes and other ornaments of solid gold. The me-
elsewhere, and the nature of the case, make it chanical process by which the plates of ivory were
nearly certain that this statue was made about the laid on to the wooden core of the statue is de-
same time as that in the Acropolis.
scribed, together with the other details of the art of
5. Besides the Athena Promachus, the Acropolis chryselephantine statuary, in the elaborate work of
contained a bronze statue of Athena, of such sur. Quatremère de Quincy, Le Jupiter O'ympien, and
passing beauty, that it was esteemed by many not more briefly in an excellent chapter of the work
only as the finest work of Pheidias, but as the entitled the Menageries, vol. ii. c. 13. In the
standard ideal representation of the goddess. (See Athena of the Parthenon the object of Pheidias
Paus. i.
of Aristeides and Themistocles, and the early part riora et Tuscanicis proxima Callon atque Egesias,
of Cimon's, were fully engaged with sterner neces- jam minus rigida Calamis, molliora adhuc supra dictis
sities than even the restoration of the sacred edifices Myron fecit. ” Here we have the names of Cana-
and statues. At length even the appearance of chus, Callon, and Hegesias, representing the tho-
danger from Persia entirely ceased ; the Spartans roughly archaic school, and of Calamis as still
were fully occupied at home; the Athenians archaic, though less decidedly so, and then there is
had converted their nominal supremacy into the at once a transition to Myron and Polycleitus, the
real empire of the Aegean ; and the common younger contemporaries of Pheidias. If we inquire
treasury was transferred from Delos to Athens more particularly into the dates of these artists, we
(B. C. 465); at home Cimon was in the height of find that Canachus and Callon flourished probably
his power and popularity, and Pericles was just between B. c. 520 and 480. Hegesias, or Hegias,
coming forward into public life ; while the most is made by Pausanias a contemporary of Onatas,
essential defences of the city were already com- and of Ageladas (of whom we shall presently have
pleted. The period had undoubtedly come for to speak), and is expressly mentioned by Lucian,
the restoration of the sacred edifices and for the in connection with two other artists, Critios and
commencement of that brilliant era of art, which is Nesiotes, as tỉis malaias épgaolas, while Pliny, in
inseparably connected with the name of Pheidias, his loose way, makes him, and Alcamenes, and
and which found a still more complete opportunity Critios and Nesiotes, all rivals of Pheidias in 01.
for its development when, after the conclusion of 84, B. C. 444 [HEGIAS). Of the artists, whose
the wars which occupied so much of the attention names are thus added to those first mentioned, we
of Cimon and of Pericles during the following know that Critios and Nesiotes executed works
twenty years, the thirty years' truce was concluded about B. c. 477 [Critios]; and Onatas, who was
with the Lacedaemonians, and the power of Pericles contemporary with Polygnotus, was reckoned as a
was finally established by the ostracism of Thucy- Daedalian artist, and clearly belonged to the
dides (B. C. 445, 444); while the treasury of archaic school, wrought, with Calamis, in B. C. 467,
Athens was continually augmented by the contri- and probably flourished as late as B. C. 460. Ca-
butions levied from the revolted allies. There is, lamis, though contemporary with Onatas, seems to
indeed, no dispute as to the fact that the period have been younger, and his name (as the above
from B. C. 444 to the breaking out of the Pelopon- citations show) marks the introduction of a less
nesian War, B. c. 431, was that during which the rigid style of art (Calamis"). Thus we have a
most important works of art were executed, under
the administration of Pericles and under the super- It is, however, far from certain that the statue
intendence of Pheidias. The question really in of Apollo Alexicacos by Calamis, at Athens, fur-
dispute regards only the commencement of the nishes a sufficient ground for bringing down bis
period.
date to the great plague at Athens, in B. C. 430,
An important event of Cimon's administration 429. Pausanias merely assigns this as a traditional
affords a strong confirmation
to the general con- reason for the surname of the god, whereas we
clusion suggested by the above view of the history know it to have been an epithet very anciently
R 3
## p. 246 (#262) ############################################
2. 16
PHEIDIAS.
