sentation of Briseis being led away from Achilles. The Hero appears on the right of the scene seated in his tent in a dejected attitude. On the reverse is the entrance of Briseis into the palace of Agamemnon, that place being indicated by two Doric columns. No. 834 has a representation of two wind-gods, probably Boreas and Zephyros, bearing off the dead body of Memnon; they are represented with wings, and armed as youthful warriors; Memnon appears naked, with a long pointed beard and a diadem. No. 851, a shallow two-handled cup, has a curious picture of a symposion or drinking scene, which is interesting, owing to the great number of different drinking vessels which are represented upon it. No. 864 has a picture of Heracles pursuing the robber Cacus. No. 864 has a representation of Heracles supporting the heavens on his back. The Hero is bearded, and wears the lion's skin. The heavens are indicated by a hemisphere, on which are a crescent and two stars. On the reverse is Atlas approaching the tree in the gardens of Hesperides, round which is coiled the two-headed serpent Ladon; on the tree are three golden apples.

No. 880 has for its chief subjects Anacreon playing on the double flutes, and accompanied by his dog. He is represented laureled and bearded. On the reverse is Bythallos standing and looking back at Anacreon. No. 891, an Amphora, with design red on a black ground, with accessories in crimson, has a representation of a boy bending forward to throw a quoit, which he holds in his right hand; he wears a diadem, which rises up in a point over the forehead.

No. 904 has a scene of two young athletes, one about to hurl the diskos or quoit, and the other seated on the ground before him. The discobolos is stepping with his right leg foremost, advancing his right arm with the diskos previously to drawing it back, and stretching forward his left arm at the same time. No. 920* represents Heracles receiving the poisoned chiton sent to him by Deianira. The Hero is bearded, and naked, and holds in both hands the lion's skin, which he has just taken off; before him stands a figure, perhaps Iole, holding in her right hand the chiton. On the reverse is another female, probably Deianira, who appears to be connected with the group on the other side. No. 926 represents Penelope standing, holding in her left hand the distaff, and in her right a flower; before her stand a water-fowl and a young female, holding in her right hand a pyxis, and in her left a sash; on the reverse, is another female figure, with a distaff and a ball of wool. No. 929 represents a youthful warrior, probably Achilles,

bending forward to receive his armour from a female figure, probably his mother Thetis, who stands before him, holding his spear and Argolic buckler; he has already received from her his helmet, which he holds in his left hand by one of the check pieces, while, with his right, he appears to be attaching a diadem to it.

No. 934 has the design red on a black ground, and the accessories gilt and raised in relief. The subject is the Hyperborean Apollo riding on a gryphon, and holding in his left hand a branch of laurel, perhaps on his return from the Hyperboreans. Artemis is advancing to meet him; and behind Apollo is his mother Leto (Latona). No. 968, a shallow two-handled cup, with design red on a black ground, and the style very coarse. The chief subject is a naked youth about to run the lampadephoria, or torch-race, who is extending both hands to receive a torch from the Paidotribes. On the reverse is another youth with a quoit in his right hand, and inside the cup is a beardless figure standing with a thyrsus in his hand. No. 971, a shallow two-handled cup, has representations of different parts of the Pentathla. On the obverse, a wrestling match, in which a bearded figure is contending with a beardless youth; on the reverse, an armed foot-race, in which two figures, partially armed, are running, the one a little in advance of the other.

Nos. 971* and 971** have also subjects relating to the Pentathla. No. 979 is a shallow two-handled cup, Inside the cup is a representation of Orestes killing Clytemnæstra, who is seated on an altar, and stretches out her hands imploringly to avert the threatened blow.

No. 990 is chiefly remarkable for its shape, which is that of a lion's head. The lion's head, in which the cup terminates, is painted red, the features and hair picked out with black, white, and crimson. The subject represented is three youths beardless, and wearing wreaths and mantles.

No. 994 is an Amphora, design red on a black ground, representing Achilles playing on the chelys, in the presence of two Myrmidons.

No. 996 has on its obverse two Seileni playing at see-saw on a board balanced on a peg; they hold each other by the arms. On the reverse is a youthful male figure advancing his right arm as though pointing to the scene on the obverse. No. 998 is a curious fragment of a vase, with a representation of a portion of the figure of Pallas Athene, perhaps a copy of the celebrated Chrys-Elephantine statue of Pheidias. The helmet of the goddess has a nasal, cheekpieces, and back-piece; it is surmounted by a sphynx, out of which

the crest rises; over the forehead is a gryphon's head; in the centre of the ægis is a gorgon's head.

Nos. 999, 1000, 1001, and 1004 are curious for their shape. The first is in that of a female bust; the second in that of a gorgon's head; the third in that of a helmeted head; the fourth is that of a left leg and thigh.

