a smaller history of greece-第23节

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　whiteness　of　the　marble　was　relieved　by　brilliant　colours；　and　rendered　still　more　dazzling　by　the　transparent　clearness　of　the　Athenian　atmosphere。　　It　was　surrounded　with　walls；　and　the　surface　seems　to　have　been　divided　into　terraces　communicating　with　one　another　by　steps。　　The　only　approach　to　it　was　from　the　Agora　on　its　western　side　at　the　top　of　a　magnificent　flight　of　marble　steps；　70　feet　broad；　stood　the　Propylaea；　constructed　under　the　auspices　of　Pericles；　and　which　served　as　a　suitable　entrance　to　the　exquisite　works　within。　　The　Propylaea　were　themselves　one　of　the　masterpieces　of　Athenian　art。　　They　were　entirely　of　Pentelic　marble；　and　covered　the　whole　of　the　western　end　of　the　Acropolis；　having　a　breadth　of　168　feet。　　The　central　portion　of　them　consisted　of　two　porticoes；　of　which　the　western　one　faced　the　city；　and　the　eastern　one　the　interior　of　the　Acropolis；　each　consisting　of　a　front　of　six　fluted　Doric　columns。　　This　central　part　of　the　building　was　58　feet　in　breadth；　but　the　remaining　breadth　of　the　rock　at　this　point　was　covered　by　two　wings；　which　projected　26　feet　in　front　of　the　western　portico。　　Each　of　these　wings　was　in　the　form　of　a　Doric　temple。　　The　northern　one；　or　that　on　the　left　of　a　person　ascending　the　Acropolis；　was　called　the　PINACOTHECA；　from　its　walls　being　covered　with　paintings。　　The　southern　wing　consisted　only　of　a　porch　or　open　gallery。　Immediately　before　its　western　front　stood　the　little　temple　of　Nike　Apteros　already　mentioned。

On　passing　through　the　Propylaea　all　the　glories　of　the　Acropolis　became　visible。　　The　chief　building　was　the　Parthenon　（I。E。　House　of　the　Virgin）；　the　most　perfect　production　of　Grecian　architecture。　　It　derived　its　name　from　its　being　the　temple　of　Athena　Parthenos；　or　Athena　the　Virgin；　the　invincible　goddess　of　war。　　It　was　also　called　HECATOMPEDON；　from　its　breadth　of　100　feet。　　It　was　built　under　the　administration　of　Pericles；　and　was　completed　in　B。C。　438。　　The　Parthenon　stood　on　the　highest　part　of　the　Acropolis　near　its　centre；　and　probably　occupied　the　site　of　an　earlier　temple　destroyed　by　the　Persians。　　It　was　entirely　of　Pentelic　marble；　on　a　rustic　basement　of　ordinary　limestone；　and　its　architecture；　which　was　of　the　Doric　order；　was　of　the　purest　kind。　　Its　dimensions　were　about　228　feet　in　length；　101　feet　in　breadth；　and　66　feet　in　height　to　the　top　of　the　pediment。　　It　consisted　of　a　cella；　surrounded　by　a　peristyle。　The　cella　was　divided　into　two　chambers　of　unequal　size；　the　eastern　one　of　which　was　about　98　feet　long；　and　the　western　one　about　43　feet。　　The　ceiling　of　both　these　chambers　was　supported　by　rows　of　columns。　　The　whole　building　was　adorned　with　the　most　exquisite　sculptures；　executed　by　various　artists　under　the　direction　of　Phidias。　　These　consisted　of；　　1。　The　sculptures　in　the　tympana　of　the　pediments　（I。E。　the　inner　portion　of　the　triangular　gable　ends　of　the　roof　above　the　two　porticoes）；　each　of　which　was　filled　with　about　24　colossal　figures。　　The　group　in　the　eastern　or　principal　front　represented　the　birth　of　Athena　from　the　head　of　Zeus；　and　the　western　the　contest　between　Athena　and　Poseidon　（Neptune）　for　the　land　of　Attica。　　　2。　The　metopes　between　the　triglyphs　in　the　frieze　of　the　entablature　（I。E。　the　upper　of　the　two　portions　into　which　the　space　between　the　columns　and　the　roof　is　divided）　were　filled　with　sculptures　in　high　relief；　representing　a　variety　of　subjects　relating　to　Athena　herself；　or　to　the　indigenous　heroes　of　Attica。　　Each　tablet　was　4　feet　3　inches　square。　　Those　on　the　south　side　related　to　the　battle　of　the　Athenians　with　the　Centaurs。　　One　of　the　metopes　is　figured　below。　　　3。　The　frieze　which　ran　along　outside　the　wall　of　the　cella；　and　within　the　external　columns　which　surround　the　building；　at　the　same　height　and　parallel　with　the　metopes；　was　sculptured　with　a　representation　of　the　Panathenaic　festival　in　very　low　relief。　　This　frieze　was　3　feet　4　inches　in　height；　and　520　feet　in　length。　　A　small　portion　of　the　frieze　is　also　figured　below。　　　A　large　number　of　the　slabs　of　the　frieze；　together　with　sixteen　metopes　from　the　south　side；　and　several　of　the　statues　of　the　pediments；　were　brought　to　England　by　Lord　Elgin；　of　whom　they　were　purchased　by　the　nation　and　deposited　in　the　British　Museum。