PIEIDIAS.
series of artists of the archaic school, extending! mined ; the 6th has been noticed already; and the
quite down to the middle of the fifth century, B. C. ; 7th may be disposed of as another example of the
and therefore the conclusion seems unavoidnble loose way in which Pliny groups artists together.
that the establishment of the new school, of which The conclusion will then be that Ageladas flourished
Pheidias was the head, cannot be referred to a during the first half and down to the middle of the
period much earlier,
fifth century BC. The limits of this article do
But a more positive argument for our artist's not allow us to pursue this important part of the
date is supplied by this list of names. Besides subject further. For a fuller discussion of it the
Agendas, whom most of the authorities mention reader is referred to Müller, de Phidiae Vita, pp.
as the teacher of Pheidias, Dio Chrysostom (Or. iv. 11, &c. Müller maintains the probability of
p. 558) gives another name, which is printed in Ageladas having visited Athens, both from his
the editions 'Italou, but appears in the MSS. as having been the teacher of Pheidias and Myron,
innor, out of which prior may be made by a and from the possession by the Attic payus of
very slight alteration ; and, if this conjecture be Melite of his statue of Heracles (Schol. ad Arig-
admitted, we have, as a teacher of Pheidias, He- toph. Ran, 504). He suggests also, that the time
gias or Hegesins, who, as we have seen, was cons of this visit may have taken place after the alliance
temporary with Onatas. Without any conjecture, between Athens and Argos, about B. c. 461; but
however, we know that Ageladas of Argos, the this is purely conjectural.
principal master of Pheidias, was contemporary The above arguments respecting the date of
with Onatns, and also that he was the teacher of Pheidias might be confirmed by the particular facts
Myron and Polycleitus. It is true that a new set that are recorded of him ; but these facts will be
of difficulties here arises respecting the date of best stated in their proper places in the account of
Ageladas himself; and these difficulties have led his life. As the general result of the inquiry, it is
Thiersch to adopt the conjecture that two artists clearly impossible to fix the precise date of the
of the same name have been confounded together. birth of the artist; but the evidence preponderates,
This easy device experience shows to be always we think, in favour of the supposition that Pheidias
suspicious ; and in this case it seems peculiarly began to work as a statuary about OL 79, B. C.
arbitrary, when the statement is that Ageladas, 464 ; and, supposing him to hare been about
one of the most famous statuaries of Greece, was twenty-five years old at this period, bis birth
the teacher of three others of the most celebrated would fall about 489 or 490, that is to say, about
artists, Pheidias, Myron, and Polycleitus, to sepa- the time of the battle of Marathon. We now re-
rate this Ageladas into two persons, making one turn to what is known of his life.
the teacher of Pheidias, the other of Myron and It is not improbable that Pheidias belonged to a
Po! ycleitus. Certainly, if two artists of the name family of artists ; for his brother or nephew Pa-
must be imagined, it would be better to make naenus was a celebrated painter; and he himself is
Pheidins, with Myron and Polycleitus, the disciple related to have occupied himself with painting,
of the younger.
before he turned his attention to statuary. (Plin.
