12 THE FINE ARTS. 
and contain many allusions to death and the lower world. Thus for 
instance, jig. 8 exhibits the Etruscan Mantus, or leader of the dead, armed 
with a hammer. Other representations of the kind are Mania, the goddesses 
of the lower world, the Furies, &c. Parting scenes, dying scenes, and 
funerals, are also frequently represented on such sarcophagi. 
2. Crassic ANTIQUITY. 
A. The Greeks. 
1. First Prrtop (previous To 580 3s.c.). The Greeks, originally an 
Egyptian colony, had their seat from remote times in Greece proper, a part 
of the coast of Asia Minor, and Lower Italy ; and there they had fixed 
dwellings, with temples and citadels, which were mostly founded by the 
Pelasgi. We still discern the ruins of the cities of Mycenz, Tiryns, &c., 
whose origin dates from that period. The climate and the natural scenery 
of the country contributed to produce a beautiful equilibrium between the 
sensual and the spiritual in the life of this people; but a long period of 
development and many favorable circumstances were needed before the 
innate artistic sense could exhibit itself in external materials as an actually 
formative art. Yet we find even in the so called heroic period, 7. e. in the 
times succeeding the domination of the Hellenic races, a certain love of 
splendor evinced in the construction of their houses and in their utensils. 
In the period depicted by Homer, great progress had already been made 
in the decoration of utensils ; and works were executed not only in wood, 
but likewise in the precious and the base metals, and in ivory and amber. 
The ark of Cypselus, which was sent as an offering by the Cypselide, the 
tyrants of Corinth, to Olympia, stood there in the Hereeum (temple of 
Here), and is famed for its beautiful workmanship. It was pretty large, of 
an oval form, and made of wood, with figures partly carved out of the 
wood, and partly of inlaid gold or ivory. These ran round the chest in five 
rows one above the other, and represented scenes from the heroic epic 
cycle, which related to the race of the Cypselide. 
In these times the art of working in metals had also attained to great 
perfection. The description given by Homer of the shield of Achilles 
presents us with an elaborate composition consisting of many figures ; 
although it may be suspected that these consisted not of embossed but of 
inlaid work. The art of casting in metal was invented and perfected in 
and after the time of Homer. The invention is ascribed to Rhcecus the 
Samian, a son of Phileas, and his son Theodorus. Jthcecus was an archi- 
tect and built the Hereeum in Samos. His sons Theodorus and Telecles 
worked with him on the Hereum, laid the foundation for the temple of 
Diana in Ephesus, and cast brazen statues. Theodorus, son of Telecles, was 
not an architect, but confined himself wholly to working in metals. He 
wrought for King Croesus a great silver vase, set the ring of Polycrates, and 
made a golden vase for the palace of the king of Persia. 
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