Page:Vasari - Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects, volume 4.djvu/51

Rh and seemed as if they must of necessity fall into the room. The apartment being thus constructed in a manner so unusual, Giulio set himself to paint therein the most extraordinary inventions that he could possibly devise; the subject chosen was Jupiter launching his thunderbolts at the Giants, and having depicted the Olympian Heaven in the highest part of the vaulting, he there placed the Throne of Jove, foreshortened, as seen from below; showing also the front and interior of a round temple, with columns of the Ionic order: the God has a canopy midway over his seat, and his eagle is beside him, all which the master displayed as borne on the clouds. Lower down he has depicted Jupiter in anger hurling his thunder-bolts at the Giants, with Juno still further down, who is assisting him. Around them are the Winds, represented by the most extraordinary visages, blowing towards the earth, while the Goddess Ops turns away with her Lions at the terrible clamour of the thunders, as do the other gods and goddesses, more particularly Venus, who is beside Mars, and Momus, who, with his arms cast wide apart, appears to be expecting that heaven itself shall fall asunder, but stands nevertheless immoveable, awaiting the result.

The Graces are seen in like manner equally filled with dread, and all the gods in short, seized with terror, take to flight, each in his chariot. The Moon, Saturn, and Janus turn towards that part of the heavens which is least involved in darkness, as if to remove themselves as far as possible from that horrible tumult and terror, as does Neptune, who, with his dolphins, appears trying to maintain himself on his trident, while Pallas, with the nine muses, stands watching the fearful event that is taking place before them, as questioning what so dreadful an occurrence may portend. Pan embraces, with supporting arms, a nymph who is trembling with fear, he seems anxious to shelter her from those lightning-flashes and that conflagration with which the