The principal data for the time for Ageladas are H. N. xxx«. 8. 8. 31. ) He was at first instructed
these :- 1. He executed one statue of the group in statuary bs native artists (of whom Hegias
of three Muses, of which Canachus and Aristocles alone is mentioned, or supposed to be mentioned,
made the other two; 2. he made statues of Olympic under the altered form of his name, Hippias, see
victors, who conquered in the 65th and 66th Olym- abore), and afterwards by Ageladas. The occasion
piads, B. c. 520,516, and of another whose victory for the development of his talents was furnished
was about the same period ; 3. he was contempo- (as has been already argued at length) by the
rary with Hegias and Onatas, who flourished about works undertaken, chiefly at Athens, after the
B. C. 467 ; 4. he made a statue of Zeus for the Persian wars. Of these works, the group of statues
Messenians of Naupactus, which must have been dedicated at Delphi out of the tithe of the spoils
after B. c. 455; 5. he was the teacher of Pheidias, would no doubt be among the first ; and it has
Myron, and Polycleitus, who fiourished in the therefore been assumed that this was the first
middle of the fifth century, B. C. ; 6. he made a great work of Pheidias : it will be described pre-
statue of Heracles Alexicacos, at Melite, which sently. The statue of Athena Promachus would
was supposed to have been set up during the great probably also, for the same reason of discharging
plague of B. C. 430—429 ; and 7. he is placed by a religious duty, be among the first works under-
Pliny, with Polycleitus, Phradmon, and Myron, taken for the ornament of the city, and we shall
at 01. 87, B. C. 432. Now of these data, the 3rd, probably not be far wrong in assigning the execu-
4th, and 5th can alone be relied on, and they are tion of it to about the year B. C. 160. This work,
not irreconcileable with the 1st, for Ageladas from all we know of it, must have established his
may, as a young man, have worked with Canachus reputation ; but it was surpassed by the splendid
and Aristocles, and yet have flourished down to productions of his own hand, and of others work-
the middle of the fifth century: the 2nd is entirely ing under his direction, during the administration
inconclusive, for the statues of Olympic victors of Pericles. That statesman not only chose Phei-
were often made long after their victories were dias to execute the principal statues which were to
be set up, but gave him the orersight of all the
applied to various divinities, and analogy would works of art which were to be erected. Plutarch,
lead us to suppose its origin to be mythical rather from whom we learn this fact, enumerates the fol-
than historical. The matter is the more important, lowing classes of artists and artificers, who all
inasmuch as Ageladas also (on whose date the worked under the direction of Pheidias : 76KTOVES,
present question very much turns) is placed by πλάσται, χαλκοτύποι, λιθουργοί, βαφείς, χρυσού
some as late as this same plague on the strength of μαλακτήρες και ελέφαντος, ζωγράφοι, ποικιλται,
his statue of Heracles Alexicacos. (Comp. Müller, Topeutai. (Plut. Peric. 12. ) Of these works the
de Phidiae Vita, pp. 13, 14. )
chief were the Propylaea of the Acropolis, and,
## p. 247 (#263) ############################################
PHIEIDIAS.
247
PHEIDIAS.
ahore all, that most perfect work of human art, Graec. p. 400, ed. Müller. ) It must be remem-
the temple of Athena on the Acropolis, called bered that this is the statement of Philochorus, as
the Parthenon or the Hecatompedon, on which, as quoted by two different scholiasts ; but still the
the central point of the Athenian polity and reli- general agreement shows that the passage is toler-
gion, the highest efforts of the best of artists were ably genuine. Of the corrections of Palmerius,
employed. There can be no doubt that the sculp- one is obviously right, namely the name of Pythio-
tured ornaments of this temple, the remains of dorus for Scylhodorus; for the latter archon is not
which forin the glory of our national museum, were mentioned elsewhere. Pythodorus was archon in
executed under the immediate superintendence of OL 87. 1, B. C. 432, and seven years before him
Pheidias ; but the colossal statue of the divinity, was the archonship of Theodorus, Ol. 85. 3, B. c.
which was enclosed within that magnificent shrine, 438. In the latter year, therefore, the statue was
was the work of the artist's own hand, and was dedicated ; and this date is confirmed by Diodorus
for ages esteemed the greatest production of Greek (xii. 31), and by Eusebius, who places the making
statuary, with the exception of the similar, but of the statue in the 2d year of the 85th Olympiad. "
even more splendid statue of Zeus, which Pheidias This is, therefore, the surest chronological fact in
afterwards executed in his temple at Olympia. the whole life of Pheidias. t
The materials chosen for this statue were ivory and The other parts, however, of the account of
gold; that is to say, the statue was formed of plates Philochorus, are involved in much difficulty. On
of ivory laid upon a core of wood or stone, for the the very face of the statement, the story of Pheidias
flesh parts, and the drapery and other ornaments having been first banished by the Athenians, and
were of solid gold. It is said that the choice of these afterwards put to death by the Eleinns, on a charge
materials resulted from the determination of the precisely similar in both cases, may be almost cer-
Athenians to lavish the resources of wealth, as well tainly pronounced a confused repetition of the same
as of art, on the chief statue of their tutelary deity ; event. Next, the idea that Pheidias went to Elis
for when Pheidias laid before the ecclesia his design as an exile, is perfectly inadmissible. This will be
for the statue, and proposed to make it either of clearly seen, if we examine what is known of the
ivory and gold, or of white marble, intimating visit of Pheidias to the Eleians.
