316. In this metope, the 27th in the original series, the Centaur, wounded in the back, attempts to fly, but is checked by the Lapith, whose left hand grasps him round the left side of the head, while his left leg presses against his hind-quarters. The right arm of the Lapith is drawn back to deal a blow, perhaps with a lance. The Centaur, rearing up in agony, presses his right hand against the wound in his back; his left arm, now wanting, must have been raised, as appears from Carrey's drawing, in which a small piece of the upper arm is given. The left foot of the Lapith presses firmly against a rock. A mantle falls over both arms, hanging in festoons behind his back. Carrey's drawing gives both the head, and right leg, and part of the right forearm of the Lapith. In composition and execution this is one of the finest of the extant metopes.
Mus. Marbles, VII., pl. 9; Baumeister, Denkmaeler, p. 1176, fig. 1365; Michaelis, pl. 3, xxvii.; Stereoscopic, No. 90.
317. In this metope, the 28th in the original series, the Centaur is victorious; the Lapith lies dead under his feet. Brandishing the lion's skin on his extended left arm with a triumphant gesture, and lashing his tail, the Centaur rushes forward to meet a new foe, with the ends of the lion's skin flying behind him. His right arm, now wanting, must have wielded the weapon with which he has slain the Lapith. The Lapith lies on his chlamys, his head thrown back, his right leg bent up, his right hand lying over his right flank, his whole form relaxed by death. Carrey's drawing gives the head, left foreleg, and greater part of the right arm of the Centaur, but wholly misinterprets the figure of the Lapith. For dramatic power in the conception and truth in the modelling of the forms, this metope is unrivalled.
Mus. Marbles, VII., pl. 10; Baumeister, Denkmaeler, p. 1177, fig. 1366; Michaelis, pl. 3, xxviii.; Stereoscopic, No. 91.
318. In this metope, the 29th of the original series, the Centaur is carrying off a Lapith woman. Clasping her firmly round the waist with his left hand, he has raised her from the ground. We see from Carrey's drawing that his right hand, now wanting, grasped her right arm above the elbow, so as to make her efforts to escape of no avail; with her left hand she vainly endeavours to loosen his hold round her waist. The disorder of her drapery shows the violence of the struggle. Her chiton has slipped from its attachment on the left shoulder, leaving her left breast exposed. Over her left arm is the end of a mantle, which, passing round her back, and twisted over her right arm, floats unconfined behind the Centaur. His head has the pointed ears which are characteristic of the semi-bestial type, but which do not occur on the other heads of Centaurs in these metopes. Carrey's drawing gives the head of the female figure, and the right arm and tail of the Centaur. There are traces of the bead and reel moulding on the margin of this metope. The drapery is beautifully wrought, but the design in its present condition seems rather tame.
Mus. Marbles, VII., pl. 11; Michaelis, pl. 4, xxix.; Stereoscopic, No. 92.
319. This metope, the 30th in the series, much resembles No. 311, both in composition and in style. The Lapith has fallen with his left leg bent under him; his left arm rests on a stone, which he grasps in his left hand. His right hand, which is disarmed, presses feebly against the left side of the Centaur, who with his left hand seizes the hair of his antagonist, and presses his left forefoot on his right thigh, drawing back his right arm to deal a blow. The countenance of the Lapith expresses bodily pain, as if he had just been half stunned by a blow on the head. His bent knee does not yet touch the ground, but the action of the Centaur deprives him of all chance of recovering his erect position. A lion's skin floats in the air at the back of the Centaur. A chlamys hangs from the right arm of the Lapith, and passes behind his back. The treatment of both the heads is a little austere, but the bodies are well modelled, and the composition is finely conceived. There are on this metope some remains of the bead and reel moulding on the upper margin.
Mus. Marbles, VII., pl. 12; Michaelis, pl. 4, xxx.; Stereoscopic, No. 93.
320. In this metope, the 31st of the original series, the Centaur seems to have the advantage. The Lapith has, with his right hand, seized him by the hair, pressing his right knee on the Centaur's breast; his left arm is drawn back, and has been slightly bent at the elbow. The Centaur, rearing up, grasps his antagonist by the throat, twisting his forelegs round the Lapith's right leg, so as to paralyse its action. The position of the Centaur is obviously much the stronger, and the bent left knee of the Lapith indicates that he is tottering. We do not know what weapon he held in his hand. The composition in this metope is very good. In the faces there is the same austere character as in No. 319. This metope seems in the same state as when drawn by Carrey.
Mus. Marbles, VII., pl. 13; Baumeister, Denkmaeler, p. 1178, fig. 1367; Michaelis, pl. 4, xxxi.; Stereoscopic, No. 94.