462 ON THE PROGRESS OF SCULPTURE. 



out of the public treasury, and was placed under 

 the especial protection of the state. 



It appears from this narrative, that Phidias died 

 before his sentence was pronounced, otherwise he 

 would have suffered the punishment of death, in- 

 variably inflicted upon all those convicted of the 

 crime of sacrilege. 



Another version of the narrative declares, 

 that Phidias was condemned for embezzling the 

 gold destined for the statue of Minerva, but this 

 is probably only a repetition of the first charge, 

 under a different form. As to the extent of his 

 offence, in the absence of precise information, we 

 are unable to form a satisfactory opinion. Suidas, 

 indeed, tells us, that Pericles appropriated to his 

 private use fifty talents of the sum provided for 

 this purpose. This clumsy fabrication involves 

 an absurdity, unless it is to be understood, that 

 the amount was abstracted from the whole sum 

 voted for the works in the Acropolis. The article, 

 as it stands in Suidas, is so deplorably bad, that 

 it is useless exposing its absurdity. Why should 

 an additional support be sought for in conjecture, 

 in a matter originating in so questionable a source ; 

 or reliance be placed upon an authority, in which 