however his own preference for the latter, the There can be little doubt that the account of Phi-
people at once resolved that those materials which lochorus is true so far as this, that the statue at
were the most costly should be employed. (Val. Olympia was made by Pheidias after his great
Max, i. 1. $ 7. ) The statue was dedicated in the works at Athens. Heyne, indeed, maintains the
3d year of the 85th Olympiad, B. c. 438, in the contrary, but the fallacy of his arguments will pre-
archonship of Theodorus. The statue itself will sently appear. It is not at all probable that the
be described presently, with the other works of Athenians, in their eagerness to honour their god-
Pheidias ; but there are certain stories respecting dess by the originality as well as by the magnificence
it, which require notice here, as bearing upon the of her statue, should have been content with an
life and death of the artist, and as connected with imitation of a work so unsurpassable as the statue
the date of his other great work, the colossal statue of Zeus at Olympia-; but it is probable that the
of Zeus at Olympia.
Eleians, as the keepers of the sanctuary of the
The scholiast on Aristophanes (Pax, 605) has supreme divinity, should have desired to eclipse the
preserved the following story from the Atthis of statue of Athena : and the fact, that of these two
Philochorus, who flourished about B. c. 300, and statues the preference was always given to that of
whose authority is considerable, inasmuch as he Zeus, is no small proof that it was the last executed.
was a priest and soothsayer, and was therefore Very probably, too, in this fact we may find one of
well acquainted with the legends and history of the chief causes of the resentment of the Athenians
his country, especially those bearing upon religious against Pheidias, a resentment which is not likely
matters. “ Under the year of the archonship of
Pythodorus (or, according to the correction of It is not, however, absolutely necessary to
Palmerius, Theodorus), Philochorus says that the adopt the other correction of Palmerius, eodpov
golden statue of Athena was set up in the great for Ilvlodópov, since Philochorus may naturally
temple, having forty-four talents' weight of gold, have placed the whole account of the trial
, fight,
under the superintendence of Pericles, and the and death of Pheidias under the year of his death;
workmanship of Pheidias. And Pheidias, appear or the scholiasts, in quoting the account of his
ing to have misappropriated the ivory for the scales death, given by Philochorus under the year of
(of the dragons) was condemned. And, having Pythodorus, may have mixed up with it the be-
gone as an exile to Elis, he is said to have made ginning of the story, which Philochorus had put in
the statue of Zeus at Olympia ; but having finished its proper place, under the year of Theodorus. The
this, he was put to death by the Eleians in the correction, however, makes the whole matter clearer,
archonship of Scythodorus (or, according to the and the words drò toútov rather favour it.
correction of Palmerius, Pythodorus), who is the + It is remarked by Müller, with equal inge-
seventh from this one (i. e. Theodorus), &c. '” And nuity and probability, that the dedication of the
then, further down, ** Pheidias, as Philochorus statue may be supposed to have taken place at the
says in the archonship of Pythodorus (or Theo-Great Panathenaea, which were celebrated in the
dorus, as above), having made the statue of Athena third year of every Olympiad, towards the end of
pilfered the gold from the dragons of the chrysele- the first month of the Attic year, Hecatombaeon,
pbantine Athena, for which he was found guilty that is, about the middle of July.
and sentenced to banishment; but having come to # The form in which Seneca puts this part of
Elis, and having made among the Eleians the the story, namely, that the Eleians borrowed Phei-
statue of the Olympian Zeus, and having been dias of the Athenians, in order to his making the
found guilty by them of peculation, he was put to Olympian Jupiter, is a mere fiction, supported by
death. " (Schol. in Arist. ed. Dindorf ; Fragm. Histor. no other writer. (Senec. Rhet. ii. 8. )
## p. 248 (#264) ############################################
248
PHEIDIAS.
