05-25-2008, 02:25 PM
Hi Giannis,
And yet it is the 'falling hoplite' who is making a thrust and whose spear is making contact with the left hoplite (wounding him in the thigh?). Is it not possible to read this image as an attack by the figure in the middle (certainly the figure is not crumpled in any way, which Greek artists were capable of depicting, and he seems in complete control of his movements). Artistically it is the 'falling hoplite' which is the most interesting and it is possible to argue that he is in no way defeated or wounded but rather aggressive and being 'tricky' in the context of a spear fight. The limited evidence of the hoplomachia instructors in the Platonic dialogues would argue that such flexibility was possible (specifically Stesilaus who fights with the unprecedented spear and scythe).
I think we need to be very wary of what are argued to be artistic conventions on the one hand and at the same time disreagrd specific artistic details (such as an underhand grip) which don't fit with a modern theory.
Cheers
Murray
And yet it is the 'falling hoplite' who is making a thrust and whose spear is making contact with the left hoplite (wounding him in the thigh?). Is it not possible to read this image as an attack by the figure in the middle (certainly the figure is not crumpled in any way, which Greek artists were capable of depicting, and he seems in complete control of his movements). Artistically it is the 'falling hoplite' which is the most interesting and it is possible to argue that he is in no way defeated or wounded but rather aggressive and being 'tricky' in the context of a spear fight. The limited evidence of the hoplomachia instructors in the Platonic dialogues would argue that such flexibility was possible (specifically Stesilaus who fights with the unprecedented spear and scythe).
I think we need to be very wary of what are argued to be artistic conventions on the one hand and at the same time disreagrd specific artistic details (such as an underhand grip) which don't fit with a modern theory.
Cheers
Murray
Murray K Dahm
Moderator
\'\'\'\'No matter how many you kill, you cannot kill your successor\'\'\'\' - Seneca to Nero - Dio 62
\'\'\'\'There is no way of correcting wrongdoing in those who think that the height of virtue consists in the execution of their will\'\'\'\' - Ammianus Marcellinus 27.7.9
Moderator
\'\'\'\'No matter how many you kill, you cannot kill your successor\'\'\'\' - Seneca to Nero - Dio 62
\'\'\'\'There is no way of correcting wrongdoing in those who think that the height of virtue consists in the execution of their will\'\'\'\' - Ammianus Marcellinus 27.7.9
