Page:Hutton, William Holden - Hampton Court (1897).djvu/241

Rh Left-hand side.—Above is the legend:—

On a car, drawn by four unicorns, is seated CHASTETE, attended by her maidens, who walk behind and at the side, carrying palms, while three angels suspend a veil above her head. On the far side the three Destinies, labelled, and , and riding on bulls, are seen attacking her, Atropos holding the shears in her left hand and with her right striking Chastity on the breast with her fatal dart. On the front part of the car, at the feet of Chastity, is a naked boy with his arms bound, representing Cupid; and below is a figure labelled VENVS being trampled under foot by the unicorns which draw the car, and on the backs of which angels are seated bearing lilies emblematic of Purity. In the foreground,on this side of the car, is LVCRECE, bearing a long pillar, with her train held up by a youth, BONVOLONTE, who offers her the dagger with which she destroyed herself after her violation by Tarquin. On the other side is a man on horseback labelled CHIPIONLAFICAN (that is, Scipion l'Africain).

Right-handside.—Above is the legend:—

Here the three Fatal Ladies are represented in a gorgeous triumphal car, drawn by four bulls, richly caparisoned and ringed at the nose. In the centre enthroned aloft is ATROPOS, with her right hand resting on a skull and her left holding the shears and slitting the thin-spun thread of life, which COLOTO, on her left-hand side, is spinning from the distaff, and LACHESIS, on her right, is twining. At their feet lies Chastity, captive and powerless. A tablet on the car bears the verse:—