312 plint's natueal histoet. [Book XXXVr. 



Cnidos. The artist made two statues of tlie goddess, and 

 offered them both for sale : one of them was represented 

 with drapery,^^ and for this reason was preferred^^ by the people 

 of Cos, who had the choice ; the second was offered them at 

 the same price, but, on the grounds of propriety and modesty, 

 they thought fit to choose the other. Upon this, the Cnidians 

 purchased the rejected statue,^^ and immensely superior has it 

 always been held in general estimation. At a later period, 

 King Nicomedes wished to purchase this statue of the Cni- 

 dians, and made them an offer to pay off the whole of their 

 public debt, which was very large. They preferred, however, 

 to submit to any extremity rather than pai't with it ; and with 

 good reason, for by this statue Praxiteles has perpetuated the 

 glory of Cnidos. The little temple in which it, is placed is 

 open on all sides, so that the beauties^^ of the statue admit of 



33 » Velata specie." There has been much discussion about the mean- 

 ing of these words ; and Sillig is of opinion that the figure was repre- 

 sented draped in a garment, which, while it seemed designed to hide the 

 person, really exposed it to view. This dress would not improbably re- 

 commend it additionally to the inhabitants of Cos, who were skilled in 

 making the Cocb vestes, garments which, while they covered the body, re- 

 vealed its naked charms. See further mention of them in B. ix. c. 26. 



3* Visconti thinks that a statue still preserved in the Royal Museum at 

 Paris, is a copy of the Coan Venus. It has, however, a figure of Cupid 

 associated with it, which, as Sillig observes, militates against the suppo- 

 sition. 



35 The ancient writers abound in praises of this wonderful statue. 

 Lucian, however, has given the most complete and artistic description of 

 it. It was supposed by the ancients, to represent Venus as standing be- 

 fore Paris, when he awarded to her the prize of beauty ; but it has been 

 well remarked, that the drapery in the right hand, and the vase by the 

 side of the figure, indicate that she has either just left or is about to enter 

 the bath. The artist modelled it from Phryne, a courtesan or hetsera of 

 Athens, of whom he was greatly enamoured. It was ultimately carried 

 to Constantinople, where it perished by fire in the reign of Justinian. It 

 is doubtful whether there are any copies of it in existence. There is, 

 however, a so-called copy in the gardens of the Vatican, and another in 

 the Glyptothek, at Munich. A Venus in the Museo Pio-Clementino, at 

 Rome, is considered by Visconti and others to have been a copy of the 

 Cnidian Venus, with the addition of drapery. It is supposed that Cleo- 

 menes, in making the Venus de Medici, imitated the Cnidian Venus ia 

 some degree. 



36 There are numerous Epigrams in reference to this statue in the Greek 

 Anthology ; the most striking line in any of which is the beautiful Pen- 

 tameter : 



^ivl ^tvl TTov yvfivriv side fit UpaKiTsXrjg ; 

 *' Alas ! where has Praxiteles me naked seen i" 



