Artwork Information

Publius Horatius, the first of the Roman heroes, was one of the three siblings who by agreement were chosen to enter into combat with three brothers in the opposing army, in order to avoid a battle. After two of the Horatii had been slain, Publicus Horatius pretended to flee and thereby separated his three opponents. He then proceeded to slay each one of them (Livy 1.26). By placing the insouciant figure of Horatius close to the picture plane, Goltzius makes him appear a giant in relation to the diminutive soldiers in the background. (Monsters and Maidens, 2004)