VIII. Basilicata and Vases of a late Time.

In the Southern part of Italy, now called the Basilicata, a coarser style arose subsequent to the time of Alexander the Great, the extant specimens of which enable us to trace with considerable accuracy the progressive decline of art. In the style, which then began to prevail, we find clumsy, full forms, resembling those of the Flemish School of Painting, substituted for the graceful forms and proportions of the earlier Grecian style. The shapes of the vases themselves become less elegant; the figures lose distinctness of outline, and are crowded with details often carelessly designed, and an attempt is shown to give landscape distance and perspective, whereas, during the finest period, the figures are always in one plane as on the frieze of the Parthenon. The design of these later vases is drawn in red on a black ground, the inner markings of the figure are gradually less carefully indicated, and white and red colours are introduced in patches on the accessories, destroying the earlier monochrome simplicity of the painting. On the representations of Heroa we find examples of the Sepulchral Monuments of the period, arched tombs apparently situated on the slopes of mountains, and bearing much resemblance to those in Lycia; and within the tomb itself a statue of the Hero, or person commemorated. The Temples and the figures within them are painted white to represent marble; and the figures outside generally appear to be seated one above the other on the sides of hills. The decay of art during the later period is shown by the gradually prevailing practice of reproducing upon the vases subjects which could not be adequately represented upon them. Just as the artists of the Fifteenth Century, losing sight of the true limits of their several provinces, tried to introduce on glass, in the illuminations of MSS., and on the so-called Raffaelle-ware, those refinements of chiaroscuro and colour which do not admit of being transferred without detriment to a new material, so did the Greek vase painters attempt to adapt the elaborate compositions of great Masters like Apollodorus to the confined space and imperfect technical means at their command. The later vases found at Ruvo,

some of which we shall describe presently, show that the simple monograph, which was best adapted to the decoration of such objects, was abandoned, and that the painter was compelled to call in to his aid Plastic Art, thus distorting and disfiguring, by the introduction of terra cotta figures and bas-reliefs among the paintings, the true original principles of Greek Fictile Art. The Vases of Ruvo indicate a branch of Painting gradually becoming the mere accessory to Sculpture.

The subjects on the Vases of the later time very generally repre. sent Dionysiac and Erotic scenes. There are a few with sepulchral subjects. Inscriptions too become gradually more rare. We propose to describe first at some length a few of the finest specimens which belong to the earlier period, and then to notice cursorily and by their numbers some miscellaneous vases of interest either from their beauty or their shape.

Of the earlier ones the finest perhaps is No. 1266, a hydria, with design red on a black ground, containing a great variety of figures and of exquisite workmanship. There are two principal scenes: 1. In the upper division, the rape of the daughters of Leucippus by Castor and Pollux. In the centre of the more distant part of the scene is an archaic statue of a Goddess holding in her right hand a phiale: on the right and left of this statue are the quadrigæ of Castor and Pollux, and, in the chariot of the latter, Elera standing: the chariot of Castor is driven by his charioteer Chrysippus. Above this chariot is the name of the maker Meidias. The remaining figures in this composition form the foreground of the scene, and are therefore placed below the groups just described. In the centre of this lower series, below the Archaic figure, is Castor carrying off Eryphile, the sister of Elera; before Eryphile, is one of the Graces, Peitho, flying these figures are moving on irregular ground, partially covered with herbage. Behind this group and in the centre of the whole scene, is Aphrodite, seated by the side of an Altar, and looking back at Castor and Eryphile; before her crouches Chrysêis: and behind her Agave is flying with horror towards Zeus, who is seated on a rock on the extreme left of the composition.

2. In the lower division, two subjects: one on each side of the vase. On the obverse, Heracles with the Hesperides; in the centre of the scene, is the tree with the golden apples, round which is twined the serpent Ladon. On the right of the tree, stands Lipara, one of the daughters of Atlas, looking round at Heracles, who is seated on a rock, over which a lion's skin is thrown: behind Heracles, stands Iolaos on the left of the tree, is another of the Atlantids, Chryso

:

themis, stretching out her right hand to gather one of the apples; behind her, is Asicherthre, another of the Atlantids: on the left of this group, Hygieia is seated on a rock; in front of her, and closing the scene, is Klytios, who stands with his left foot on a rock and turns towards Hygieia; two hunting spears rest against his left thigh. 3. On the reverse, a scene from the Argonautica. In the centre of the composition, Aiêtes, seated on a rock; in front of him, Philoctetes, and behind him a group of three female figures, Elera, Medea, and Niobe. On the right of Aiêtes is a group of three youthful male figures, Hippomedon, Antiochos, and Klymenos: on the right of this group is another, composed of Oineus and Demophon, and one female figure, Chrysis, who is seated on a rock and bounds the scene on the extreme right. All the male figures in the two groups last described are beardless, and, with the exception of Antiochos, hold hunting spears in their left hands. Their names are inscribed over all the figures in all the compositions.

No. 1265 is a very beautiful Aryballos, with design red on a black ground, containing a group of Eudaimonia, Pandaisia, Hygieia, Eros, and two other figures. Eudaimonia is seated in the centre, on a rock; a winged Eros is flying towards the back of her head in front of her, stand Pandaisia and Hygieia; on the other side of Eudaimonia, a youthful male figure, holding; in his right hand two spears with thongs attached. Between this figure and Eudaimonia, is a laurel-tree, and, behind him, a female figure, over whose head is the word "kale,' "she is beautiful." The armlets, necklaces, laurel-berries, and grapes in this scene are raised in relief, and have all been gilt, except the grapes.

No. 1267 is a very fine Apulian Amphora, with design red on a black ground, and accessories in white and brown. On the 1. obv. in the upper division, are Pelops and Oinomaos, taking an oath before the altar of Zeus, previously to the chariot race, in the presence of Hippodameia and Aphrodite: Pelops stands on the left of the Altar, wearing a Phrygian cap, and his left hand resting on two spears; Oinomaos stands near him, wearing a chiton, embroidered with a row of white swans. Behind the Altar is a stele, inscribed Dios," [the altar] of Zeus:" above which is a youthful beardless head of one of the slain suitors inscribed "Periphas." Behind Oinomaos, stands Myrtilos, and behind Myrtilos, is Eros flying in the air, and Aphrodite seated on a rock: Eros is represented with female head-attire. Behind Pelops is the nurse of Hippodamcia, leading her forward by the hand; the nurse has white hair. Above this group, is a youthful beardless head of another suitor, inscribed