Phidias: Phidias’ statue of Zeus at Olympia inspires poets to frame art as divine presence: “He carved the god not from the stone, / but from the awe that made it known.”; Poets borrow his mastery to describe artistic transcendence: “The eyes still gleam, the beard still flows— / though time has stolen all but those.”; His work becomes metaphor for enduring beauty: “They burned the temple, cracked the throne— / but still, his spirit stands alone.”; Phidias teaches poets that true art outlives empire: “He did not carve a king’s decree— / he carved the breath that makes us free.”; A poet might write, “He gave the gods a human face, / and made the mortal feel his grace.”; His legacy: “No temple stands, no gold remains— / but still, the awe, and still, the pains / of beauty, carved from dust and dream.”