ten concerning
it.

[Illustration: FIG. 22.--THE DISCOBOLUS.]

Though the cow was so much talked of, the artistic fame of Myron rests
more upon the "Discobolus," or quoit-thrower. The original statue does
not exist, but there are several copies of it. That in the Massimi Villa
is a very accurate one, and was found on the Esquiline Hill at Rome in
A.D. 1782; our illustration is made from this statue. Myron's great
skill in representing the human figure in excited action is well shown
in the quoit-thrower. To make such a figure as this requires great power
in a sculptor. No model could constantly repeat this action, and if he
could there is but a flash of time in which the artist sees just the
position he reproduces. This figure, however, is so true to life that
one feels like keeping out of the range of the quoit when it flies (Fig.
22). There are several other existing works attributed to Myron: they
are a marble copy of his statue of Marsyas, in the Lateran at Rome; two
torsi in the gallery at Florence; a figure called Diomed, and a bronze
in the gallery at Munich.

Myron made statues of gods and heroes, but he excelled in representing
athletes. His works were very numerous, and a list of those which are
only known through the mention of them by various writers would be of
little value here. While Myron reproduced the form and action of the
body with marvellous effect, he made no advance in representing the
expression of the face, nor in the treatment of the hair. He was daring
in his art, for he not only imitated what he saw in life, but he also
represented grotesque imaginary creatures, and in many ways proved that
he had a rich creative fancy.

A third sculptor of this time was CALAMIS, who was in his prime about
B.C. 450. He was not born in Athens, but he worked there. Calamis added
to the exact representations of Pythagoras and Myron the element of
grace beyond their powers in that direction. He made a greater variety
of figures than they, for to gods and heroes he added heroines, boys and
horses. His works were in bronze, gold and ivory, as well as marble. But
what we know of Calamis is gathered from the writings of Greek authors
rather than from works, or copies of works, by him still existing;
indeed, no statue remains known to be his own, though there are some
which critics fancy may be so. But we may be certain of his great
excellence from the many praises sung and said of him, and Lucian, who
knew all t