DAMOPHON

damophon, a greek sculptor of messene, who executed many statues for the people of messene, megalopolis, aegium and other cities of peloponnesus. considerable fragments, including three colossal heads from a group by him representing demeter, persephone, artemis and the giant anytus, have been discovered on the site of lycosura in arcadia, where was a temple of the goddess called "the mistress." they are preserved in part in the museum at athens and partly on the spot. hence there has arisen a great controversy as to the date of the artist, who has been assigned to various periods, from the 4th century b.c. to the 2nd a.d. a good account of the whole matter will be found in frazer's _pausanias_, iv. 372-379. frazer wisely inclines to an early date; it is in fact difficult to find any period, when the cities mentioned were in a position to found temples, later than the time of alexander.