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The Judgment of Animals in Classical Greece: Animal Sculpture and ...

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<strong>The</strong> fourth epigram, an anonymous, also praises the aliveness <strong>of</strong> the statue by<br />

draw<strong>in</strong>g attention to its natural behavior. In it, the poet exclaims that:<br />

<strong>The</strong> cow has just returned from plow<strong>in</strong>g, <strong>and</strong><br />

ow<strong>in</strong>g to that is lazy <strong>and</strong> will not advance.<br />

(Anonymous, Anth. Pal. 9.721A) [18]<br />

<strong>The</strong> statue is identified as that <strong>of</strong> a cow, <strong>and</strong> is described as act<strong>in</strong>g naturally. <strong>The</strong> viewer<br />

is told that the cow is lazy <strong>and</strong> immobile ow<strong>in</strong>g to its employment <strong>in</strong> plow<strong>in</strong>g. <strong>The</strong><br />

implication is that the cow is a tired, labor<strong>in</strong>g animal; as such, it rema<strong>in</strong>s fixed at a spot<br />

like an <strong>in</strong>animate work <strong>of</strong> art. <strong>The</strong> epigram plays with the viewer’s awareness <strong>of</strong> the fact<br />

that he is look<strong>in</strong>g at a lifeless cow.<br />

<strong>The</strong> Deception <strong>of</strong> Herdsmen<br />

Further evidence for the exceptional lifelikeness <strong>of</strong> Myron’s statue <strong>and</strong> its<br />

conception as alive comes from a set <strong>of</strong> epigrams, <strong>in</strong> which the statue is viewed by<br />

herdsmen, that is, persons well acqua<strong>in</strong>ted with the appearance <strong>and</strong> behavior <strong>of</strong> a cow <strong>in</strong><br />

real life; yet they are deceived <strong>in</strong>to th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g that the statue is a liv<strong>in</strong>g cow.<br />

In the first epigram, an anonymous, the statue says:<br />

Myron placed me the heifer, here, but the herds-<br />

men throw stones at me th<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g I have strayed.<br />

(Anonymous, Anth. Pal. 9.731) [23]<br />

<strong>The</strong> statue addresses the viewer directly, <strong>and</strong> through the use <strong>of</strong> the first person, identifies<br />

itself as a heifer. <strong>The</strong> statue blames Myron for its placement at a spot, thus suggest<strong>in</strong>g its<br />

reality as a fixed object, <strong>and</strong> the viewer’s awareness <strong>of</strong> that fact. <strong>The</strong> statue<br />

communicates to the viewer that herdsmen throw stones at it, a statement which<br />

advertises its treatment as a liv<strong>in</strong>g heifer. <strong>The</strong> conceit <strong>of</strong> the speak<strong>in</strong>g animal urges the<br />

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