d time, just as
inharmonious sounds are to a correct ear for the rhythm of sound; so
when we speak of the eurythmy of sculpture we mean that its apparent
motion is in accord with the laws of proportion, and is harmonious and
graceful to the eye.

[Illustration: FIG. 36.--HEAD OF ASCLEPIUS. _In the British Museum._]

While Alcamenes had this power of imparting grace to his statues, he
also approached Phidias in majesty and a divine sweetness, which was the
sweetness of great strength. In truth, he is recognized as the sculptor
who most nearly approached the great Phidias. He represented also for
the first time the god Asclepius, or AEsculapius, who was very important
to the Greeks, who placed great value upon physical health. Alcamenes
represented him as a sort of humanized Zeus or Jupiter. Of the Asclepius
heads found at Melos we may regard this one given here as a free copy of
the type of god which this great sculptor represented the god of
medicine and health to be (Fig. 36).

Alcamenes was also the principal assistant of Phidias in his decoration
of the temple of Jupiter at Olympia, and is said to have himself
executed the relief upon the western pediment, in which the battle of
the Centaurs and Lapithae was represented with great spirit.

AGORACRITUS of Paros, who has been mentioned as the rival of Alcamenes,
is called the favorite pupil of Phidias, and it is said that the master
even gave Agoracritus some of his works, and allowed the pupil to
inscribe his name upon them. For this reason the ancient writers were
often in doubt as to the authorship of the statues called by the names
of these sculptors. It is said that when the Venus of Alcamenes was
preferred before that of Agoracritus the latter changed his mark, and
made it to represent a Nemesis, or the goddess who sent suffering to
those who were blessed with too many gifts. It is said that this statue
was cut from a block of marble which the Persians brought with them to
Marathon for the purpose of making a trophy of it which they could set
up to commemorate the victory they felt so sure of gaining; in their
flight and adversity it was left, and at last served a Greek sculptor in
making a statue of an avenging goddess. This seems to be a striking
illustration of "poetic justice."

Agoracritus sold the Nemesis to the people of Rhamnus, who had a temple
dedicated to that goddess, and made a condition that it should never be
set up in Athens. In the museum of