We know from Pausanias (i., 24, 5) that the subject of the composition in the eastern pediment had relation to the birth of Athenè, who, according to the legend, sprang forth, fully armed, from the brain of Zeus. As all the central part of this composition was already destroyed when Carrey made his drawing of the pediment, we have no means of ascertaining how the subject was treated; and whether the moment immediately after the birth was represented, as has been generally supposed, or, as has been also suggested, the moment immediately before the birth. A relief surrounding a _puteal_ or well-head, now at Madrid, has been thought to throw light on this question. There Zeus is enthroned, looking to the right; Athenè is before him, armed, and advances to the right. A Victory flies towards her with a wreath. Behind the throne of Zeus is Hephaestos, who has cleft the skull of Zeus with his axe, and starts back in astonishment. On the extreme right of the composition are the three Fates (Schneider, _Geburt der Athena_, pl. 1; Mitchell, p. 350, fig. 157). Unfortunately the subordinate figures have not a sufficient resemblance to those which are still extant of the Parthenon pediment, to allow us to assume a direct connection between the pediment and the relief. Some such composition, however, seems more consonant with the dignity of Athenè than the scheme which occurs on vases and Etruscan mirrors (_e.g._ on a vase in the British Museum, No. B. 53; _Mon. dell' Inst._, iii., pl. 44) where the Goddess is represented as a diminutive figure, above the head of Zeus. This conclusion is confirmed by Sauer's recent examination of the ground of the pediment. It is now proved that the middle of the east pediment was occupied by two figures of equal importance, and not by a single central figure of Zeus, such as is required, if we suppose that the subject was treated according to the tradition of the vase painters. It is further shown to be probable that Zeus was seated on the left of the centre, seen in profile and turned to the right, and that Athenè stood on the right of the centre, holding a spear in her outstretched right hand. The whole group between the figures G and K is thought, from the indications on the pediment, to have consisted of the following figures, in order from the left:--Standing figure, stepping inwards (cf. Hermes of the west pediment); standing figure; seated figure in profile to the right; figure standing immediately behind Zeus; Zeus and Athenè; Hephaestos (H); seated figure in profile to the left; standing figure; standing figure turned to the left (J); standing figure turned outward (compare G).