A complete dictionary of the Greek and Roman antiquities explaining the obscure places in classic authors and ancient historians relating to the religion, mythology, history, geography and chronology of the ancient Greeks and Romans, their ... rites and customs, laws, polity, arts and engines of war : also an account of their navigations, arts and sciences and the inventors of them : with the lives and opinions of their philosophers / compiled originally in French ... by Monsieur Danet ; made English, with the addition of very useful mapps.

STATUAE;

Statues; the Use and Liberty given to make Statues increased the Number of Temples and Heathens: We do not know (says Cicero) the Gods by their Faces, but because it has pleased the Painters and Statuaries to repre∣sent them so unto us: Deos eâ facie novimus quâ pictores & fictores voluerunt. Statues at first were no more than shapeless Stones; but Daedalus was the first who left the Custom of imitating the Egyptians, and separated the Feet and other Parts of the Statues, which he made so as to be distinguished from the rest, and for that Reason they were called Moving Parts, as Palephatus says: Thus Aristophanes calls Statuaries 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Ma∣kers of Gods; and Julius Pollux names a Statuary, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, a Former of Gods.

The Romans were 170 Years before they had either Statuaries or Painters, as were the Persi∣ans, Scythians, and Lacedemonians for a long time: Constantine, as Eusebius says, forbad Sta∣tues to be set up in the Temples of the Hea∣thens, for Fear they should give them Divine Honours, which before was very common; for Tatius (says Lactantius) consecrated the Image of the Goddess Cloacina, whom he took out of a Gutter and gave it the Name of the Place from whence he had it: They also dedicated (conti∣nued he) and consecrated Kings Statues after their Decease, and represented them as they pleased; and Valerius Maximus says, the Rhodians gave the Statues of Harmodius and Aristogito the same Honours as they did to the Gods. The Statues, said he, being come to Rhodes, the Citizens received them in a Body and having placed them in an Inn, they exposed them up∣on sacred Beds to the View of the People.

As to the Bigness of the Ancients Statues there were Four sorts of them; the greatest were the Colossus's which were made only for the Gods: There were lesser ones made for Heroes; those for Kings and Princes somewhat bigger than the Life, and for other Men who for some special Desert were allowed this Honour, they were made of the Bigness of the Life.