A catalogue of sculpture in the Department of ... - Warburg Institute

160 CATALOGUE OF SCULPTURE.324. group in the eastern frieze, we find that these two figures(Nos, 33, 34) stand in the centre of the eastern front,under the apex of the pediment, and over the eastern doorof the cella. They therefore occupy the most con.spicuousplace in the frieze, from tUe points of view alike of thesculptured Gods and of the human spectator, and accordinglymay well be supposed to be busy with the chiefceremony of the festival. This view is opposed by Flasch.He argues that if the delivery of the peplos is represented,there is a violation of the unity of time, as the actwhich was the main motive of the procession is beingcompleted, while the procession is still in progress, and inpart has not yet started. Flasuh therefore holds that wehave here the priest and priestess preparing for thesacrifice that is to take place on the arrival of the procession.The priestess is receiving chairs for herself andfor the priest from the Diphrophori. Meanwhile thepriest, who now only wears a long chiton, with shortsleeves, has taken off his himation, and, after folding itseveral times, is seen giving it to an attendant to hold.If, however, the action represented is merely that offolding, and is not yet completed, it is impossible to determinewhich is the giver and which the receiver. Norwould the difficulty be solved if this could be ascertained,as we do not know what ceremonies were performed whenthe peplos arrived. The surface of the cloth on the friezeis left quite plain ; but, if it is the peplos, some indicationof the embroidered design may have been given in colour.35. We now reach the second group of deities, seated to theright of the central scene. The first figure is clearly thatof Athene. She sits in a position corresponding to that ofZeus, and tlie Goddess of Athens is thus put in the samerank as the supreme God. Athene is dressed in a chitonwith diploidion and has short hair. An indistinct objectabout her left wrist has been supposed to be a snake from