VI-B. Romance

VI-11 Euridice between Orpheus and Hermes

Euridice’s head is veiled, often a sign that the person has died.

Her hand grasps Orpheus’ shoulder

His hand curls over, but does not grasp, hers


VI-12 Boreas and Orithyia

Statue group from a temple on Delos.

VI-13 Abduction of Persephone

Painting from the wall inside a tomb at Vergina in northern Greece. Hades abducting Persephone. Horses led by Hermes.

VI-14 Cupid and Psyche

Roman copy of Greek statue of young boy and girl. In the Capitoline Museum, Rome.

VI-15 Venus Marina

Peristyle garden of a house in Pompeii with paintings on the back wall. The paintings show Venus in the center, Mars on the viewer's left, and a garden scene at the right. The house is called the house of Venus Marina, or the Marine Venus, after this painting, in which Venus floats over the sea on a shell, with small winged boys or cupids in front of her and behind her.


VI-16 Emergence of Aphrodite from the Sea

The so-called Ludovisi Throne. Largest of three reliefs on a large block of marble. Likely around 460 BC. Possibly depicts the goddess Aphrodite emerging from the sea, as suggested by the pebbly ground (beach?) on which the two attendants stand.

VI-17 The Three Graces

Fresco from Pompeii, 1st century AD

Roman copy of Hellenistic original

VI-18 Dancing Maenads

Multiple copies of a type that originates in the late 5th century BC.

VI-19 Maenad by Skopas, early 4th century BC

Color added (not original color scheme) to emphasize visual dynamics of movement and narrative.

VI-20 The Dherveni Krater, 4th century BC

VI-21 Sleeping Ariadne

Roman copy of 2nd century BC Greek original

VI-22 Herakles by Lysippos

Also called the Farnese Hercules. A Roman copy (early 3rd c AD) of a 4th century BC original by the Greek sculptor Lysippos.

Persons and Events:

  • Aphrodite

  • Ariadne

  • Boreas

  • Cupid (Eros)

  • Demeter

  • Dionysos

  • Eurydice

  • Graces

  • Herakles

  • Hermes

  • Orithyia

  • Orpheus

  • Rape

  • Sleep

  • Apples of the Hesperides

  • Labors


Objects and Places:

  • Temple Decoration

  • Tomb Decoration

  • Tomb contents

  • Wine mixing vessel

  • Painting on house walls

  • Pompeii

  • Private space

  • Funerary Art


Texts and Authors:

  • Hymn to Demeter

  • Ovid

  • Seneca

  • Hymn to Aphrodite