A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PHEIDIAS. PHEIDIAS. 253
Athena from the excessive dryness of the air of beholders; such Livy (xlv. 28; comp. Polyb.
the Acropolis; while, in the case of another of xxx. 15) declares to have been the emotion it
Pheidias's chryselephantine statues, the Aesculapius excited in Aemilius Paulus; while, according to
at Epidaurus, neither oil nor water was used, the Arrian (Diss. Epictet. i. 6), it was considered
proper degree of moisture being preserved by a a calamity to die without having seen it. Pliny
well, over which the statue stood. The office of speaks of it as a work "quem nenmo aemuzlatui."
cleaning and preserving the statue was assigned to (FI. N. xxxiv. 8. s. 19. ~ 1; comp. Quintil. xii.
the descendants of Pheidias, who wvere called, 10. ~ 9.) There is also a celebrated epigram of
from this office, Pchaedryintae (,PasapvvTai, fr. pai- Philip of Thessalonica, in the Greek Anthology,
8pt'vw, fr. (pas3pos), and who, whenever they were to the effect that either the god must have deabout to perform theirwork, sacrificed to the goddess scended from heaven to earth to display his
Athena Ergane. (Paus. v. 14. ~ 5.) As another likeness, or that Pheidias must have ascended
honour to the memory of Pheidias, the building to heaven, to behold the god. (Brunck, Anal.
outside of the Altis, in which he made the parts vol. ii. p. 225):
of the statue, was preserved, and known by the'H vsds i7AO' ZiV ysv e opevog, etcova 8sEwv,
name of Pheidias's sworksho,7p (Epyao'P Ea,sp lo e31ov). s rA (ss dt', EsoeS
X ePlaa, ~} UV?y' e~6~s r'c beoV O*oueVos.
His name, also, as already stated, was inscribed
at the feet of the statue. (Paus. v. 10. ~ 2). Respecting the later history of the statue, see
The idea which Pheidias essayed to embody in Cedrenlus (p. 254, d.), Heyne (P-risc. Art. Opp.
this, his greatest work, was that of the supreme Const(lsiriop. exst. in the Cosmsnent. Gotting. vol. xi.
deity of the Hellenic nation, no longer engaged p. 9), and Fea (zu Winckelinann, Storia, vol. ii.
in conflicts with the Titans and the Giants, but pp. 416, 424).
having laid aside his thunderbolt, and enthroned It was removed by the emperor Theodosius I.
as a conqueror, in perfect majesty anld repose, to Constantinople, where it was destroyed by a
ruling with a nod the subject world, and more fire in A. D. 475.
especially presiding, at the centre of Hellenic Respecting the existing works of art in which
union, over those games which were the expression the Jupiter of Pheidias is supposed to be imitated,
of that religious and political union, and giving see Bijttiger, Andeu'tun/en, pp. 104-106. The
his blessing to those victories whiclh were the nearest imitations are probably those on the old
highest honour that a Greek could gain. It is Eleian coins, with the inscription FAAEMIN.
related by Strabo (viii. p. 534, a; comp. Val. Max. (See Miiller Denkozisler, vol. i. pl. xx. fig. 103).
iii. 7. ext. 4), that when Pheidias vwas asked by Of existing statues and busts, the nearest likePanaenus what model he meant to follow in mak- nesses are supposed to be the Jazpiter Verospi, the
ing his statue, he replied, that of Homer, as ex- colossal bust found at Otricoli, and preserved in
pressed in the fallowing verses (11. i. 528 —530). the Mlluseo Pio-Clemenltino, and another in the
sH, Kal Kucvseu'?rv sear' o'l(ppz u'e1 V If poi't' Florentine Gallery. (See MIiiller, Alrchiiol. d.
5'Aygpdosas 1' xemes Ia Kuncst, ~ 349, and Dezkh'iiler, vol. ii. pl. i.)
p'AIo- taira' pa Xalv at Elrsppt'av To eAeer0 ""OSI 14. At Elis there was also a chryselephasntine
tKpaTd'S dir' CXOaVams~tO- AsiYaV b' EXe V'OXV statue of Athena, which was said to be the work
of Pheidias. It had a cock upo)n tihe helmet.
The imitation of which by Milton gives no small (Paus. vi. 26. ~ 2.)
aid to the comprehension of the idea (Paradise 15. At Elis also, he made a chryselephantine
Lost, iii. 135-137): statue of Aphrodite Urania, resting one foot upons
" Thus while God spake, ambrosial fragrance a tortoise. (Paus. vi. 25. ~'2; comp. Plut. P'raecevt.
fill'd COcsjug. p. 142, d., Isid. el Osir. p. 381, e.)
All heaven, and in the blessed spirits elect 16. Of the statses which Pheidias made for
Sense of new joy ineffable diffused." other Greek states, one of the most fimous appears
to have been his chryselephantine statue of AescuExpression was given to this idea, not only by lapius at Epidaurus. (Paus. v. 11. ~ 5; Athenag.
the whole proportions and configuration of the Legat. pro Aristid. p. 61, ed. Dechair.)
statue, but more especially by the shape and posi- 17. At the entrance of the Ismenium, near
tion of the head. The height and expansive arch Thebes, there stood two marble statues of Athena
of the forehead, the masses of hair gently falliing and Hermes, surnamed fIpivaoi; the latter was
forward, the largeness of the facial angle, which the work of Pheidias; the former was ascribed to
exceeded 90 degrees, the shape of the eyebrows, Scopas. (1Paus. ix. 10. ~ 2.)
the perfect calmness and commanding nmajesty of 18. In the Olympielim at AMegara was an unthe large and full-opened eyes, the expressive finished chrvselephantine statue of Zeus, the head
repose of all the features, and the slight forward only being of ivory and gold, and the rest of the
inclinuation of the head, are the chief elements that statue of mud and gypsuim. It was undertaken
go to make up that representation which, from the by Theocosmnus, assisted by Pheidias, and was
time of Pheidias downwareds, has been regarded interrupted by the breaking out of the Peloponneas the perfect ideal of suprene, majesty and entire sian War. (Paus. i. 40. ~ 3.) Two interesting
complacency of " the father of gods and men" points are involved in this statement, if correct:
impersonated in a human form. the one, a confirmations respecting the age of PheiIt is needless to cite all the passages which dias, who is seen still actively employed up to the
show that this-statue was regarded as the master- very close of his life; the other, an indication of
piece, not only of Pheidias, but of the whole range the materials which he employed, in this case, as
of Grecian art; and was looked upon not so much the core of a chryselephantine statue.
as a statue, but rather as if it were the actual 19. Pliny (AH. N. xxxiv. 8. s. 19), tells a story,
manifestation of the present deity. Such, accord- which is rather suspicious, respecting a contest
ing to Lucian (Iosay. 14), was its effect on the between various celebrated statuaries who, though