[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:04.07,0:00:06.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Parthenon is a Doric temple --
Dialogue: 0,0:00:06.10,0:00:08.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's its architectural style.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:08.80,0:00:11.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And one of the things that defines a Doric temple
Dialogue: 0,0:00:11.49,0:00:14.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is that it has triglyphs.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.18,0:00:16.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in between the triglyphs, are metopes.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.68,0:00:20.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I love those words, triglyphs and metopes.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:20.37,0:00:22.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, triglyphs just mean sort of a mark of three
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.67,0:00:25.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and it's a little three lines. -- A kind of ridges.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.24,0:00:26.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Mhm, exactly. And in between,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.90,0:00:30.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these squares with really deep relief carving,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.41,0:00:32.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're about five feet square.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.27,0:00:36.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These would have been in an area right above where the capitals are.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.34,0:00:38.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's right, and below the pediment.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.14,0:00:39.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the metopes that we're looking at
Dialogue: 0,0:00:39.68,0:00:44.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,depict a battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:44.22,0:00:45.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And I think we'd better talk about
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.92,0:00:47.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who they were and why they were fighting.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.50,0:00:51.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is a story that would have been a kind of mythic story
Dialogue: 0,0:00:51.11,0:00:54.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even for the fifth century Greeks, who were depicting them.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.19,0:00:58.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the story tells of a wedding, a Lapith wedding.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.21,0:01:01.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now the Lapiths were a tribe of Ancient Greeks
Dialogue: 0,0:01:01.04,0:01:03.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they lived near the forest.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.76,0:01:06.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, in the forest, were these creatures
Dialogue: 0,0:01:06.87,0:01:08.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that were only sort of half human--
Dialogue: 0,0:01:08.63,0:01:11.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Centaurs, half human half horse.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:11.22,0:01:14.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the Greeks would have looked at them as kind of monstrous creatures.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.98,0:01:18.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You know, for the Greeks, there was a whole hierarchy of kinds of beings.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.77,0:01:21.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The gods at the top, then there were heroes,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.55,0:01:25.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and heroes were the result of a union between a god and a human,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.61,0:01:27.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then, of course, there were humans themselves.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:27.79,0:01:30.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then, below that, there were these sub-humans or monsters, and the centaurs were certainly that.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:32.34,0:01:36.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, they were not quite human, still part of the animal world.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.43,0:01:38.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And not entirely to be trusted.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.93,0:01:42.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Nevertheless, the Lapiths were feeling extremely generous
Dialogue: 0,0:01:42.25,0:01:44.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and really wanted to celebrate this wedding.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:44.20,0:01:47.49,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And so, they invited the Centaurs to the wedding.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.49,0:01:49.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That was a big mistake. It was a big mistake.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.66,0:01:51.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They had a little bit too much to drink, didn't they?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.58,0:01:53.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They did, and they (the centaurs) took advantage.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:53.59,0:01:55.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, what they did is[was], all at once,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.90,0:01:58.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they began to abduct the Lapith women.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:58.88,0:02:02.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, what's being depicted is the Lapith women being made off with,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.91,0:02:07.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the Lapith males fighting with the Centaurs,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:07.24,0:02:09.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,who are really quite formidable --
Dialogue: 0,0:02:09.11,0:02:11.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not only do they have six limbs,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:11.20,0:02:14.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but you know they have all of the brute strength of a wild animal.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.87,0:02:20.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The one we are looking at is of a lapith struggling against a centaur.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:20.24,0:02:23.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It looks like he's grabbing him by the neck and pulling him.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:23.45,0:02:27.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can just see his fingers wrapping around behind that neck,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.05,0:02:29.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though the neck and the head itself are gone.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.57,0:02:30.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He's pulling him back, though.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.74,0:02:33.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Look at that -- it's almost like a bow, a spring...
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.46,0:02:36.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can feel the tension of that body as it's being pulled back,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:36.14,0:02:37.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the strength of the Centaur--
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.68,0:02:40.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's really trying to pull away and free himself.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.06,0:02:44.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It looks, actually, like the Centaur is holding on with his right hand onto something,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:44.08,0:02:47.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and struggling against being pulled by the Lapith.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.21,0:02:50.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Look at the kind of composition-- it's so complicated.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.28,0:02:52.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You have a couple of opposing arcs:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.71,0:02:54.46,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the arc of the Lapith's body,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.46,0:02:57.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then the arc of the Centaur's as well.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:57.22,0:03:00.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yeah, so it's almost a circular composition, in a way.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:00.37,0:03:01.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And look how deep that carving is!
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.97,0:03:02.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's amazing.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.95,0:03:04.38,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's really almost freestanding.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.38,0:03:08.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's actually remarkable to me that more of this did not break off than did,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.81,0:03:11.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because it's in such high relief it's almost freestanding.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.58,0:03:14.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And marble is really soft stone.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:14.01,0:03:18.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I also love the fact that those broad plains of the body
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.19,0:03:22.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are played against the more complex sort of backdrop of the cloth.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:22.85,0:03:25.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean this is, in some ways, incredibly naturalistic.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:25.79,0:03:27.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So naturalistic that we almost believe...
