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Classical
Miths The
sculptures of G.L.Bernini in
the Galleria Borghese by
Sergio Caggia - © Nerone The Insider's Guide to Rome 
INTRODUCTION
Gian Lorenzo Bernini was born in Naples on December 7, 1594. On the occasion of the 403rd anniversary of his birth, it would be appropriate to recall the classical myths that inspired
Bernini's early works:
- The Capra Amaltheia
- The Rape of Proserpina
- Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius
- Apollo and Daphne
These sculptures, carved by Bernini while between the ages of 17 to 26 years, are kept in the
Galleria Borghese in Rome. Indeed, the collection of Cardinal Scipione Borghese
(nephew of pope Paul V Borghese) is one of the most spectacular art collections in the world.
Moreover, the Villa itself and the surrounding park are spectacular. The activity of Cardinal Scipione Borghese (1579-1633) as collector of classic art and as sponsor of artists like
Bernini, Domenichino, and many others, was of great importance for the development of the Roman
Baroque.
On the role of Scipione, his collection, and on the Villa Borghese, we will have further information in the January
issue. Let's now recall together the classical myths listed above to be able to enjoy even more -if possible- the great sculptures carved by Gian Lorenzo Bernini nearly four centuries ago.
THE SHE-GOAT AMALTHEIA, THE CORNUCOPIA AND THE CHRISTMAS DAY
The small sculpture of the she-goat Amaltheia can be found on the second floor of the Galleria Borghese. Carved by Bernini at the age of only about 17, it represents a
she-goat, Amaltheia, feeding two boys: Zeus and a satyr.
THE STORY:
Cronos, (also known as Saturn son of Urano, the sky, and Gaia, the earth) fearing the possibility of being dethroned by one of his
sons, ate them just after their birth. This was the destiny of Hades (Pluto) and of Neptune
(Poseidon). At the birth of Zeus (Jupiter) his mother Rhea (or grandmother Gaia) gave Cronos a stone wrapped in bands instead of the baby, hence saving Zeus from that
destiny. Baby Zeus was taken to a mountain on the island of Crete and left in custody of the nymphs and the Curetes who were asked to make a noise by beating their shields
together. Cronos could not hear the cry of the baby because of this noise and Zeus grew up fed by the goat (or
nymph) Amaltheia.
According to the ancient poet Ovid (Fasti), one day Zeus broke one of Amaltheia's horn and from the broken horn abundant
nectar, ambrosia and fruits came out. This is the famous "cornu copiae" or "cornucopia", the horn of abundance - a item very much represented in art throughout the
ages. At the death of Amaltheia, Zeus re-covered his shield with her skin.
Later Zeus defeated his fater Cronos and made him disgorge his brothers. Then they divided the world in three
kingdoms: the sky for Zeus, the sea for Poseidon and the underworld for Hades. They would also reign together on the Earth and the
Olympus. According to another version, Zeus later reconciled with his father,
Cronos, who became the good king of a prosperous age. Hence the relation between the Greek Cronos and the Italic
Saturn, god of the Earth. For the Romans, Saturn was one of the major Gods who
brought, with agriculture and the law, well-being and order. In Rome, its important cult culminated in the
"Saturnalia" on the winter solstice. In Christian times, this pagan feast was made to coincide with the birth of
Jesus: it was pope Liberius who, on 25 December 354 AD, proclaimed that day to be Christmas day.
THE KIDNAPPING OF PROSERPINA
This sculpture on the second largest room of the ground floor of the Galeria Borghese (the room of the
Emperors) was carved by Gianlorenzo Bernini in 1621-22. It represents the moment in which Hades
(Pluto), during the kidnapping of Proserpina (Persephone), keeps her, in despair, in his
arms. She is in tears...
THE STORY:
As the young and beautiful Proserpina, daughter of Ceres -the Roman Goddess of the harvest- was out picking flowers in a sunny meadow
(near the city of Enna in Sicily), Pluto, the King of the Underworld, spied her and decided there and then to make her his
queen. Immediately a chasm opened in the ground, the God thundered out from the Underworld in his chariot drawn by four black horses and stole the protesting girl
away. Noticing that her daughter was missing, Ceres desperatly sought her all day, followng her cries for help, but it was only late in the evening
that, exhausted, she realized that she had been deceived by the cry of the nymph
Echo, who had been given this deceptive task by Pluto.
When Ceres (Greek: Demeter) finally found Proserpina it was too late.