PILEIDIAS
to have been felt, much less manifested, at the exile, banished for peculation ? All that is told us
moment when he had finished the works which of his visit combines to show that he went attended
placed Athens at the very summit of all that was by his principal disciples, transferring in fact his
beautiful and maguificent in Grecian art. It is school of art for a time from Athens, where his
necessary to bear in mind these arguments from the chief work was ended, to Elis and Olympia, which
probabilities of the case, on account of the meagre- he was now invited to adorn. Among the artists
ness of the positive facts that are recorded. There who accompanied him were Colores, who worked
is, however, one fact, which seems to fix, with to. with him upon the statue of Zeus, as already upon
lerable certainty, the time when Pheidias was en- that of Athena, and who executed other important
gaged on the statue at Olympia. Pausanias informs works for the Eleians ; PANAENUS, his relative,
us (v. 11. & 2) that, on one of the flat pieces which who executed the chief pictorial embellishments of
extended between the legs of the throne of the the statue and temple ; ALCAMENES, his most dis-
statue, among other figures representing the athletic tinguished disciple, who made the statues in the
contests, was one of a youth binding his head with hinder pediment of the temple ; not to mention
a fillet (the symbol of victory), who was said to re- Paeonius of Mende, and CLEOETAS, whose con-
semble Pantarces, an Eleian boy, who was beloved nection with Pheidias, though not certain, is ex-
by Pheidias ; and that Pantarces was victor in tremely probable. It is worthy of notice that,
the boys' wrestling, in Ol. 86, B. C. 436. If there nearly at the time when the artists of the school of
be any truth in this account, it follows, first, that Pheidias were thus employed in a body at Olympia,
the statue could not have been completed before those of the Athenian archaic school - such as
this date, and also that, in all probability, Pheidias Praxias, the disciple of Calamis, and Androsthenes,
was engaged upon it at the very time of the victory the disciple of Eucadmus, were similarly engaged
of Pantarces. That the relief was not added at a on the iemple at Delphi (see Müller, de Phid. lit.
later period, is certain, for there is not the least p. 28, n. y. ). The honour in which Pheidias lived
reason for supposing that any one worked upon the among the Eleians is also shown by their assigning
statue after Pheidias, nor would any subsequent to him a stndio in the neighbourhood of the Allis
artist have the motive which Pheidias had to re- (Paus. v. 15. $ 1), and by their permitting him to
present Pantarces at all.
A more plausible ob inscribe his name npon the footstool of the god, an
jection is founded on the uncertainty of the tradition, honour which had been denied to him at Athenst
which Pausanias only records in the vague terms (Paus. v. 10. § 2 ; Cic. Tusc. Quaest. i. 15). The
doukévai tò eldos néyovo. . But it must be remem- inscription was as follows:-
bered that the story was derived from a class of
persons who were not only specially appointed to
Φειδίας Χαρμίδου υιος Αθηναίος μ' επόηση.
the charge of the statue, but were the rery de Without raising a question whether he would thus
scendants of Pheidias, and who had, therefore. solemnly have inscribed his name as an Athenian
every motive to preserve every tradition respecting
him. The very utmost that can be granted is, if he had been an exile, we may point to clearer
that the resemblance may have been a fancy, but proofs of his good feeling towards his native city
that the tradition of the love of Pheidias for Pan- in some of the figures with which he adorned his
tarces was true ; and this would be sufficient to great work, such as that of Theseus (Paus. r. 10.
fix, pretty nearly, the time of the residence of the $ 2), and of Salamis holding the aplustre, in a
artist among the Eleians. If we are to believe group with personified Greece, probably crowning
Clemens of Alexandria, and other late writers, her (Paus. v. 11. § 2). These subjecis are also
Pheidias also inscribed the name of Pantarces on
important in another light. They seem to show
the finger of the statue (Cohort. p. 16 ; Arnob. Eleians were on a good understanding with Athens,
that the work was executed at a time when the
adv. Gent. vi. 13).
