This colorful drawing, by the Italian artist Giovanni Battista Cipriani (c. 1727 – 1785), re-creates the tragic story of Cephalus and Procris from ancient Greek and Roman mythology. Inspiration was likely drawn from the verses of the Roman poet, Ovid (43 BCE-17 CE)—a favorite source for artists tackling mythological subjects. Ovid, in his telling of the myth, is thought to have actually combined the tales of two different Cephalus characters. Ovid’s first ingredient in his tragic concoction was the myth of Hermes’ son, Cephalus, who became the lover of the goddess, Dawn (Eos or Aurora). This tale was blended with a separate myth about a different Cephalus (fathered by King Deionus of Phocis), who married the Athenian princess, Procris. Ovid wove the two narratives together by describing a scenario where the goddess, Dawn, abducted Procris’ husband, Cephalus. In that version of events, Cephalus had an affair with Dawn, but eventually broke free to reunite with Procris. Projecting his own weakness onto his wife, Cephalus feared that his beloved Procris might have also lapsed into infidelity while they had been apart. Suspicion and paranoia drove a wedge between the two, ultimately prompting Procris to run off to join the entourage of the huntress goddess, Artemis (or Diana). Yet, with time, Cephalus eventually won back Procris’ favor and she returned to resume married life.
Upon her return, Procris gave her husband reconciliatory presents of hunting gear, including a fine javelin. Putting his presents to good use, Cephalus started spending more and more time out hunting. Ironically, he spent so much time out in the wilds that it sparked a renewed wave of paranoia, this time in Procris. During her husband’s long hunting trips, Procris began to wonder if Cephalus was pursuing other women instead of wild game. As had happened with Cephalus before, it was now Procris who let her fears get the better of her, and she ultimately decided to stealthily spy on her husband during his hunting trips. This decision, unfortunately, would be the catalyst to the terrible tragedy that would soon befall the couple. Ovid, narrating through the viewpoint of Cephalus, described the sad story of what happened next:
“Another disturbance, this time the rustle of fallen leaves.
A beast on the prowl, I decided, and sent my javelin flying.
Procris was there under cover and, clutching her wounded breast,
cried out in pain. When I recognized the voice of my faithful
wife, my own wife, I rushed like a madman towards the sound.
I found her dying, her clothes all stained and spattered with blood”
(Ovid, Metamorphoses, 7.840-845)
Such is the scene unfolding in Giovanni Battista Cipriani’s artwork. Cephalus, after launching his deadly projectile, can be seen subsequently rushing into the window of the canvas after he heard the eerie sounds of his wife crying out in pain. In the artwork, Giovanni Battista Cipriani opted to forego the javelin and instead equipped Cephalus with a bow, which can be seen falling from the hunter’s hand during the shock and surprise of the tragedy.
Written by C. Keith Hansley
Sources:
- Metamorphoses by Ovid. Translated by David Raeburn. Penguin Classics; Revised Edition, 2004.
- https://www.europeana.eu/en/item/15508/1359
- https://sammlungenonline.albertina.at/?query=search=/record/objectnumbersearch=[1359]&showtype=record