Proserpina had already eaten the fruit of a pomegranate tree that grew in the Underworld and, as anyone who would eat a fruit of the
Underworld, she was linked to this place forever. She was forced to live part of the year in the
Underworld, though having the possibility of spending the rest of the time (one third of the
year) on Earth with her mother... giving origin to the Seasons. The dog with three heads who stands at
Pluto's feet in Bernini's sculpture is Cerberus, guardian of the entrance to
Hell.
AENEAS, ANCHISES AND ASCANIUS
This marble group, also on the ground floor of the Galleria Borghese, represents the moment in which
Aeneas, hero of Troy, escaped from the city on fire, rescuing his father Anchises and his son
Ascanius. This scene represents the filial love.
MOREOVER:
The most fascinating part of the adventure of Aeneas is the long voyage to Italy. After the defeat of Troy Aeneas left for the Italian peninsula together with his father and his
son. The old Anchises died in Sicily and the ship of Aeneas was taken to Cartagine by a violent
storm. Didone (Dido), queen of Cartagine, and Aeneas fell in love, but the gods, who had another destiny for
Aeneas, sent their messager Hermes to exhort Aeneas to continue his voyage towards
Italy. Aeneas landed on the western coast of Italy to ask permission of the Sybil of Cuma to access the
Underworld. There in the Underworld he met his father Anchises, who confirmed that Aeneas was chosen to found a city with a glorious
destiny. By sailing north, Aeneas finally arrived to the mouth of the river Tiber
where, after defeating the other suitor Turnus, he married Lavinia -daughter of
Latinus, king of the Latins. The Aeneide (Virgil) ends with the death of Turnus during a duel with
Aeneas.
Other authors tell how Ascanius (also called Iulius) founded Alba Longa and how Rome was founded by another descendent of
Aeneas, Romulus. Indeed these poems, (together with the Metamorphoses by Ovid in which Aeneas is consecrated
God), were commissioned by the Emperor Augustus. The Aeneide -Roman national poem- traces a link between the ancient populations of Troy and Rome to
"confirm" the the devine origins of the reigning dynasty -the Iulia- which through Ascanius
(Iulius) son of Aeneas, is connected to Zeus, father of Aphrodite, mother of
Aeneas.
APOLLO AND DAPHNE
Here is the story of Apollo and Daphne, represented in Bernini's sculpture in its
epilogue: when Daphne is turned into a laurel tree before Apollo's eyes.
THE STORY:
Since Apollo made fun of Eros (Amore, Cupido), the God of Love hit him with a golden arrow to make him fall in love with Daphne and hit her with a lead arrow to make her insensible to love. Daphne, persecuted by Apollo, tried to escape his love by taking refuge near the river of her father
Peneo. When Apollo was about to capture Daphne, Peneo, moved by the cry of his
daughter, transformed her into a laurel tree. Forever after, Apollo would wear a branch of
laurel. Indeed the Greek word daphne means laurel.
MOREOVER:
"The whole statue is one of the most successful illustration of a literary passage ever
made" (H.Hibbard, Bernini, Pelican Original):
See poem from the Metamorphoses, Ovidio:
"So ran the god and girl, one swift in hope,
The other in terror, but he run more swiftly,
Born on the wings of love, gave her no rest,
Shadowed her shoulder, breathed on her streaming hair.
Her strength was gone, worn out by the long effort
Of the long flight; she was deathly pale, and seeing
The river of her father, cried 'O help me,
If there is any power in the rivers,
Change and destroy the body which has given
Too much delight!' And hardlt had she finished,
When her limbs grew numb and heavy, her soft breasts
Were closed with delicate bark, her hair was leaves,
Her arms were branches, and her speedy feet
Rooted and held, and her head became a tree top,
Everything gone except her grace, her shining.
Apollo loved her still. He placed his hand
Where he had hoped and felt the heart still beating
Under the bark; and he embraced the branches
As if they still were limbs, and kissed the wood,
And the wood shrank from his kisses, and the god
Exclaimed: 'Since you can never be my bride,
My tree at least you shall be! Let the laurel
Adorn, henceforth, my hair, my lyre, my quiver:
Let Roman victors, in the long procession,
Wear laurel wreaths for tryumph and ovation.
Beside Augustus' portals let the laurel
Guard and watch over the oak, and as my head
Is always youthful, let the laurels always
Be green and shining!' He said no more. The laurel,
Stirring, seemed to consent, to be saying Yes."
The fresco on the ceiling above Bernini's "Apollo and Daphne" in the Galleria Borghese represents the same moment of the story. It was painted by Dosso Dossi in the years 1520-1525.
In the Canzoniere the poet Petrarca compare himself to Apollo. In love with Laura, but not
reciprocated, Petrarca remains with the only consolation of the Laurel (his
Poetry). |