Besides urging the objections just referred to
that is, before the breaking out of the Pelopon-
nesian War.
against the story of Pantarces, Heyne endeavours
From the above considerations, making allowance
to establish an earlier date for the statue from that
of the temple ; which was built out of the spoils also for the time which so great a work would ne-
taken in the war between the Eleians and Pisaeans. cessarily occupy, it may be inferred, with great
The date of this war was 01. 50, B. c. 580 ; but it probability, that Pheidias was engaged on the
is impossible to argue from the time when spoils Eleians, for about the four or five years from B. C.
statue of Zeus and his other works among the
were gained to the time when they were applied 437 to 434 of 433. It would seem that he then
to their sacred uses : and the argument, if pressed returned to Athens, and there fell a victim to the
at all, would obviously prove too much, and throw
back the completion of the temple long before the jealousy against his great patron, Pericles
, which
time of Pheidias. On the whole, therefore, we
was then at its height. That he was the object of
may conclude that Pheidias was at work among the general consent of the chief ancient authorities
some fierce attack by the party opposed to Pericles,
the Eleians about B. c. 436, or two years later tban forbids us to doubt ; and a careful attention to the
the dedication of his Athera of the Parthenon.
Now, was he there at the invitation of the internal politics of Athens will, perhaps, guide us
Eleians, who desired that their sanctuary of the through the conflicting statements which we bare
supreme deity, the centre of the religious and social to deal with, to a tolerably safe conclusion.
union of Greece, should be adorned by a work of
The most important testimony on the subject,
art, surpassing, if possible, the statue which had and one which is in fact enough to settle the
just spread the fame of Athens and of Pheidias question, is that of Aristophanes (Pur, 605),
over Greece ; or was he there as a dishonoured
+ He had, however been honoured by the in-
• The important bearing of this tradition on scription of his name on a column as the maker of
the question of the age of Pheidias is obvious. the throne of the goddess. (Plut. Per. 13. )
## p. 249 (#265) ############################################
PHEIDIAS.
249
PHEIDIAS.
B. C.
where, speaking of the commencement of the war, from official records,
namely the archonship of Py-
he says :
thodorus, or B. C. 432. The death of Pheidias hap-
Πρώτα μεν γαρ ήρξεν άτης Φειδίας πράξας κακώς: pened about the time of the completion of the last
elta Hepikaéns poendels us per do xou vas túxns, of those great works which he superintended,
τας φύσεις υμών δεδoικώς και τον αυτοδαζ τρόπον, about the time when he went to Elis, A. c. 437.
namely, the Propylaea, which had been commenced
πριν παθείν τι δεινόν, αυτός εξέφλεξε την πόλιν,
εμβαλών σπινθήρα μικρόν Μεγαρικού ψηφίσματος, | of the life of Pheidias, according to their actual or
It will be useful to give a synopsis of the events
κάξεφύσησεν τοσούτον πόλεμον, κ. τ. λ.
probable dates.
From this passage we learn, not only that Pheidias
Ol.
suffered some extreme calamity at the hands of the 490 72. 3 Battle of Marathon.
Athenians, but that the attack upon him was of 488 73. 1 Pheidias born about this time.
such a nature as to make Pericles tremble for his 468 77. 4 Cimon commences the temple of
own safety, and to hurry the city into war by the
passing of the decree against Megara, which decree 464 79. 1 Pheidias
studies under Ageladas,
Theseus.
was made not later than the beginning of B. C. 432.
probably about this time, having
It is clear that Pericles was at that period ex-
previously been instructed by
tremely unpopular with a large party in Athens,
who, thinking him too powerful to be overthrown 460 80. ] Pheidias begins to flourish about this
Hegias. Aet. 25.
by a direct attack, aimed at him in the persons of
his most cherished friends, Pheidias, Anaxagoras; 457 80. 3 The general restoration of the temples
time. Aet. 29.
and Aspasia. This explanation is precisely that
destroyed by the Persians com-
given by Plutarch (Peric. 31), who furnishes us with
menced about this time.
particulars of the accusation against Pheidias. At 444 84. 1 Sole administration of Pericles. --
the instigation of the enemies of Pericles, a certain
Pheidias overseer of all the public
Menon, who had been employed under Pheidias,
works. Aet. 44.
laid an information against him for peculation, a 438 85. 3 The Parthenon, with the chrys-
charge which was at once refuted, as, by the advice
of Pericles, the gold had been affixed to the statue
elephantine statue of Athena,
in such a manner that it could be removed and the 437 85. 4 Pheidias goes to Elis. - The Propy-
finished and dedicated. Aet. 50.
