SCULPTURE. 33 
appears as a politically active oratorical figure, and without helm or egis, 
as a peace-maker. 
a. Ares. Ares, the god of war, the Mars of the Romans, is significantly 
placed along with Aphrodite in the twelve god system. He was too much an 
idea to become a favorite subject of the plastic art; and hence it is that, 
although some remarkable statues of Ares by Alcamenes and Scopas are 
mentioned, his plastic character is not well defined. A compact powerful 
muscular development, and short, often disordered, curling hair, seem in 
general to belong to the representation of this god. Ares has smaller eyes, 
rather more widely distended nostrils, and a less serene forehead than the 
other sons of Zeus; he has a more manly appearance than Apollo and even 
than Hercules, is bearded, although in later times also without a beard (pi. 3, 
jig. 2), and, when not represented entirely naked, only wears the chlamys. 
His arms are a helmet and sword; he is rarely provided with complete 
armor. Ares seldom appears in battle groups, and only as a giant-slayer 
on gems; but we often see him with Aphrodite, although this union of 
love and war is not always regarded as a frivolous adultery, but in a more 
serious sense. One of the most beautiful representations of this kind is the 
group in the Florentine Museum (jig. 2). 
_k. Aphrodite. Aphrodite, the Roman Venus, is represented by the 
artists of the most highly finished school with the natural forms of her sex. 
She is all woman, more so than Athene or Artemis. The ripe bloom of 
maidenhood is in general the degree of physical development in which the 
forms of her body appear. The shoulders are small, the bosom formed like 
a virgin, the fulness of the hips tapers away into elegantly shaped feet, 
which, little adapted to firm standing and walking, seem to betray a light 
and gentle gait. Her face appears delicate and rather long; and her 
languishing eyes and smiling mouth give it an expression of tenderness and 
exquisite sweetness. Her hair is elegantly arranged, usually encircled by a 
diadem, or restrained by a band, or else knotted into a krobylos. Here too 
the dress is connected with the essential modifications of the form. The 
completely clothed Venus, who however wears only a thin chiton, which 
enables one to divine more than it conceals, and who with a graceful move- 
ment of her right arm merely draws forward a little the upper garment 
which falls down behind, is derived from the Urania of the early artists. 
She was worshipped as Mother Aphrodite, had rounder and stronger forms, 
shorter proportions, and a more matronly character. From this widely 
differ the statues which, ‘without the chiton, have only an upper garment 
thrown round the lower part of the body, and are further characterized by 
having one foot resting on a slight elevation. In these the goddess appears 
as a heroine; the forms of her body are firm, powerful, and slender; the 
bosom is less rounded than in the other statues; and the countenance 
furnished with more prominent features is full of pride and self-conscious- 
ness. This is Aphrodite the victorious, whether she embraces Ares himself 
(pl. 3, fig. 2), or bears his helmet or shield, or a palm, or, as her sign of 
victory, the apple. Of this sort isthe Venus Victrix from the amphitheatre 
of Capua, now in the Museum of Naples (pl. 4, fig. *), who rests her left 
ICONOGRAPHIC ENCYCLOPAZDIA.—VOL. IV. 27 417 
