Almatre deyphile sebille · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Almatre deyphile sebille
Period: 1450-1500;
Geographic: Ancient Rome; Italy; Cumae
Description: This illuminated image depicts the sibyl, Amalthea (also called Deiphobe), sitting down while looking at a book resting on a lectern. There is a burning fire behind Amalthea which symbolizes the fire that she used to burn the books that she meant to give to Tarquinius Priscus. Amalthea had nine books to give to the Roman king, however, when he denied her payment, she began burning three books at a time until he gave her the money. There were three books left when he paid her. These three books contained all of the future events that will happen to the Romans.
Image Creator: Robinet Testard (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:17144
Language: frm
Source Name: Boccace, Des cleres et nobles femmes, traduction française anonyme [Boccaccio, The cleric and noble women, anonymous French translation]
Parent Collection: Boccace, Des cleres et nobles femmes, traduction française anonyme. Illuminations by Robinet Testard (1488-1496); Boccace, Des cleres et nobles femmes, traduction française anonyme. Illuminations by Robinet Testard (1488-1496)
Image: mta_17144_OBJ.jpg
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Famous Women; Important Women; Sibyls; Tarquinius Priscus; Amalthea; Deiphobe; Important Women