weight of it examined (comp. Thuc. ii. 13). The
accusers then charged Pheidias with impiety, in 436 86. 1 Pantarces Olympic victor.
laea commenced.
having introduced into the battle of the Amazons, 433 86. 4 The statue of Zeus at Olympia coin-
on the shield of the goddess, his own likeness and
that of Pericles, the former as a bald old man*, 432 87. 1 Accusation and death of Pheidias.
pleted.
hurling a stone with both his hands, and the latter
as a very handsome warrior, fighting with an The disciples of Pheidias were Agoracritus,
Amazon, his face being partially concealed by the Alcamenes, and Colotes (see the articles).
hand which held his uplifted spear, so that the II. His Works. The subjects of the art of
likeness was only visible on a side view. On this Pheidias were for the most part sacred, and the
latter charge Pheidias was thrown into prison, following list will show how favourite a subject
where he died from disease, or, as the less scrupu- with him was the tutelary goddess of Athens. In
lous partizans of Pericles maintained, from poison. describing them, it is of great importance to ob-
The people voted to his accuser Menon, on the serve, not only the connection of their subjects,
proposal of Glycon, exemption from taxes, and but, as far as possible, their chronological order.
charged the generals to watch over his safety. The classification according to materials, which is
Plutarch then proceeds (c. 32) to narrate, as parts adopted by Sillig, besides being arbitrary, is rather
of the same train of events, and as occurring about a hindrance than a help to the historical study of
the same time, the attacks upon A spasia and Anax- the works of Pheidias.
agoras, and concludes by distinctly affirming that 1. The Athena at Pellene in Achaia, of ivory
the attack on Pheidias inspired Pericles with a and gold, must be placed among his earliest works,
fear, which induced him to blow into a flame the if we accept the tradition preserved by Pausanias,
smouldering sparks of the coming war (as de did that Pheidias made it before he made the statues
Φειδίου προσέπταισε το δήμο, φοβηθείς το δικασ- | of Athena in the Acropolis at Athens, and at
thplov, uémdorta TÒY RÓA EUov Kal ÚROTUDÓLevov Plataeae. (Paus. vii. 27. 8 1. ) If this be true, we
εξέκαυσεν, ελπίζων διασκεδάσειν τα εγκλήματα, have an important indication of the early period at
Kal TanELVÉGELV Tòv plávov). To complete the evi- which he devoted his attention to chryselephan-
dence, Philochorus, though he (or the scholiasts who tine statuary. This is one of several instances in
quote him) has made a confusion of the facts, may which we know that Pheidias worked for other
be relied on for the date, which he doubtless took states besides his native city and Elis, but unfor-
tunately we have no safe grounds to determine the
This is another piece of circumstantial evi- dates of such visits.
dence respecting the age of Pheidias ; and Thiersch 2. It cannot be doubted that those statues which
regards it as the hinge on which the whole question were made, or believed to have been made out of
turns! But very little can be inferred from it. It the spoils of the Persian wars, were among his
may even be doubted whether Pheidias really was earliest works, and perhaps the very first of his
bald, or whether the baldness of the figure was not great works (at least as to the time when it was
an intentional disguise, like the uplifted hand and undertaken, for it would necessarily take long to
spear of Pericles. But, suppose the fact to be complete), was the group of statues in bronze,
taken literally, can it alone decide whether he was which the Athenians dedicated at Delphi, as a
fifty or seventy?
votive offering, out of the tithe of their share of
## p. 250 (#266) ############################################
250
PIIEIDIAS.
PIIEIDIAS.
the Persian spoils. The statues were thirteen which he mentions in such a way as to imply,
in number, namely, Athena A pollo, Miltiades, probably but not certainly, that it also was a
Erechtheus, Cecrops, Pandion, Celeus, Antiochus, statue of Athena. The key in the hand of this
Aegeus, Acamas, Codrus, Theseus, Phyleus. (Paus. statue was probably the symbol of initiation into
x. 30. § 1. )
the mysteries.
