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Actually that should be a AND instead of a OR.
Today I returned to Villa Giulia, where I had not been since 2004. It still holds the Etruscan museum and so far, it is still forbidden to take pictures inside the building, although I am told this might change in the future.
Since my life is made of science fiction, I decided to live the future and took a few snaps (of course)...
And this is how I met the zombie.
Look at him, sucking out the brains of his opponent while Athena, at the back, is getting queasy!
This terracotta relief is showing an episode of the Theban Cycle - a story that spans the life of city of Thebes and concentrates on Oedipe's descent. The scene is from the Thebaid bit of the cycle, when Polynices attacks the city of Thebes protected by his brother Eteocles. Those worthy heroes do not appear here but we have Tydeus and Melanippus in their stead.
As the story goes, they more or less killed each other in combat but somehow Tydeus survived long enough to feed on his adversary's brains. Athena, who was supposed to help Tydeus and had a potion that should restore his life (see the pot in her hand?) was horrified by his new sense of diet and she let him die.
Not to worry.
Their descendants still managed to slaughter about in the next episode of the Cycle - The Epigoni - showing that Hollywood has not invented sequels. Not even that.
Now this was a little disturbing and I got somehow confused...
Now, last time I had been at Villa Giulia, the Apollo of Veio was under restoration and could be seen at the Nimpheum. So my visit ended, I went there to see the Apollo.
No Apollo.
Plenty of nice tits but no Apollo (damnit. I want my money back and all that jazz)
I snapped a few more pictures - there is reconstructed Etruscan temple - Oooh, look: swastikas!
Then I went to the shop to see if they had any decent Etruscan style jewelry (they had plenty, another welcome improvement) - the museum has a large gallery of Etruscan jewels, a marvelous sight.
So I was talking to the girl in the shop about the new museum and how it was a shame that you could not take pictures and she said they wanted to change this. And then I asked her about the Apollo. What had they done with the blooming Apollo?
She told me it was there! Right there int he gallery next to the jewelry. You know? Next to the statue of Hercules?
Riiight.
I remembered Hercules all right. But not Apollo. Funny, that...
Could it be I got distracted?
Distracted?
MOI?
Hem.
Yes. Distracted, as clearly shown by evidence.
Apollo is the figure in the centre. Not my point of focus though (funny enough). Mind you the statue had looked different - more rugged - last time I had seen him.
Then I had to tell the girl about Hercules' butt and how I went about museums collecting pictures. We enthused about the statues (or bits thereof) at Massimo alle Terme and I told her to go see Palazzo Altemps.
And so should you. And visit Villa Giulia, which is a wonderful place and a very interesting museum (complete with zombies!)
I'll leave you with a few more pictures but otherwise you can have a look at the Flickr set.
Today I returned to Villa Giulia, where I had not been since 2004. It still holds the Etruscan museum and so far, it is still forbidden to take pictures inside the building, although I am told this might change in the future.
Since my life is made of science fiction, I decided to live the future and took a few snaps (of course)...
And this is how I met the zombie.
Look at him, sucking out the brains of his opponent while Athena, at the back, is getting queasy!
This terracotta relief is showing an episode of the Theban Cycle - a story that spans the life of city of Thebes and concentrates on Oedipe's descent. The scene is from the Thebaid bit of the cycle, when Polynices attacks the city of Thebes protected by his brother Eteocles. Those worthy heroes do not appear here but we have Tydeus and Melanippus in their stead.
As the story goes, they more or less killed each other in combat but somehow Tydeus survived long enough to feed on his adversary's brains. Athena, who was supposed to help Tydeus and had a potion that should restore his life (see the pot in her hand?) was horrified by his new sense of diet and she let him die.
Not to worry.
Their descendants still managed to slaughter about in the next episode of the Cycle - The Epigoni - showing that Hollywood has not invented sequels. Not even that.
Now this was a little disturbing and I got somehow confused...
Now, last time I had been at Villa Giulia, the Apollo of Veio was under restoration and could be seen at the Nimpheum. So my visit ended, I went there to see the Apollo.
No Apollo.
Plenty of nice tits but no Apollo (damnit. I want my money back and all that jazz)
I snapped a few more pictures - there is reconstructed Etruscan temple - Oooh, look: swastikas!
Then I went to the shop to see if they had any decent Etruscan style jewelry (they had plenty, another welcome improvement) - the museum has a large gallery of Etruscan jewels, a marvelous sight.
So I was talking to the girl in the shop about the new museum and how it was a shame that you could not take pictures and she said they wanted to change this. And then I asked her about the Apollo. What had they done with the blooming Apollo?
She told me it was there! Right there int he gallery next to the jewelry. You know? Next to the statue of Hercules?
Riiight.
I remembered Hercules all right. But not Apollo. Funny, that...
Could it be I got distracted?
Distracted?
MOI?
Hem.
Yes. Distracted, as clearly shown by evidence.
Apollo is the figure in the centre. Not my point of focus though (funny enough). Mind you the statue had looked different - more rugged - last time I had seen him.
Then I had to tell the girl about Hercules' butt and how I went about museums collecting pictures. We enthused about the statues (or bits thereof) at Massimo alle Terme and I told her to go see Palazzo Altemps.
And so should you. And visit Villa Giulia, which is a wonderful place and a very interesting museum (complete with zombies!)
I'll leave you with a few more pictures but otherwise you can have a look at the Flickr set.