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Lucretia Notes:
Ovid
Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (43 BC - AD 18) Roman poet, author of many love verses and elegies, among
his big poetic works are Metamorphoses and Fasti. He was exiled by Emperor Augustus in AD 8 to the
Black Sea, where he died ten years later. Metamorphoses is a free and poetic retelling of the Greek and
Roman myths and legends. The Fasti (Festivals) is a poetic retelling of Roman early history, description of
seasonal rites and festivals. Ovid retold all the older Greek stories in classical Latin so they were well known
at that time.
The Story of Judith and Holofernes
The story comes from the apocryphal Book of Judith in the Old Testament. The Jewish town of
Bethulia was under siege by the Assyrian army and its general, Holofernes. When the residents were at
the brink of capitulation, a beautiful widow, Judith devised a scheme for their deliverance. Dressing in
her finest clothes, Judith left Bethulia with her maid and entered the Assyrian camp as an ostensible
deserter. Holofernes found her a welcome addition to his camp, as much for her beauty as for her veiled
promise to assist in the defeat of the Jews. After a banquet, at which Holofernes became drunk, the
general lured the beautiful widow into his tent. He quickly fell asleep, however, and Judith seized the
opportunity to cut off his head with his own sword. Together with her maid, who stuffed Holofernes'
head into a bag, Judith stole back to Bethulia. Once apprised of Judith's heroic act, the Bethulian
soldiers charged from the city and defeated the Assyrian army.
Florence often regarded the biblical Judith as a protector figure.
The Story of Horatius Cocles
Shortly after the Romans threw out their monarchy in 509 BCE, Lars Porsenna, an Etruscan king, attacked
Rome. He might have succeeded in taking the city if not for the heroics of Horatius Cocles ('Horatius the
one-eyed'). The Romans had fled their farms and gathered in fear near and inside the city walls. They felt
protected by the Servian walls and the Tiber River. The only vulnerable spot was the wooden Sublician
bridge over the Tiber.
Horatius happened to be on guard at this bridge when the enemy's forces appeared. Most of the Roman
soldiers panicked and retreated like an undisciplined rabble. Horatius stopped them as they ran across the
bridge and urged them not to desert. He persuaded them that their only hope was to demolish the wooden
bridge with axes or fire, while he himself would stand alone and delay the enemy's crossing as far as he was
able. Two companions joined him; when only one last section of the bridge was barely intact, on Horatius'
orders his two friends retreated to safety.
The Etruscans did not know what to think of one man making a stand against them. They certainly did not
retreat but neither did they advance, ashamed at the thought of such unequal odds -- an army against one
man. The will to win finally took over and they hurled their spears against the lone defender of the bridge.
But as they attacked, the weakened bridge fell into the river with a crash. The Etruscans watched in
amazement as Horatius prayed to Father Tiber and then, in full heavy armor, jumped into the river.
One version of the legend says that Horatius was able to reach Rome, saved by the river god himself, and
that he was rewarded by a grant of all the land he could plow by himself in a day. Other versions say that he
drowned in the river. In either case, the story of Horatius was told and retold to generation after generation,
holding him up as an example of Roman dedication and inspiration.
The Story of Mucius Scaevola
A legendary hero from Rome's earliest history. When Porsinna and his Etruscans besieged the city, Mucius
entered the enemy camp and attempted to kill Porsinna. He was unsuccessful, however, and was arrested by
the guards. When he was brought before Porsinna, Mucius showed no fear and spoke in such a manly way to
his enemy that Porsinna was impressed. To show his contempt for pain and torture, Mucius voluntarily
placed his right hand in a fire and let it burn without showing the slightest trace of weakness. Even more
impressed with this feat, Porsinna released Mucius. From that moment on, Mucius was nicknamed Scaevola
('left hand').
The Story of Marcus Curtius
Marcus Curtius was a Roman hero. It is said that in 362 B.C. a deep gulf opened in the Roman forum,
which the seers declared would never close until Rome’s most valuable possession was thrown into it.
Then Curtius, a youth of noble family, recognizing that nothing was more precious than a brave citizen,
leaped, fully armed and on horseback, into the chasm, which immediately closed again. The spot was
afterwards covered by a marsh called the Lacus Curtius. Other sources say the gap was created when
lightning struck, which was then consecrated by the consul Caius Curtius in 445 BCE.
What Are “Cassoni?”
In the 15th century, a pair of cassoni (decorated marriage chests) was traditionally given to brides. They
were often adorned with scenes depicting the deeds of virtuous women from classical history and
mythology, the Bible, or medieval literature; the story of Judith's heroic deliverance of Bethulia is a
typical example. While the primary motivation of this practice was to enhance the aesthetic appeal of
these chests, there must also have been an instructional aim in furnishing the domestic environment
with representations of virtuous conduct. In later centuries, cassoni were often dismantled and their
various panels sold separately on the art market. Such is probably the origin of this work as an
independent painting.