Sculptor, Architect (4th century BC)
The initiate of the Ancient Mysteries Chares was a sculptor and architect from Rhodes and a student of the great sculptor Lysippus. He created the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the tallest statue ever built for 2100 years.
The exact date of his birth and death are not known, but based on the accounts of ancient writers and historians Chares lived during the 4th century BC, referred to as the Hellenistic times. At that time Greece was experiencing an age of great technological and mathematical advancement. The Library of Alexandria and the Museum were but a mere testament of the level of spiritual cultivation Greece had achieved. Furthermore, the empire of Alexander the Great was ruled over by his Diadochi, most importantly Ptolemaic Egypt, where the progress of science and technology were greatly promoted.
It was during this period when Chares was given the task to construct an enormous bronze statue of Apollo which would be placed on the entrance of the harbour of Rhodes. Before this enormous undertaking, few gargantuan statues had been sculpted, most notably the 15 meter statue of Zeus and the 12 meter statue of Athena Parthenos in Olympia and the Parthenon respectively by the master initiate Pheidias.
Funding for the construction of the Colossus came from selling the war machines left behind by Demetrius Poliorcetes after the great siege of Rhodes in 305 BC. It was built in a period of 12 years and was completed in 280 BC. Weighing a total of 225 tonnes, the Colossus of Rhodes became the tallest sculpture ever created by man, standing at an intimidating height of 33 meters. This achievement was not surpassed for 2100 years until the Statue of Liberty was built in 1886, which is only 11 meters taller than the Colossus of Rhodes. Due to its immense size, Chares utilized a unique method of construction which employed the use of multiple beams placed so that they could hold the statue in place and prevent it from collapsing. The Colossus was thus built from the bottom to the top. Pliny states that the Colossus was so big that very few were those who could fully embrace their hands around the Colossus’ thumb. The Colossus held a torch with its hand at the top of its head which was lit with fire.
Numerous ancient writers and historians mention the Colossus of Rhodes in their writings, including Pliny, Strabo, Stobaeus, Polybius and Philo of Byzantium, all of whom express their amazement for the construction of such a marvellous structure. Pliny refers to the Colossus as a masterpiece while contemporary archaeologist and academic Nigel Spivey wrote that with the Colossus of Rhodes Chares of Lindos gave the world a second sun.
The Colossus of Rhodes stood in place for 56 years until an earthquake caused it to break at the level of the knees and collapse. Nevertheless, the Colossus was displayed in Rhodes in lying position as the Rhodians, upon receiving a divination from the Oracle of Delphi, did not restore it. Many years later the remains of the Colossus were purchased by a Jewish merchant, who used 700 camels to transport the bronze fragments to Syria.
The Colossus of Rhodes represented the level of perfection the Greeks had achieved in architecture and sculpture during the Hellenistic era as well as the ideals which the Greeks had placed in the epicenter of their souls: spiritual light.
Bibliography:
- Γεωργακόπουλος, Κωνσταντίνος. 1995. Ἀρχαῖοι Ἕλληνες Θετικοὶ Ἐπιστήμονες. Ἐκδόσεις Γεωργιάδης. Β’ Ἔκδοσις. Ἀθῆναι.
- Λάζος, Χρήστος Δ. (2008). Μηχανική καί Τεχνολογία στην άρχαία Ρόδο. Σελ. 165. Εκδόσεις Σαββιού. ISBN 978-960-98603-0-7
- Manly P. Hall (1928). The Secret Teachings of All Ages. Dover Publications, INC. Mineola, New York. Print.
- Η μεγάλη πολιορκία της Ρόδου όπου χρησιμοποιήθηκε για πρώτη φορά η πολεμική μηχανή Ελέπολις ύψους 45 μέτρων. Μετά τη μάχη εκποίησαν τον μηχανισμό και ανήγειραν τον Κολοσσό… Μηχανή του Χρόνου. Mixanitouxronou.gr. Διαθέσιμον εἰς: http://www.mixanitouxronou.gr/i-megali-poliorkia-tis-rodoy-opoy-chrisimopoiithike-gia-proti-fora-i-polemiki-michani-elepolis-ypsoys-45-metron-meta-ti-machi-ekpoiisan-ton-michanismo-kai-anigeiran-ton-kolosso/
