262 PLINY'S NATURAL JILSTOUY. [Hook XXX IV. 



CHAP. 16. (7.) THAT TIIKKE VTKKE STATUAHIKS IX ITALY ALSO 



AT AN EARLY PKI1IOD. 



Various circumstances prove, that the art of making statues 

 Avas commonly practised in Italy at an early period. The 

 statue in the Cattle Market. 91 is said to .have been consecrated 

 to Hercules by Evander ; it is called the triumphal Hercules, 

 and, on the occasion of triumphal processions, is arrayed in 

 triumphal vestments. And then besides, King Xuma dedi- 

 cated the statue of the two-faced Janus ; w a deity who is 

 worshipped as presiding over both peace and Avar. The 

 lingers, too, are so formed as to indicate three hundred and 

 sixty-live days,* 3 or in other words, the year; thus denoting 

 that he is the god of time and duration. 



There are also Etruscan statues dispersed in various parts 

 of the world, which beyond a doubt were originally made in 

 Etruria. I should have supposed that these had been the 

 statues only of divinities, had not Mctrodorus 91 of Scepsis, who 

 had his surname from his hatred to the Konian name, 95 re- 

 proached us with having pillaged the city of Volsinii for the 

 sake of the two thousand statues which it contained. It 

 appears to me a singular fact, that although the origin of 

 statues was of such great antiquity in Italy, the images of the. 

 gods, which were consecrated to them in their temples, should 

 have been formed either of wood or of earthenware, 96 until 

 the conquest of Asia, which introduced luxury among us. It 

 will be the best plan to enlarge upon the origin of the art of 

 expressing likenesses, when we come to speak of what the 



91 (t Forum IJoarium." See Chapter 5. 



K Livy, 15. i. c. 19, informs us, that Numa made Janus of a form to 

 t!inot- bith pi-ace and war. B. 



* 3 The mode in which the fingers were placed, so as to serve the purpose 

 here indicated, is supposed to have been by their forming the letters which 

 were the Roman numerals for the figures in question. We arc informed 

 that f-oioe MSS. of Pliny give the number three hundred and fifty-five only, 

 and there is reason to believe that, in the time of Numa, this wus considered 

 to be the actu-.il number of days in the year. Some of the commentators, 

 however, are disposed to read three hundred and sixty-five ; and this opinion 

 derives some support from Maerobius, who reft rs to this statuo as indicating 

 this letter number with its fingers. B. The Uamberjj MS. gives three 

 hundred and sixty-five. 9 * Seo end of 15. iii. 



1<5 "Misoromams" *' Roman-hater." See end cf 15. iii. 



** Pliny himself informs us, in II. xxxv. c. 45, that the statue of Jupiter 

 in tue Capitol, erected by Tarquinius 1'riscus, was formed of eaith. lj. 



