The pediments.
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The pediments are the triangular areas above the architrave on the east and
west ends of the temple. Devoted to Athena, the goddess of the temple, the
east pediment represented her birth and the west pediment her peaceful
contest with Poseidon over who would be god of Athens. A few magnificent
parts of the pediment sculpture survive. In this southern corner of the east
pediment are the reclining figure of Dionysus and the heads of horses that
pulled the chariot of the sun-god Helios.
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This intense head of the horse of the moon-god Selene is in the northern
corner of the east pediment. It counterbalances the horse of Helios on the
southern corner.
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These figures are sometimes identified as two of the three daughters of
the night, the Fates who decide the fate of mankind: Clotho, Lachesis and
Atropos. However, it is more likely that they are the goddesses Dione
and Aphrodite.
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