"The Women of Amphissa"

Lawrence Alma-Tadema 1836-1912

In Greek mythology the maenads were female followers of Dionysus (Bacchus in the Roman pantheon), The painting depicts the occasion when they had lost their way and had arrived in Amphissa, a city near Delphi. There they sank down exhausted in the market place and were overpowered by a deep sleep. The women of Amphissa formed a protective ring around them and when they awoke arranged for them to return home unmolested.

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