Plate 80: Ceres' Nymph Telling Famine to Strike Erysichthon (Insatiabili fame Erisichtonem torquet Fames), from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' 1606

Antonio Tempesta's 1606 etching, "Plate 80: Ceres' Nymph Telling Famine to Strike Erysichthon (Insatiabili fame Erisichtonem torquet Fames), from Ovid's 'Metamorphoses'", depicts a scene from Ovid's epic poem. The nymph of Ceres, goddess of agriculture, commands Famine to punish Erysichthon, who had cut down a sacred grove. Famine, represented as a skeletal figure, is shown reaching towards Erysichthon, symbolizing the consuming hunger that will befall him. Tempesta's detailed etching style captures the dramatic narrative and emotive expressions of the figures, creating a powerful visual representation of the myth. This artwork is a testament to the enduring influence of classical literature and its enduring themes of punishment and retribution.