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CHAP. 10. (5.)—THE DIFFERENT KINDS AND FORMS OF STATUES. STATUES AT ROME WITH CUIRASSES.

In former times the statues that were thus dedicated were clad in the toga.1 Naked statues also, brandishing a spear, after the manner of the youths at their gymnastic exercises, were much admired; these were called "Achillean." The Greek practice is, not to cover any part of the body; while, on the contrary, the Roman and the military statues have the addition of a cuirass. Cæsar, the Dictator, permitted a statue with a cuirass to be erected in honour of him in his Forum.2 As to the statues which are made in the garb of the Luperci,3 they are of no older date than those which have been lately erected, covered with a cloak.4 Mancinus gave directions, that he should be represented in the dress which he wore when he was surrendered to the enemy.5 It has been remarked by some authors, that L. Attius,6 the poet, had a statue of himself erected in the Temple of the Muses,7 which was extremely large, although he himself was very short.

Equestrian statues are also held in esteem in Rome; but they are of Greek origin, no doubt. Among the Greeks, those persons only were honoured with equestrian statues who were victors on horseback8 in the sacred games; though afterwards the same distinction was bestowed on those who were successful in the races with chariots with two or four horses: hence the use of chariots with us in the statues of those who have triumphed. But this did not take place until a late period; and it was not until the time of the late Emperor Augustus, that we had chariots represented with six horses,9 as also with elephants.

1 See B. vii. cc. 31, 34: B. viii. c. 74: and B. ix. c. 63.

2 Near the Temple of Janus, in the Eighth Region of the City.

3 The Luperci were the priests of Pan, who, at the celebration of their games, called Lupercalia, were in the habit of running about the streets of Rome, with no other covering than a goat's skin tied about the loins.—B.

4 "Pænula." See B. viii. c. 73.

5 We are informed by Cicero, De Off. B. iii. c. 30, and by Valerius Maximus, B. ii. c. 7, that Marcinus made a treaty with the Numantines, which the senate refused to ratify, and that he was, in consequence, surrendered to the enemy. We may suppose that he regarded the transaction as redounding more to the discredit of the senate than of himself.—B.

6 See end of B. xviii.

7 In the First Region of the City, near the Capenian Gate.

8 "Celetes;" this appellation is derived from the Greek word κέλης, "swift," and was applied to those who rode on horseback, in opposition to the charioteers.—B.

9 Poinsinet remarks that Pliny has forgotten the gilded chariot, with six horses, which Cneius Cornelius dedicated in the Capitol, two hundred years before Augustus; he also refers to an ancient inscription in Gruter, which mentions chariots of this description.—B.

The Natural History. Pliny the Elder. John Bostock, M.D., F.R.S. H.T. Riley, Esq., B.A. London. Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court, Fleet Street. 1855.

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  • Cross-references to this page (3):
    • Harper's, Celes
    • A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities (1890), FORUM
    • Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography (1854), ROMA
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