Greek Classical Sculpture
Centaur Fighting Lapith, South Metope 5, Parthenon, Athens
The Parthenon's Doric frieze originally had a total of 92 metopes, which was unusual for a temple of the Doric order. All four sides depicted mythological battles, which required the sculptors and designers to invent new compositions to fill the many marble panels. The earliest battle appears in the east metopes where the Olympian Gods fight the earth-born Giants. Moving in temporal progression, the south metopes show Lapiths fighting Centaurs at a Wedding Feast. The west series, with Amazons fighting Greeks (possibly Athenians), alludes powerfully to the Persian Wars. In contrast, the north metopes provide an account of the Sacking of Troy, a legend that perhaps has now achieved comparable status with the other great mythological battles.
The fullest account of the battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs at the Wedding Feast is recorded by the 1st-centruy poet Ovid, in his Metamorphoses. Here we read that Pirithous, the Lapith King, invited his neighbors the centaurs to his marriage to Hippodame. The half-man, half-horse creatures, emboldened by drink, assaulted the women of the wedding party including the bride. The Lapiths leapt up from their dining couches to rescue the women and to attack the centaurs.
A violent skirmish between a Lapith and a centaur is depicted here. The latter's body creates an almost perfect diagonal line through his rearing pose, as he kicks his forelegs wildly in the air. The centaur wears a cape and his muscles are well defined; his body is tense and ready to attack.
Today only the centaur is seen on the metope but 17th century drawings of the Parthenon metopes (attributed to Jacques Carrey), makes apparent that the centaur was battling a standing Lapith youth, whose wrist can be seen pushing against the bearded chin of the centaur.