Fall of the Gods

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 137, 31 August 1927, Page 13

Fall of the Gods

PLASTER CASTS OF THE ! ! IMMORTALS SUFFERED j I SEVERELY IN TRANSIT TO ELAM ART SCHOOL | I • , I BLUE RIBBON FOR GERMANICUS Truly the gods have fallen. And what a fall. Take t> for instance, poor old Germanicus. Even Calpurnius Pi so, governor of Syria, and the most hated rival of Germanicus—he finally accounted for the Roman general with poison—would never have recognised him. Liam art students in Auckland yesterday, pencil in hand, gazed upon a Germanicus with his head tied up with blue cloth. Not that the ancient: Roman had any desire to improve upon the master hand which flaked the marble head found at Gabii in 1792. Far from it. Neither did the blue ribbon signify prohibition tendencies. The truth of the matter was that he had to keep his head on. Several

Loss to Dargaville. —Dargaville has lost an old and respected resident by the death of Mr. John A. Drummond, a chemist of 25 years’ standing in the town. He was closely associated with the social and public life of the community.

Dancer’s Death.—At the inquest at Gisborne yesterday on Frederick Peter Drube, who died while dancing at Makauri School on Friday evening, it was stated that a post-mortem examination disclosed a rupture of the right ventricle heart muscle, which was degenerated. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence was given by the coroner.—Press Association.

wrappings of string assisted Germanicus to retain his headpiece. Even his gigantic plaster body showed signs of even greater injury that Piso could have wished him. Germanicus was among a number cf plaster casts which the museum authorities have loaned the Elam School. Like his old friend Ilissus he had suffered badly in transit. Originally presented to the museum in IS7B by Mr. E. Russell, these casts were to “foster an appreciation of art in Auckland.” Ilissus was a sorry spectacle. I The whole of his inside was missj ing. The gigantic torso was smashed to smithereens. Yet the old fellow eni deavoured to preserve a little of the dignity that adorned Athens when he made his debut as one of the principal i performers in the famous Elgin Mar- ! bles. This deified form is the impersonation of the Ilissus, a small stream which took its rise in Mount Hymettus and flowed to the sea, past Athens, by way of the Cephissus and the Bay of Phalerum. Its surroundings are charmingly described in Plato’s Phraedrus. On the face of the Venus was a smile of triumph. Despite the loss of her arms she had escaped without injury.