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Chapter 21 (part 2) (p.295)
At
a depth of 8 meters (26 feet) we discovered a marble idol with the
owl’s head of the tutelary goddess of Ilium, and a brilliant red
terra-cotta idol of the same goddess, which, curiously enough, has on
its head a small, but very pretty vase with two handles; the owl’s face
of this last-mentioned idol has enormous eyes, and is very expressive (fig.213).
 Of terra-cotta vases and dishes we found an especially large number in
these depths. I can, however, only give drawings of a few of them, for
most were brought out in a broken condition, and I cannot have them
repaired (p.296) till I return to Athens.
Fig.213: Fragment of a Trojan Idol of bright-red Terra-cotta (6m depth).
Of those terra-cottas which were
got out unharmed, a small vase with two holes in the mouth, for being
hung up by a cord, is especially deserving of attention; it is
surrounded by figures in the shape of hearts with crosses; then
saucer-shaped pots with large handles; other little pots in the form of
salt-cellars, and several vases round at the bottom with three feet or
without feet; terra-cotta scoops in the form of cups with large
handles (figs.214,215); then a large terra-cotta lid with a handle; it is of a very
curious shape, and weighs 730 grammes (fig.216). We also found several implements
of copper.
Figs.214, 215 (left): Terra-cotta Cups or Scoops
(7 m depth).
Fig.216 (right): Vase Cover in Terra-cotta (8m depth).
At
a depth of 9 meters (29½ feet) we found a copper lance and a dozen very
large vases, brown and black. At the same depth I found a pretty
brilliant brown cup in the form of a flower-pot, with two large
handles. At a depth of 26 and 29½ feet I have found, since the 5th of
the month, eleven beautiful sling-bullets of loadstone and (p.297) two of
porphyry.
 We met with very few stone implements, only two beautiful
axes of diorite, at the depths of 29½ and 33 feet. At the latter depth
I again found one of the brush-handles of terra-cotta (fig.217), which are often
found, and some vases with three feet and rings at the sides for
hanging them up.
Fig.217: Terra-cotta Handle of a Trojan Brush, with the holes in which the bristles have been fixed (10m depth).
During
the last eleven days I have collected 991 of the terra-cotta whorls,
581 of which have symbolical signs, but only 79 have engravings which
are new to me. Long thin copper nails with rounded heads, which must
have been used as dress or hair pins, were met with at all depths.
During these eleven days I have found 20 exquisitely polished axes of
diorite.
At a depth of 1 meter (3¼ feet), we yesterday found in
the Temple of Athena, beside an inscribed pedestal of black slate, 3
feet 8 inches high and 20¾ inches broad, the statue of a man, of fine
white marble, nearly 4 feet high. As is proved by the inscription, it
was made by Pytheas of Argos, and was erected by the Ilians in honour
of Metrodorus, the son of Themistagoras, of whom it is a
representation. The figure was in the position of an orator, as is
proved by the footmarks on the pedestal. The head and the feet are
unfortunately wanting.
The inscriptions run as follows:—
 The city of Ilion
Metrodorus [son of ] Themistagoras.
Pytheas of Argos made this.
There
were in antiquity many men named Metrodorus, (p.298) but only two of them
were especially celebrated, and both were natives of Asia Minor. The
one, born in Lampsacus, was a pupil of Epicurus;[252] the other, a
native of Scepsis, was a philosopher, orator, and statesman, and was
held in high esteem by Mithridates VII., Eupator,[253] who afterwards
had him put to death in a horrible manner.[254]
The name of the father
of this Metrodorus of Scepsis is unknown, and whether he was called
Themistagoras, or otherwise, is uncertain; but it is extremely probable
that the inscription and the statue were raised in honour of the
Scepsian orator, philosopher, and statesman.
I find no mention whatever
of the sculptor Pytheas of Argos. Only one Pytheas, a silver-chaser, is
named by Pliny,[255] as being a contemporary of Pompey the Great:
Pliny, however, does not state his birthplace. Another Pytheas was a
wall painter and a native of Achaia. Neither of these can therefore be
the Argive sculptor who made the statue and put his name on the
pedestal. But as my learned and much esteemed friend, Professor
Stephanos Kummanudes of Athens, has remarked, it is not astonishing
that the name of an insignificant sculptor should be forgotten, seeing
that the names of so many great kings are lost.
In the same part
of the Temple of Athena we found the fragment of a marble slab, which
has evidently been very long, with the inscription given on the
opposite page.
"on the proconsul Gaius Claudius Nero son of Publius the Great,
To the Pœmanenians, send us a guard
a soldier of the city and over them ruler of the Pœmanenians
being our friends and favorably situated towards our deon
they sent out the soldiers and over them the ruler Nikandrov,
Menophilou (?) and born in our city
the endemic is done well and happily and value of the day
of the municipality and of the country itself, the (?) of the [?]
A youth endemic self-discipline is also provided for himself
the leader is imposed by a man ........ and the power
handled himself faithfully and ..........
the advantage of a guard ..........
study ..........
from new ones...
only..."
The Proconsul Caius Claudius Nero, the son of
Publius, who is praised in the above inscription, ruled over the
province of Asia from 674 to 675 after the foundation of Rome. Hence he
lived at the time of Cicero, who mentions him in his orations against
Verres.[256]
The Pœmanenians (Ποιμανηνοί) are the inhabitants of the fortress of Pœmanenon, to the south of Cyzicus.[257] (p.299)
To
judge from the form and thickness of the stone, this inscription must
have been very long and have contained more than 70 lines. But even the
fragment is of historical value, and all the more as we know for
certain that it comes down to us from the year 80 B.C.
Footnotes:
[252] Strabo, XIII. p. 589.
[253] Strabo, XIII. p. 609.
[254] Plutarch, Life of Lucullus.
[255] Hist. Nat., XXXV. 12, s. 55.
[256] Waddington, Fastes des Provinces Asiatiques de l’Empire Romain. Paris, 1872, pp. 43-44.
[257] Pape-Benseler, Lexikon der Eigennamen.
[Continue to Chapter 22]
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