Mythology in Marble

By Louie M. Bell

The aim of this book has been to introduce some of the best specimens of mythologic sculpture to those who wish to become acquainted with things that add to the resources of a happy imagination, but who find it impracticable to study set treatises on "fossil theology," or to consider the historical development of art. An unpretentious exposition of the myths has been given together with their popular interpretations. The poets, ever the best commentators on mythology and sculpture, are freely quoted. These metrical lines, relating either to the statues or the stories, may serve to stamp indelibly on the mind facts otherwise effaceable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Good Press
• Release date: Nov 5, 2021
• ISBN: 4066338083784

Book preview

Louie M. Bell

Mythology in Marble

Published by Good Press, 2022

[e-mail]

EAN 4066338083784

Table of Contents

Preface.

The Gods and Their Makers.

Jupiter. The Father of Gods.

STORY. THE KING OF THE HEAVENS.

Juno. The Ox-eyed Queen.

STORY. THE GODDESS OF MARRIAGE.

Apollo Belvedere. And the cold marble leapt to life a god.

STORY. A PYTHIAN GOD.

Niobe. The Mater Dolorosa of Antique Art.

STORY. A FROZEN TRAGEDY.

Mars. God of Dreadful War.

STORY. THE WAR GOD.

Laocoon.

STORY. A PLASTIC TRAGEDY.

Venus. Goddess of Love and Beauty.

STORY. THE BIRTH OF VENUS.

Hercules. The Hero.

STORY. THE DEMI-GOD.

Venus de Medici.

Hercules and Lichas.

STORY. DEATH AND DEIFICATION.

Winged Victory. Nike the Victorious.

STORY. A HEAVENLY MESSENGER.

The Three Fates The Weird Sisters.

STORY. THE DAUGHTERS OF NIGHT.

Meleager. The Graceful Hunter.

STORY. THE HERO OF THE CALYDONIAN HUNT.

Apollo Musagetes. The Patron of Music.

STORY. THE LEADER OF THE MUSES.

Calliope. The Beautiful Voiced.

STORY. THE MUSE OF POETRY.

Diana. The Virgin Huntress.

STORY. THE MOON GODDESS.

Sleeping Ariadne.

STORY. THE DESERTED PRINCESS.

Ariadne.

STORY. MARRIAGE OF BACCHUS AND ARIADNE.

Minerva. The Wise.

STORY. THE DIVINITY OF ATHENS.

Euterpe. The Charmer.

STORY. THE NINE MUSES.

Orpheus and Eurydice.

STORY. A PATHETIC LEGEND.

Bacchus. The God of Many Names.

STORY. THE GOD OF WINE.

Apollo and Daphne.

STORY. APOLLO’S FIRST LOVE.

Proserpine. The Maiden.

STORY. THE ABDUCTION.

Cupid. The Child Angel of Mythology.

STORY. THE BOY-GOD OF LOVE.

Vulcan. The Crippled Artist God.

STORY. THE GOD OF FIRE.

Perseus. Child of the Morning.

STORY. THE SLAYING OF THE GORGON.

Hebe. The Ever Young.

STORY. THE CUP-BEARER.

Ganymede and the Eagle.

STORY. A TROJAN PRINCE.

Cupid Stung.

Cupid and Psyche.

STORY. A FAIRY TALE.

Mercury. The Master Thief.

STORY. THE THEFT.

Mercury.

STORY. THE INVENTOR.

The Genius of Death.

STORY. THANATOS.

The Graces. Goddesses of Gracefulness.

STORY. THREE CHARITIES.

Pan.

STORY. AN ARCADIAN GOD.

Hope.

STORY. THE PAGAN EVE.

Suggestive Readings.

Bibliography.

Synonymous Deities.

Preface.

Table of Contents

"They are coming back in might,

Olympic gods, to claim their ancient right.

Shall then the sacred majesty of old,

The grace that holy was, the noble rage,

Temper our strife, abate our greed for gold,

Make fine our modern age?"

In this practical age it is not to be supposed that busy people in general have time to make a thorough study of mythologic science: but to share understandingly the love of sculpture now awakened in the public mind, and for a better appreciation of our galleries of casts, it is desirable to have at least a suggestive knowledge of the myths and legends which have inspired so many artists in the moulding of their statues, for—

"Even in ruins of their marble limbs

They breathe of that far world wherefrom they came,

Of liquid light and harmonies serene,

Lost halls of heaven and fair Olympian air."

In this book the aim has been to introduce some of the best specimens of mythologic sculpture to those who wish to become acquainted with things which add to the resources of a happy imagination, but who find it impracticable to study set treatises on fossil theology, or to consider the historical development of art.

An unpretentious exposition of the myths has been given together with their popular interpretations. The poets, ever the best commentators on mythology and sculpture, are freely quoted. These metrical lines, relating either to the statues or the stories, may serve to stamp indelibly on the mind facts otherwise effaceable.

A table of Greek and Roman synonymous deities and a list of suggestive readings in modern literature are appended.

—L.M.B.

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The Gods and Their Makers.

Table of Contents

"Want you the brand and scope of man, he is

Maker of Gods. A novice at the trade,

He made God out of winds and thunder clouds,

The unpropitious seasons, threatening moons,

And the invisible ambuscade of death.

Poor frightened babe, he worshiped with a wail,

Clutching his mother earth, and in her face

Burying his fears. Then childlike artist grown

He craved for form, and from the shapes around

Contorted fair the figure of himself,

Moulded his deities in wood and stone

Around his bed, his banquet board, his tomb

As yet a bungler, but when youth infused

Into the sap and marrow of his brain

The vernal subtleties of love, he dreamed

Of gods as fair as he himself would be,

Majestic, abstract, yet with solid power

To make a goddess tremble; and behold,

Under the yearning passion of his thought

The embryonic marble sloughed its shell,

And gods of strength and beauty