Zethus en Amphion binden Dirce aan de horens van een wilde stier 1675 - 1680

Richard Collin’s engraving immortalizes the brutal myth of Dirce’s punishment. See how Zethus and Amphion tie Dirce to a wild bull, a gruesome execution fueled by vengeance. The image pulsates with Dionysian fervor, a primal energy channeled through the bull, an ancient symbol of untamed power and fertility. But the bull here embodies something darker, a vehicle of retribution. The image recalls the Cretan bull of Pasiphae, a mythic beast that carries echoes of transgression. The brothers’ act of vengeance is striking. This motif—the avenging siblings—appears in countless narratives, reflecting a deep-seated cultural preoccupation with justice, blood ties, and the cyclical nature of violence. The power of the image lies in its rawness, its primal scream of revenge. It's a dark mirror reflecting the depths of human emotion and the enduring power of myth.