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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from The Memorabilia by Xenophon: As Cleiton stood perplexed, and did not answer at once, Socrates
added: Is it by closely imitating the forms of living beings that you
succeed in giving that touch of life to your statues?
No doubt (he answered).
Soc. It is, is it not, by faithfully copying the various muscular
contractions of the body in obedience to the play of gesture and
poise, the wrinklings of flesh and the sprawl of limbs, the tensions
and the relaxations, that you succeed in making your statues like real
beings--make them "breathe" as people say?
Cleit. Without a doubt.
Soc. And does not the faithful imitation of the various affections of
 The Memorabilia |