metope with which the temple is ornamented. Ten of these fill the eastern or principal front, and the four first on the south and north sides of the temple next to that front.

According to Plutarch,1 Hercules obtained from Aidoneus, king of Molossia, the liberty of Theseus; who, when he returned to Athens, evinced his gratitude by affixing the name of his benefactor to several buildings, which had been previously denominated Theseia. The Athenians in after ages, when erecting a temple to their ancient king, were probably influenced by a similar motive to embellish that edifice with the labours of Hercules.

Over the Pronaos is represented in high relief a combat between, some warriors, which has no allusion to the Amazons; for though there are six draped figures, some of which are apparently females, yet they are in a sitting posture, quietly contemplating the fight. Their position and superior stature designate them as divinities.

The old story of the Centaurs and the Lapithai is represented on the inner frize of the posticum or western end.

Amongst these figures a Lapitha is seen killing a Centaur, and another Lapitha is throwing a large stone at his antagonist. This seems to have been a common mode of fighting in the earliest times, and to have been practised by the greatest heroes, and even by the gods themselves. Homer represents Minerva throwing a large stone at Mars; and he puts the same rustic weapon into the hands of Diomedes,3 of Ajax,* and other chiefs. Virgil' alludes to a similar kind of warfare" Jamque faces, et saxa volant, furor arma ministrat."

The Ikonoklastic fury seems to have been wrecked on the sculpture of the Theseion, nearly as much as on that of the Parthenon. The figures are considerably mutilated; but enough still remains to shew that they are of a grand and heroic style, superior even to the

1 Life of Theseus. See Euripid. Hercul, furens. v. 1328. 3 Iliad. 5. v. 302,

Iliad. 12. v. 380.

2 Iliad. 21. v. 404.

5 Æneid. 1. v. 150.

metopa of the Parthenon. They must have been made only a few years before Phidias superintended the sculpture of the Acropolis, as the Theseion was erected under the archonship of Apsephion, in the seventy-seventh Olympiad, about 467 years before Christ. There is however some difference between the calculations of Dodwell' and Corsini2 upon this point.

It is probable that this beautiful sculpture is the production of the painter and sculptor Mikon, the same artist who painted the Poikile portico at Athens, and who made the statue of the Pankratiast Kallias.3

4

The use of the word ypage by Pausanias, when noticing the subjects of the Theseion, which were executed by Mikon, would lead us to suppose that they were painted, as he makes no mention of sculpture. He says, that in the conflict Theseus is seen killing a Centaur. He probably alludes to the sculpture of the posticum, as it was not likely that the same subject would be repeated in a painting in the same temple. The word ypape is probably used elliptically in this place; and γραπτα, οι γεγραμμενα ανάγλυφα, Οι γεγραμμενοι τυποι, may be understood, as the sculpture is painted. The sculpture was perhaps made by Mikon, and painted by him; and being more célebrated as a painter than a sculptor, Pausanias, with a négligence not unusual with ancient authors, has mentioned them as paintings. The colours are still perceptible on a close inspection. The armour and accessories have been gilt to represent gold or bronze: the drapery is generally green, blue, or red, which seem to have been the favourite colours of the Greeks. The scene took place in the open air, which is represented by being painted blue.

Of the battle of the Athenians and Amazons, which Pausanias mentions, no remains whatever are now to be seen.

1 De Veter. Græcor. et Romanor. Cyc. Diss. 3. sect. 34.

s Pausan. b. 6. c. 6 Καλλια δε Αθηναω παγκρατιαστη τον εποίησεν ο ζωγραφος.

4 B. 1. c. 17.

2 Fast. Attic. t. 3. p. 159. ανδριαντα ανηρ Αθηναίος Μικων