Céphale tente de corrompre la femme de Procris ; il la tue par mégarde dans les bois · Centre for Early Modern Visual Culture

Title: Céphale tente de corrompre la femme de Procris ; il la tue par mégarde dans les bois
Period: 1400-1450;
Geographic: Athens
Description: Cephalus was warned by an admirer that since he would not leave his wife, Procris, that Procris would leave him for jewels and money. Being anxious, Cephalus tested his wife by leaving town and having large gifts sent to her. This is represented on the left of the image, where Cephalus is tempting Procris with valuable gifts. Originally, Procris turned them down, but over time she accepted it. She was so upset with herself that she ran to the woods where she would live in solitude, but Cephalus retrieved her against her will. He was very upset with himself about tricking Procris, even though it went poorly. They both grew paranoid, and Procris began stalking Cephalus while he was hunting. One day, he mistook her for a wild animal and shot her, killing her by mistake. This is represented on the right of the image, where Cephalus has an arrow pointed at Procris.
Image Creator: Master of the Cleres Femmes of the Duke of Berry (Illuminator)
Type: Text; Illumination
Identifier: mta:19873
Language: fre
Source Name: Livre des Femmes Nobles et Renommées
Parent Collection: 1403 Paris; 1403 Paris
Image: mta_19873_OBJ.png
Collection: Early Modern Women
Subject: Loyalty; Jealousy; Greed; Cephalus; Procris; Murder