154 PLIKT's natural history. [Book XXXIV. 



tripods/- which were called Delphian, because they were 

 devoted more particularly to receiviDg the offerings that were 

 presented to the Delphian Apollo, were usually made of brass : 

 also the pendant lamps,^^ so much admired, which were placed 

 in the temples, or gave their light in the form of trees loaded 

 with fruit ; such as the one, for instance, in the Temple of the 

 Palatine Apollo,*** which Alexander the Great, at the sacking 

 of Thebes, brought to Cyme,*° and dedicated to that god. 



CHAP. 9. (4.) ^WHICH WAS THE FIRST STATUE OF A GOD MADE OP 



BRASS AT ROME. THE ORIGIIS- OF STATUES, AND THE RESTECT 

 PAID TO THEM. 



But after some time the artists everywhere applied them- 

 selves to representations of the gods. I find that the first 

 brass image, which was made at E,ome, was that of Ceres ; 

 and that the expenses were defrayed out of the property that 

 belonged to Spurius Cassius, who was put to death by his own 

 fether, for aspiring to the regal office.*^ The practice, how- 

 ever, soon passed from the gods to the statues and representa- 

 tions of men, and this in various forms. The ancients stained 

 their statues with bitumen, which makes it the more remark- 

 able that they were afterwards fond of covering them with 

 gold. I do not know whether this was a Eoman invention; 

 but it certainly has the repute of being an ancient practice at 

 Rome. 



It was not the custom in former times to give the likeness 

 of individuals, except of such as deserved to be held in lasting 

 remembrance on account of some illustrious deed ; in the first 

 instance, for a victory at the sacred games, and more particularly 

 the Olympic Games, where it was the usage for the victors 

 always to have their statues consecrated. And if any one was 

 so fortunate as to obtain the prize there three times, his statue 



" "Cortinas tripodum." These articles of furniture consisted of a 

 table or slab, supported by three feet, which was employed, like our side- 

 boards, for the display of plate, at the Roman entertainments. — B. 



*=* " Lychnuchi pensiles ;" this term is applied by Suetonius, Julius, 

 s. 37 ; we may conceive that they were similar to the modern chande- 

 liers. — B. 



^^ This temple was dedicated by Augustus a.tj.c. 726. The lamps in it, 

 resembling trees laden with fruit, are mentioned by Victor in his descrip- 

 tion of the Tenth Quarter of the City.— B. ^^ gee B. v. c. 32. 



*6 We have an account of this event in Livy, B. ii. c. 41, in Valerius 

 Maximus, and in Dionysius of Halicarnassus. — B. 