3. The colossal bronze statue of Athena Proma- 8. We now come to the greatest of Pheidias's
chus, in the Acropolis, was also said to have been works at Athens, te irory and gold statue of
made out of the spoils of Marathon ; but it is im- Athena in the Parthenon, and the other sculptures
portant to remember the sense in which this must which arlorned thnt temple. It is true, indeed,
probably be understood, as explained above. Böt- that none of the ancient writers ascribe expressly
tiger supposes that it was placed in the temple of to Pheidias the execution of any of these sculp-
Athena Polias (Andeutungen, p. 8+, Amullhea, tures, except the statue of the goddess herself ;
vol. ii. p. 314); but there can be no doubt that it but neither do they mention any other artists as
stood in the open air, between the Propylaea and having executed them: so that from their silence,
the Parthenon, as it is represented on the coin men combined with the statement of Plutarch, that all
tioned below. It was between fifty and sixty feet the great works of art of the time of Pericles were
high, with the pedestal ; and the point of the spear entrusted to the care of Pheidias, and, above all,
and the crest of the helmet were visible as far off from the marks which the sculptures themselves
ns Sunium to ships approaching Athens. (Strab. bear of having been designed by one mind, and
vi. p. 278 ; Paus. i. 28. § 2 ; comp. Herod. v. 77. ) that a master mind, it may be inferred with cer-
It was still standing as late as a. D. 395, when it tainty, that all the sculptures of the Parthenon
was seen by Alaric. (Zosimus, v. 6. ) It repre- are to be ascribed to Pheidias, as their designer
Bented the goddess holding up both her spear and and superintendent, though the actual execution of
shield, in the attitude of a combatant. (Ibid. ) The them must of necessity have been entrusted to
entire completion of the ornamental work upon this artists working under his direction. These sculp-
statue was long delayed, if we are to believe the tures consisted of the colossal statue of the goddess
statement, that the shield was engraved by Mys, herself ; and the ornaments of the sanctuary in which
after the design of Parrhasius. (See Mys, Par- she was enshrined, namely, the sculptures in the
RHASIus: the matter is very doubtful, but, con- two pediments, the high-reliefs in the metopes of
Bidering the vast number of great works of art on the frieze, and the continuous bas relief which
which Pheidias and his fellow-artists were en- surrounded the cella, forming a sort of frieze be-
gaged, the delay in the completion of the statue is neath the ceiling of the peristyle.
not altogether improbable. ) This statue is ex- The great statue of the goddess was of that kind
hibited in a rude representation of the Acropolis, of work which the Greeks called chrysclephantine,
on an old Athenian coin which is engraved in and which Pheidias is said to have invented. Up
Müller's Denkmäler, vol. i. pl. xx. fig. 104. to his time colossal statues, when not of bronze,
4. Those faithful allies of the Athenians, the were acroliths, that is, only the face, hands, and
Plataeans, in dedicating the tithe of their share feet, were of marble, the body being of wood,
of the Persian spoils, availed themselves of the which was concealed by real drapery. An example
skill of Pheidias, who made for them a statue of of such a statue by Pheidias himself has been
Athena Areia, of a size not much less than the mentioned just above. Pheidias, then, substituted
statue in the Acropolis. The colossus at Plataeae for marble the costlier and more beautiful material,
was an acrolith, the body being of wood gilt, and ivory, in those parts of the statue which were un-
the face, hands, and feet, of Pentelic marble. (Paus. clothed, and, instead of real drapery, he made the
ix. 4. & 1. ) The language of Pausanias, here and robes and other ornaments of solid gold. The me-
elsewhere, and the nature of the case, make it chanical process by which the plates of ivory were
nearly certain that this statue was made about the laid on to the wooden core of the statue is de-
same time as that in the Acropolis.
scribed, together with the other details of the art of
5. Besides the Athena Promachus, the Acropolis chryselephantine statuary, in the elaborate work of
contained a bronze statue of Athena, of such sur. Quatremère de Quincy, Le Jupiter O'ympien, and
passing beauty, that it was esteemed by many not more briefly in an excellent chapter of the work
only as the finest work of Pheidias, but as the entitled the Menageries, vol. ii. c. 13. In the
standard ideal representation of the goddess. (See Athena of the Parthenon the object of Pheidias
Paus. i.
