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The Centaur Chiron and young
god Eros.
The centaurs of Greek mythology are creatures that are part
human and part horse. They are usually portrayed with the torso and head of a human, and
the body of a horse. Centaurs are the followers of the wine god Dionysus and are well
known for drunkenness and carrying off helpless young maidens. They inhabited Mount Pelion
in Thessaly, northern Greece. According to one myth, they are the offspring of Ixion, the
king of Lapithae (Thessaly), and a cloud. He had arranged a tryst with Hera, but Zeus got
wind of it and fashioned a cloud into Hera's shape. Therefore, the Centaurs are sometimes
called Ixionidae.
Notorious is their bestial behavior on the wedding of Pirithous, king of the Lapiths. They violated the female guests and attempted to abduct the bride. What followed was a bloody battle, after which they were driven from Thessaly. An exception was the kind and wise centaur Chiron, the teacher of the Greek heroes Jason, Theseus and Achilles. Chiron had an extensive knowledge of the healing arts. When he was accidentally hit by a poisonous arrow shot by Heracles, Chiron relinquished his immortality (in favor of Prometheus) in order to escape the eternal pain by dying. After his death he became the constellation of Sagittarius.
This statue depicts the famous Centaur Chiron with the young god Eros playing cheerfully on his back.
Louvre Museum, Paris.
| # | Height | Price | |
| 81P | 9 1/2 in. (24 cm) | $79.00 |
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