But　the　chief　wonder　of　the　Parthenon　was　the　colossal　statue　of　the　Virgin　Goddess　executed　by　Phidias　himself；　which　stood　in　the　eastern　or　principal　chamber　of　the　cella。　　It　was　of　the　sort　called　CHRYSELEPHANTINE；　a　kind　of　work　said　to　have　been　invented　by　Phidias　in　which　ivory　was　substituted　for　marble　in　those　parts　which　were　uncovered；　while　the　place　of　the　real　drapery　was　supplied　with　robes　and　other　ornaments　of　solid　gold。　　Its　height；　including　the　base；　was　nearly　40　feet。　　It　represented　the　goddess　standing；　clothed　with　a　tunic　reaching　to　the　ankles；　with　a　spear　in　her　left　hand；　and　an　image　of　Victory　in　her　right。

The　Acropolis　was　adorned　with　another　colossal　figure　of　Athena；　in　bronze；　also　the　work　of　Phidias。　　It　stood　in　the　open　air；　nearly　opposite　the　Propylaea；　and　was　one　of　the　first　objects　seen　after　passing　through　the　gates　of　the　latter。　　With　its　pedestal　it　must　have　stood　about　70　feet　high；　and　consequently　towered　above　the　roof　of　the　Parthenon；　so　that　the　point　of　its　spear　and　the　crest　of　its　helmet　were　visible　off　the　promontory　of　Sunium　to　ships　approaching　Athens。　　It　was　called　the　〃Athena　Promachus；〃　because　it　represented　the　goddess　armed；　and　in　the　very　attitude　of　battle。

The　only　other　monument　on　the　summit　of　the　Acropolis　which　it　is　necessary　to　describe　is　the　Erechtheum；　or　temple　of　Erechtheus。　　The　traditions　respecting　Erechtheus　vary；　but　according　to　one　set　of　them　he　was　identical　with　the　god　Poseidon。　　He　was　worshipped　in　his　temple　under　the　name　of　Poseidon　Erechtheus；　and　from　the　earliest　times　was　associated　with　Athena　as　one　of　the　two　protecting　deities　of　Athens。　　The　original　Erechtheum　was　burnt　by　the　Persians；　but　the　new　temple　was　erected　on　the　ancient　site。　　This　could　not　have　been　otherwise；　for　on　this　spot　was　the　sacred　olive…tree　which　Athena　evoked　from　the　earth　in　her　contest　with　Poseidon；　and　also　the　well　of　salt…water　which　Poseidon　produced　by　a　stroke　of　his　trident；　the　impression　of　which　was　seen　upon　the　rock。　The　building　was　also　called　the　temple　of　Athena　Polias；　because　it　contained　a　separate　sanctuary　of　the　goddess；　as　well　as　her　most　ancient　statue。　　The　building　of　the　new　Erechtheum　was　not　commenced　till　the　Parthenon　and　Propylaea　were　finished；　and　probably　not　before　the　year　preceding　the　breaking　out　of　the　Peloponnesian　war。　　Its　progress　was　no　doubt　delayed　by　that　event；　and　it　was　probably　not　completed　before　393　B。C。　　When　finished　it　presented　one　of　the　finest　models　of　the　Ionic　order；　as　the　Parthenon　was　of　the　Doric；　It　stood　to　the　north　of　the　latter　building　and　close　to　the　northern　wall　of　the　Acropolis。　　The　form　of　the　Erechtheum　differed　from　every　known　example　of　a　Grecian　temple。　　Usually　a　Grecian　temple　was　an　oblong　figure　with　a　portico　at　each　extremity。　　The　Erechtheum；　on　the　contrary；　though　oblong　in　shape　and　having　a　portico　at　the　eastern　or　principal　front；　had　none　at　its　western　end；　where；　however；　a　portico　projected　north　and　south　from　either　side；　thus　forming　a　kind　of　transept。　　This　irregularity　seems　to　have　been　chiefly　owing　to　the　necessity　of　preserving　the　different　sanctuaries　and　religious　objects　belonging　to　the　ancient　temple。　　A　view　of　it　is　given　opposite。　　The　roof　of　the　southern　portico；　as　shown　in　the　view；　was　supported　by　six　Caryatides。

Such　were　the　principal　objects　which　adorned　the　Acropolis　at　the　time　of　which　we　are　now　speaking。　　Their　general　appearance　will　be　best　gathered　from　the　engraving　on　the　Frontispiece。

Before　quitting　the　city　of　Athens；　there　are　two　or　three　other　objects　of　interest　which　must　be　briefly　described。　　First；　the　Dionysiac　theatre；　which　occupied　the　slope　at　the　south…eastern　extremity　of　the　Acropolis。　　The　middle　of　it　was　excavated　out　of　the　rock；　and　the　rows　of　seats　ascended　in　curves　one　above　another；　the　diameter　increasing　with　the　height。　　It　was　no　doubt　sufficiently　large　to　accommodate　the　whole　body　of　Athenian　citizens；　as　well　as　the　strangers　who　flocked　to　Athens　during　the　Dionysiac　festival；　but　its　dimensions　cannot　now　be　accurately　ascertained。　　It　had　no　roof；　but　the　spectators　were　probably　protected　from　the　sun　by　an　awning；　and　from　their　elevated　seats　they　had　a　distinct　view　of　the　sea；　and　of　the　peaked　hills　of　Salamis　in　the　horizon。　　Above　them　rose　the　Parthenon　and　the　other　buildings　of　the　Acropolis；　so　that　they　sat　under　the　shadow　of　the　ancestral　gods　of　the　country。

The　Areopagus；　or　Hill　of　Ares　（Mars）；　was　a　rocky　height　opposite　the　western　end　of　the　Acropolis；　from　which　it　was　separated　only　by　some　hollow　ground。　　It　derived　its　name　from　the　tradition　that　Ares　（Mars）　was　brought　to　trial　here　before　the　assembled　gods；　by　Poseidon　（Neptune）；　for　murdering　Halirrhothius　the　son　of　the　latter。　　It　was　here　that　the　Council　of　Areopagus　met；　frequently　called　the　Upper　Counci