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.78,0:03:29.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,-You don't notice the artifice.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:29.22,0:03:33.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, not only the artifice of the perfectly draped cloth in the background,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:33.63,0:03:35.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but, how about, the artifice of the fact
Dialogue: 0,0:03:35.99,0:03:38.18,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that we almost believe that a Centaur could exist.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:38.18,0:03:43.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In other words, it is almost a believable union of a human and a horse's body.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.28,0:03:47.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's true. What's really striking to me is the way
Dialogue: 0,0:03:47.03,0:03:51.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,our eye is drawn to the anatomical structure of the Lapith's body.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:51.54,0:03:53.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the chest, in the ribcage,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:53.45,0:03:56.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the abdominal muscles, the pectoral muscles.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.96,0:04:02.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And those same structures in the body of the Centaur,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.47,0:04:05.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can see its ribcage and veins.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.26,0:04:09.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, there's a kind of mirroring of these figures.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.12,0:04:11.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There is a kind of mirroring. I think that is exactly right.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:11.13,0:04:13.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But there's also a kind of subtle distinction,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:13.02,0:04:17.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which is that the tension that the artist has constructed
Dialogue: 0,0:04:17.86,0:04:20.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because of the bowing of the Centaur's body
Dialogue: 0,0:04:20.20,0:04:24.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is not seen in the exertion of the Lapith.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:24.85,0:04:26.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In other words, look at the Lapith,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:26.34,0:04:30.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even though he is exerting tremendous power to pull back this horse,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.22,0:04:32.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Centaur. -- He's in control.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:32.36,0:04:34.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He is in total control, total balance.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:34.52,0:04:37.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And in fact, the body is almost relaxed,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:37.05,0:04:41.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,remains almost completely sort of perfectly noble and perfectly balanced,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:41.26,0:04:43.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even within this battle.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.33,0:04:44.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Look at the difference in the way
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.96,0:04:48.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the Centaur and the Lapith's heads, their faces, are represented.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.99,0:04:50.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,First of all, you've got the sense of age.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.94,0:04:56.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You've got the beautiful noble face of the Greek, of the Lapith.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.04,0:04:58.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And even as his neck is being crushed,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.93,0:05:00.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even as he is being choked,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:00.99,0:05:03.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there is a sense of rest and nobility,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:03.62,0:05:06.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there is no anguish in that face whatsoever.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:06.34,0:05:12.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In contrast, we have this gnarled, bearded, long-haired, older figure,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.57,0:05:16.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with a kind of knit brow, a kind of wild open eye,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.91,0:05:19.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and with a kind of broken nose,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:19.31,0:05:21.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,all of which is looking rough and pretty much
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.90,0:05:26.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,not the kind of noble mien that the Greeks give themselves.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.93,0:05:30.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's almost as though the human has superhuman strength,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:30.76,0:05:34.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and doesn't need to draw on the brute physicality
Dialogue: 0,0:05:34.05,0:05:35.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the Centaur has to draw on.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:35.11,0:05:37.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, I think that the Greeks were making a real distinction.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:37.45,0:05:41.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They were noble and they were distinguishing themselves
Dialogue: 0,0:05:41.28,0:05:44.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from the brutish barbarians beyond their borders.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:44.73,0:05:47.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In fact, a lot of our historians look at this
Dialogue: 0,0:05:47.72,0:05:51.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and say that the Lapiths are, in fact, the Greeks. Of course.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:51.40,0:05:54.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But the Centaurs are those that are not Greek.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:54.10,0:05:56.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the Greeks themselves were looking towards
Dialogue: 0,0:05:56.41,0:05:58.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for instance, the Persians, their great enemy,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:58.71,0:06:00.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with real fear as barbarians,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:00.77,0:06:03.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,as kind of almost animals, as almost centaurs.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:03.45,0:06:05.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Representing a kind of chaos.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.54,0:06:08.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, in fact, this art really represents, through its balance,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.52,0:06:10.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,through its perfections, through this kind of idealism,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:10.94,0:06:13.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that sense of control that was so important to the Greeks.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:13.56,0:06:17.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's no wonder that for so many hundreds of years after this, thousands of years,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:17.71,0:06:19.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we have looked back to this moment as this
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.73,0:06:23.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,sort of extraordinary, and precious, and rare moment.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:23.39,0:06:26.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not only because it was a moment of limited democracy,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.28,0:06:27.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but of the first democracy,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:27.86,0:06:30.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it was a moment when the mind and the body
Dialogue: 0,0:06:30.94,0:06:34.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,were both cherished and seen as extraordinary and beautiful.