The Nemean Boxer Damoxenos

Charles Francis Summers (1857-1945)

Marble

1883

Height: Two metres (78 inches)

Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

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The marble figure of Damoxenos, like that of his opponent Creugas on the other side of the marble staircase at the Morshead Fountain Gate on Macquarie Street, is poised to fight. It is easy to imagine that the contest of these well-matched Greek demigods at the Nemean Games could have lasted many hours. In the end, according to the legend, Damoxenos won by inflicting such a savage blow when Creugas raised his arm that he broke through to his intenstines and pulled them out (not a pleasant story). Damoxenos' expression here is suitably grim. Anyone walking between the two muscular antagonists instinctively feels under attack from both sides.