PoetslikeSophokles，andstatesmenlikeAlexander，thoughtitnotbeneaththeirdignitytoengagepubliclyingymnasticsports。
Theirconceptionsofdivinitywereframedinaccordancewiththesegeneralhabits。Thoughsometimes，asinthecaseofHephaistos，theexigenciesoftheparticularmythrequiredthedeitytobephysicallyimperfect，yetordinarilytheGreekgodwassimplyanimmortalman，completeinstrengthandbeauty。Thedeitywasnotinvestedwiththehumanformasameresymbol。Theycouldconceivenoloftierwayofrepresentinghim。Thegrandeststatue，expressingmostadequatelythecalmnessofabsolutelyunfetteredstrength，mightwell，intheireyes，beaveritableportraitofdivinity。ToaGreek，beautyofformwasaconsecratedthing。Morethanonceaculpritgotoffwithhislifebecauseitwouldhavebeenthoughtsacrilegioustoputanendtosuchasymmetricalcreature。Andforasimilarreason，theGreeks，thoughperhapsnotmorehumanethantheEuropeansoftheMiddleAges，rarelyallowedthehumanbodytobemutilatedortortured。Thecondemnedcriminalmustbemarredaslittleaspossible；andhewas，therefore，quietlypoisoned，insteadofbeinghung，beheaded，orbrokenonthewheel。
IsnottheunapproachableexcellenceofGreekstatuary——thatartneversinceequalled，andmostlikely，fromtheabsenceoftheneedfulsocialstimulus，destinednevertobeequalled——alreadysufficientlyexplained？Consider，saysourauthor，thenatureoftheGreeksculptor’spreparation。Thesemenhaveobservedthehumanbodynakedandinmovement，inthebathandthegymnasium，insacreddancesandpublicgames。Theyhavenotedthoseformsandattitudesinwhicharerevealedvigour，health，andactivity。
Andduringthreeorfourhundredyearstheyhavethusmodified，correctedanddevelopedtheirnotionsofcorporealbeauty。Thereis，therefore，nothingsurprisinginthefactthatGreeksculpturefinallyarrivedattheidealmodel，theperfecttype，asitwas，ofthehumanbody。Ourhighestnotionsofphysicalbeauty，downtothepresentday，havebeenbequeathedtousbytheGreeks。Theearliestmodernsculptorswhoabandonedthebony，hideous，starvelingfiguresofthemonkishMiddleAges，learnedtheirfirstlessonsinbetterthingsfromGreekbas-reliefs。Andif，to-day，forgettingourhalf-developedbodies，inefficientlynourished，becauseofourexcessivebrain-work，andwiththeirmusclesweakandflabbyfromwantofstrenuousexercise，wewishtocontemplatethehumanforminitsgrandestperfection，wemustgotoHellenicartforourmodels。
TheGreekswere，inthehighestsenseoftheword，anintellectualrace；buttheyneverallowedthemindtotyrannizeoverthebody。Spiritualperfection，accompaniedbycorporealfeebleness，wastheinventionofasceticism；andtheGreekswereneverascetics。Diogenesmightscornsuperfluousluxuries，butifheeverrolledandtumbledhistubaboutasRabelaissayshedid，itisclearthatthevictoryofspiritoverbodyformednopartofhistheoryofthings。SuchanideawouldhavebeenincomprehensibletoaGreekinPlato’stime。Theirconscienceswerenotoveractive。Theywerenotburdenedwithasenseofsinfulness。Theiraspirationsweredecidedlyfinite；andtheybelievedinsecuringthemaximumcompletenessofthisterrestriallife。Consequentlytheyneversetthephysicalbelowtheintellectual。Toreturntoourauthor，theynever，intheirstatues，subordinatedsymmetrytoexpression，thebodytothehead。Theywereinterestednotonlyintheprominenceofthebrows，thewidthoftheforehead，andthecurvatureofthelips，butquiteasmuchinthemassivenessofthechest，thecompactnessofthethighs，andthesolidityofthearmsandlegs。