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The sculptured drum of the later Temple of Artemis at Ephesos, excavated by Mr. Wood, and now in the British Museum, is a familiar piece of sculpture. Its interpretation however is still doubtful.
The best known view is that of Robert, who connects the sculpture with the story of Alcestis, though not exactly with the story as told by Euripides. According to Robert's view Alcestis stands in Hades, about to depart. Hades and Persephone have given their sanction, Hermes Psychopompos escorts her, Death beckons to her to go, and Heracles stands on the left of the group, as a spectator. Robert's interpretation is attractive and poetical, but there are considerable difficulties, some of which are pressed against him by Benndorf in presenting his own view. The story does not correspond with the literary versions; the representation of Death as a beardless youth seems improbable, though not without parallel on the vases; the action of Persephone, holding up a necklace, which can hardly be neglected, is left unexplained.
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- Copyright © The Society for the Promotion of Hellenic Studies 1890
References
page 278 note 1 Arch. Zeit. 1873, Pls. 65, 66; Wood, Ephesus, frontispiece; published also by Robert and Benndorf in works cited below.
page 278 note 2 Robert, , Thanatos. 39th Winckelmann Programm, 1879Google Scholar. The winged and sword-girt figure had been previously identified with the Thanatos of the Alcestis by a writer in the Saturday Review, 1873, No. 898, p. 51.
page 278 note 3 Bull. della Comm. Arch. Comunale di Roma, 1886, p. 54.
page 279 note 1 Paus. I. xxiv. 7; Pliny, H.N. XXXVI, v. 19Google Scholar.
page 279 note 2 For doubtful vases, cf. Lenormnant, and De Witte, , Elite I. p. 166Google Scholar, and plate liii.
page 279 note 3 Br.Mus. No. D. 62 from the Bale collection; Gerhard, Festgedanken an Winckelmann, pl. 1; Miss Harrison, , Mythology and Monuments of Ancient Athens, p. 450Google Scholar.
page 279 note 4 Vol. ix. p. 221.
page 279 note 5 No. F. 113. Height 1 ft. 7¼ in
page 282 note 1 Cf. Benndorf, loc. cit. p. 60.
page 282 note 2 I fear that in the cut given here the open mouth is exaggerated. It is shown correctly in Mitchell, , Hist. of Anc. Sculpt., p. 535.Google Scholar
page 282 note 3 Jahrb. des Inst. Arch. v. p. 114.
page 283 note 1 Philostr, . Vita Apoll. Tyan. vi. 39.Google Scholar