“Phigalia,” phi-ga´li-a.
“Niké-Apteros.” The wingless goddess of victory. Wingless, to signify that the prayer of the Athenians was that victory might never leave their city.
“Scopas,” sco´pas. (395-350.) An architect and statuary, as well as sculptor. He was the architect of the temple of Minerva at Tegea, and assisted in the bas-reliefs of the mausoleum at Halicarnassus. The famous group of Niobe and her children is supposed to have been the work of Scopas.
“Praxiteles,” prax-it´e-les. Born at Athens B. C. 392. He worked in both marble and bronze. About fifty different works by him are mentioned. First in fame stands the Cnidian Venus, “one of the most famous art creations of antiquity.” Apollo as the lizard-killer, his faun and a representation of Eros are probably best-known.
“Nereid,” nē´re-id. A sea nymph.
“Mænad,” mæ´nad. A priestess or votary of Bacchus.
P. 76, c. 2.—“Toro Farnese” or Farnese Bull. Was discovered in the sixteenth century and is now in the Naples museum. It represents the sons of Antiope tying Dirce to a bull by which she is to be dragged to death. The work when discovered went to the Farnese palace in Rome, hence the name of Farnese bull.
“Laocoon,” la-oc´o-on. One of the chief groups in the Vatican collection; discovered at Rome in 1506. Laocoon was a priest of Apollo, who having blasphemed the god was destroyed at the altar with his two sons by a serpent sent by the deity.
“Niobe,” ni´o-be. The group of Niobe and her children was probably first an ornament of the pediment of a temple. The subject is the vengeance of Apollo and Artemis upon the Theban queen Niobe, who had boasted because of her fourteen children, that she was superior to Leda who had but two. As a punishment all her children were destroyed.
“Pyromachus,” py-rom´a-chus.