Attic school. Flaxman thus characterizes them: "The fauns are youthful, sprightly, and tendonous, their faces round, expressive of merriment, not without an occasional mixture of mischief."

STATUES:

The satyr or faun. Capitol. Vatican. Ancient copies of the Satyr of Praxiteles.

The older satyrs were generally named Sileni, but one of these Sileni is commonly known as the Silenus, who always accompanies Dionysus. He is usually represented as a jovial old man, with a bald head, a pug nose, fat and round, and generally intoxicated. He is generally represented riding on an ass, or supported by other satyrs.

STATUES :

Silenus, with infant Bacchus in his arms. Louvre.
Ditto. Vatican.

PAN.-Before the age of Praxiteles he was usually represented in a human form, and was characterized by the shepherd's pipe, the pastoral crook, the disordered hair, and also sprouting horns. The goat-footed, horned and hook-nose form became afterwards the rule, probably through the Praxitelean art. In it Pan appears as an active leaper and dancer, and the amusing buffoon in the cycle of Dionysus. As a peaceful syrinx-player, he inhabits the grottoes consecrated to him, where his figure is not unfrequently found, amid graceful nymphs, hewn out of the living rock.

STATUE:

Pan. British Museum.

MENADES (BACCHANTES). BACCHE.

The female companions of Dionysus, in his wanderings through the east, are represented as crowned with vine-leaves,

clothed with fawn-skins, carrying in their hands the thyrsus. They are distinguished by their revelling enthusiasm, dishevelled hair, and head thrown back, with thyrsi, swords, serpents, dismembered roe-calves, tympana, and fluttering, loose flying garments.

BAS-RELIEF:

Bacchante, attributed to Scopas. British Museum.

CENTAURS.

In earlier times they were represented in front entirely as men, with the body of a horse growing on to them behind; but afterwards, perhaps from the time of Phidias, the forms were

CENTAUR.

blended much more happily, by the joining of the belly and breast of a horse to the upper part of a human body, the forms of whose countenance, pointed ears, and bristly hair, betray an affinity to the satyr.

Borghese Centaur with Eros on its back. Louvre.
Centaurs with names of sculptors, Aristeas and Papias.
Capitol.

At first Eros was represented in temple statues as a boy of developed beauty and tender grace of mien, and this mode of representation prevails throughout in the different statues of the god still extant. A later art, however, after the time of Alexander, which was allied to the toying poetry of the Anacreontica, preferred the childish form for such purposes. In the imitations of the famous statue of Praxiteles, he is represented as a slender, undeveloped boy, full of liveliness and activity, earnestly endeavouring to fasten the strings to his bow. He is also frequently represented with Psyche.

STATUES:

Copies of the Cupid of Praxiteles. Vatican. Capitol.
British Museum. Louvre. Villa Albani.
Cupid and Psyche. Florentine Gallery.

HERMAPHRODITUS.

Hermaphroditus was a favourite subject of later art, being an artistic creation of fancy. He combines the form of the female sex, with the characteristics of the male. He is usually represented reclining in gentle slumber on a couch, or fanned while asleep by cupids.

STATUES:

Florentine Gallery.

Villa Borghese.

PSYCHE.

Psyche, as the soul, appears as a virgin with butterfly wings. At a later period, after the myth of Apuleius, there are frequent representations of the loves of Eros and Psyche.

STATUE:

Psyche. Naples.

CHARITES. (The Graces.)

They were the attendants of Venus. In early times, they were represented draped. In later times, they were figured completely undraped, and are characterized by the joining of hands, or mutual embracing.

EARLY REPRESENTATION :

On triangular altar, Louvre.

STATUES:

In the sacristy of the Cathedral of Siena.

THE MUSES.

In the most ancient works of art we find only three Muses, and their attributes are musical instruments, such as the flute, the lyre, or the barbiton; it was not until the more modern ideal of Apollo Musagetes, in the garb of the Pythian musicians, was developed, that the number nine was established by several famous artists in regard to these virgins, who were in like manner clad for the most part in theatrical drapery, with fine intellectual countenances, distinguished from one another by expression, attributes, and sometimes also by attitudes. 1. Calliope, the muse of epic poetry, is characterized by a tablet and stylus, and sometimes by a roll of papers. 2. Clio, the muse of history, is represented either with an open roll of paper, or an open chest of books. 3. Euterpe, the muse of lyric poetry, is given a flute, and sometimes two flutes. 4. Melpomene, the muse of tragedy, is characterized by a tragic mask, the club of Hercules, or a sword, her head is surrounded with vine-leaves, and she wears the cothurnus. 5. Terpsichore, the muse of choral dance and song, appears with the lyre and the plectrum. 6. Erato, the muse of erotic poetry and mimic imitation, is also characterized by a lyre. 7. Polymnia, the muse of the sublime hymn, is usually represented leaning in a pensive or meditating attitude. 8. Urania, the muse of astronomy, bears a globe in her hand. 9. Thalia, the muse of comedy, and idyllic poetry, is characterized by a comic mask, a shepherd's staff, and a wreath of ivy. They are sometimes represented with plumes on their head, supposed to typify their victory over the Sirens.