WEST PEDIMENT

The west pediment depicts the battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs. Compared to the style of the east pediment, these figures are full of movement. According to the myth, the Centaurs, invited by Peirithous, king of the Lapiths, to his wedding, drank to excess and attempted to carry off the women and boys of the Lapiths.

In the centre of the composition stands Apollo, the son of Zeus, who intervenes to restore order.

To his left is the first group of three figures, the Centaur Evrition who has seized Peirithous' fiance and fragments of a Lapith man preparing to attack him. Next to this group is one Centaur who has seized a child. Further to the left another Centaur has grasped a Lapith woman.

To the right of Apollo, a Centaur has seized a Lapith woman. According to Pausanias, Theseus is the man who is standing by Apollo, ready to attack the Centaur with an axe. Next to this group lie two pairs of Centaurs who fight with Lapith men. At both ends of the pediment, a pair of two lying Lapith women.