Centaur and Lapith locked in combat

This piece is metope from the south side of the Pantheon In classical architecture. Metope is a rectangular architectural element which often has painted or sculptural decoration. This metope one of the most famous example. It is one of the 92 metopes of the Parthenon marbles some of which depict the battle between the Centaurs and the Lapiths. This story is one of the Greek myth which tells us how of Lapiths invited the Centaurs to the wedding of their King, Pirithous. During the feast, the Centaurs sought to steal the bride, the beautiful Hippodamia, and her friends. Thus began a great battle, in which the Lapiths were victorious only thanks to the aid of the gods.本件为古典建筑中万神殿南侧的排档间饰（metope）。排档间饰是一类矩形建筑构件，通常带有彩绘或浮雕装饰。该排档间饰是最为知名的实例之一。它隶属于帕特农神庙大理石雕刻群的92件排档间饰，其中部分浮雕刻画了半人马（Centaurs）与拉庇泰人（Lapiths）之间的战役。 这一故事出自希腊神话，讲述拉庇泰人邀请半人马参加其国王皮里托俄斯（Pirithous）的婚礼。宴会期间，半人马企图掳走美丽的新娘希波达弥亚（Hippodamia）及其同伴。由此引发一场大战，拉庇泰人最终在众神的协助下赢得了胜利。