The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 (of 6)Pliny, the Elder
History
The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 (of 6)
Pliny, the Elder
Natural history -- Pre-Linnean works
Bryaxis executed in brass statues of Æsculapius and Seleucus;[1470]
Bœdas[1471] a figure in adoration; Baton, an Apollo and a Juno, which
are in the Temple of Concord[1472] at Rome.
Ctesilaüs[1473] executed a statue of a man fainting from his wounds, in
the expression of which may be seen how little life remains;[1474] as
also the Olympian Pericles,[1475] well worthy of its title: indeed, it
is one of the marvellous adjuncts of this art, that it renders men who
are already celebrated even more so.
Cephisodotus[1476] is the artist of an admirable Minerva, now erected
in the port of Athens; as also of the altar before the Temple of
Jupiter Servator,[1477] at the same place, to which, indeed, few works
are comparable.
Canachus[1478] executed a nude Apollo, which is known as the
“Philesian:”[1479] it is at Didymi,[1480] and is composed of bronze
that was fused at Ægina. He also made a stag with it, so nicely poised
on its hoofs, as to admit of a thread being passed beneath. One[1481]
fore-foot, too, and the alternate hind-foot are so made as firmly to
grip the base, the socket being[1482] so indented on either side, as
to admit of the figure being thrown at pleasure upon alternate feet.
Another work of his was the boys known as the “Celetizontes.”[1483]
Chæreas made statues of Alexander the Great and of his father Philip.
Desilaüs[1484] made a Doryphoros[1485] and a wounded Amazon; and
Demetrius[1486] a statue of Lysimache, who was priestess of Minerva
sixty-four years. This statuary also made the Minerva, which has the
name of Musica,[1487] and so called because the dragons on its Gorgon’s
head vibrate at the sound of the lyre; also an equestrian statue of
Simon, the first writer on the art of equitation.[1488] Dædalus,[1489]
who is highly esteemed as a modeller in clay, made two brazen figures
of youths using the body-scraper;[1490] and Dinomenes executed figures
of Protesilaüs[1491] and Pythodemus the wrestler.
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