“At Venus’ entreaty for Cupid, her son,
These arrows by Vulcan are cunningly done.
The first is Love, as here you may behold,
His feathers, head and body are of gold,
The second shaft is Hate, a foe to Love,
And bitter are his torments for to prove;
The third is Hope, from which our comfort springs,
His feathers they are pulled from fortune’s wings;
Fourth, Jealousy in basest minds doth dwell:
His metal Vulcan’s Cyclops sent from Hell.”
--_Peake._
Thorwaldsen’s favorite branch of sculpture was bas relief, in which he
excelled. One of his numerous works in this department shows Vulcan
forging arrows for Cupid. He is represented as an aged man hammering
at his forge and indicating by his attitude the lameness with which,
according to the myth, he was afflicted, but with such delicacy as in
no wise to detract from the god-like dignity of his figure.
[Illustration]
Perseus.
“Child of the Morning.”
“_For now behind her unseen, Perseus passed,
And silently whirled the great sword round;
And when it fell, she fell upon the ground,
And felt no more of all her bitter pain._”
--WM. MORRIS.