On the right are two pairs of combatants. In one of these groups a warrior, who has fallen on his right knee, tries to defend himself with his shield, while with the right hand he seizes a stone. The antagonist has his right arm raised to strike, perhaps with a battleaxe, and seizes with his left hand the shield of the kneeling figure. On the right of the slab one of the warriors flies before the assault of his antagonist, whose arms are both raised to strike him.—Elgin Coll.
Pentelic marble; height, 1 foot 5½ inches; length, 6 feet 7¾ inches. Synopsis, No. 161 (260); Ross, pl. 11, k.; Mus. Marbles, IX., pl. 10; Overbeck, Gr. Plast., 3rd. ed., I., fig. 81, p. q.; Baumeister, fig. 1239; Brunn, Denkmaeler, No. 118.
On the right of the slab described was the return of the corner slab of the south side, with a combat of two warriors.
Ross, pl. 11, 1.; Overbeck, Gr. Plast., 3rd ed., I., fig. 81, r.
There is a considerable variety of costumes on the west side of the frieze. Some of the figures are nude; others wear the chlamys only, the chiton only, or the two garments together. The chiton is sometimes worn on both shoulders, and some times only on one shoulder. The warriors are for the most part armed with helmets and large bucklers. In two instances a cap of a flexible material is worn instead of a helmet. None, however, of the costumes are non-Hellenic; and further the attempt made by Overbeck (i. p. 365), to show that the helmet of the figure on the extreme right of the frieze is distinctively Bœotian, is untenable (Wolters, p. 284).
The North and South Friezes.
423. Slab containing a part of the battle between Greeks and Persians. In the first group on the left, a Persian has fallen on his right knee, raising his right arm to defend his head. The antagonist presses his left foot on the right thigh of the Persian, raising his right arm for a spear thrust, and probably seizing the hair of the Persian with his left hand. Next is a group of two Persians and a Greek. One of the Persians lies dead on the ground; his mounted comrade urges his horse against the Greek, who draws back, and raises his arm to strike with a battle-axe.
The next group is composed of two Persians on foot and a Greek. In the centre is a wounded Persian, who has been forced down on his left knee and extends his arms forward in entreaty to the Greek, who drags him along, grasping the head of the Persian with his left hand. The right hand of the Greek must have held either a spear or a sword. On the right the other Persian turns back to defend his fallen comrade against the Greek. Both arms are raised to strike, and probably wielded a battle-axe. At his left side hangs a quiver. On the extreme right is a Greek moving to the right in pursuit of a flying Persian of whom only the leg and part of the drapery round the loins remain. The ground on which this scene takes place is rocky.—Elgin Coll.
Pentelic marble; height, 1 foot 5½ inches; length, 5 feet 10 inches. Synopsis, No. 158 (258); Ross, pl. 12, o; Mus. Marbles, IX., pl. 7; Overbeck, Gr. Plast., 3rd ed., I., fig. 81, i-l; Baumeister, fig. 1237; Brunn, Denkmaeler, No. 117.