There is an entire room in the Uffizi dedicated to the Niobe myth. If you don’t know (and I didn’t), she was the mother of seven sons and seven daughters who bragged about her fertility in front of Leto. Leto was the mother of a mere two — the twins Apollo and Artemis — but was a goddess and, as gods and goddesses will do, took offense.
What a bloodbath ensued!
Leto’s son, Apollo, killed all seven of Niobe’s sons, while Artemis killed all of her daughters. Niobe’s husband either committed suicide or was also killed. Niobe was left devastated and alone. Zeus took pity on her and turned her to rock, but the myth tells us that even then tears streamed down her stony face.
When you enter the spacious room, it takes a minute to understand what you are seeing. I read a card or two and looked again. And then there was no mistaking the terror and panic.
