Kleobis and Biton

Kleobis and Biton (Greek Κλέοβις and Βίτων ) were a pair of brothers in Greek mythology, sons of Kydippe, a priestess of Hera in Argos.

Myth

Both brothers had only the basic necessities of life, but were equipped with an immense body strength ( ῥώμη σώματος ), which they won many prizes at fighting games. They were joined by extraordinary brotherly love and unconditional known for dutiful obedience to her mother.

As Kydippe had to be driven at a sacrificial feast in honor of Hera in Argos to the temple, the oxen were not yet returned for the two-horse chariot from the field, the brothers presented themselves under the yoke and pulled the wagon by hand the forty-five stages to the sanctuary. There, both filed in the sacrificial meal, completely exhausted from the strain and the strain of the long journey to the temple to rest and fell asleep. The mother Kydippe, proud of their well geratenen sons, prayed to Hera and asked her to leave her two sons as a reward the best to come, what a man can get, whereupon the two sons woke up no more, but gently fell asleep, and thus, even in youth and beauty, supporting a quick and easy death won. So the gods did both their special favor and grace ( " ... die young, whom the gods love ...").

The Argives were later build statues of them, they dedicated at Delphi, and praised the two sons as a landmark highest virtue.

Statuary

Two statues of Kleobis and Biton were found in Delphi, Statue 1 (A) 1893 northwest of the Treasury of the Athenians and Statue 2 (B) in 1894 approximately 10 m west of A.

Inscriptions on the pedestals identify the statues as Kleobis and Biton and - what was more unusual even the sculptor [ Poly] Mides from Argos. The inscription begins at the top left on base B in two lines and continues right up to the base A. The two inscriptions are quoted from Kouroi by Gisela Richter.

Slot B

[ κλεοβις και βι ] τον | ταν ματαρα ----- ς hι | --------

Socket A

Εαγαγον τοι δ υιοι [ ] μεδες εποιεε hαργειος

Statues A and B are not completely identical. A acts rather longer and B rather wider. This need not be intentional, as all the statues were hand- hewn out of the rock, no identical copies were possible. Which is by the two Kleobis and what Biton, is not known.

The torso is square as in the Sounion Kouros - but Kleobis and Biton have a rounder shape, suggesting a later emergence date ( around 580 BC). However, some anatomical details are still scored only in the surface.

The arms and legs are round. The Kouroi have broad shoulders and a short waist. The upper arm is short.

Fashioned the contrast of strong legs and conical growing out of them fuselage, a contrast was already overcome with the Sounion group appears.

The head has a cubic form and flat on the top and back. The face is broad with a deep receding forehead. The ears sit on the anatomically correct position. The nose is broad and short. The early archaic eye shape was abandoned. The spherically curved eyeballs are framed by a mirror image tense, at the angles pointed lids. The hair fall in 6 braids down the back and the front on each side in three braids.

Swell

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