in her spirited
bearing. With her right hand she points forward, as if calling us to
join in the sport. In the swiftness of her motion her unbound hair and
filmy garments blow out behind her.

She is a country-bred maiden, with plump neck and round arms, and her
chief charm is her buoyant vitality. Her open face, with eyes set
rather far apart, is the index of her nature. Her free life in the
woods has developed a well poised womanhood. Fear is unknown to her;
pain and disease come not near her. Rejoicing in immortal youth and
strength, she speeds nightly through the sky, the messenger of light
and comfort.

As we have seen in the preceding chapter, the picture of Diana is
painted in fresco on the chimney cap, or hood, over the great
fireplace in the Hall of the Vine Trellis. We may well believe that
the decoration went far towards furnishing the stately apartment.
Underneath runs the Latin inscription, "_Ignem gladio ne fodias_,"
stir not the fire with the sword.

It will be remembered that the arms of the abbess, for whom the room
was decorated, bore the device of the crescent moon. This fact may
have suggested to Correggio, or his patrons, the subject of the moon
goddess. Diana, as a virgin divinity, was an especially appropriate
choice for the apartment of a nun.

The legends of Greek mythology were at that time very popular among
people of culture, having been recently brought to notice in the
revival of classic learning. In Italy they furnished themes for the
painter; in England, for the poet. The English Ben Jonson, living a
half a century later than Correggio,[12] but representing in a certain
measure the same love of classic allusion, wrote a "Hymn to Diana,"
which might have been inspired by this picture. The first stanza may
be quoted for its interpretation:--

"Queen and huntress, chaste and fair,
Now the sun is laid to sleep,
Seated in thy silver chair,
State in wonted manner keep.
Hesperus entreats thy light,
Goddess excellently bright."

[Footnote 12: That is, from 1573 to 1637.]

VI

ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

It seemed understood among the twelve disciples of Jesus that John was
the one of their number especially beloved by the Master. He and his
brother, James, were the sons of the fisherman Zebedee, and all three
men earned their living in their fishing-boats on the sea of Galilee.
It was while they were busy with their nets that Jesus one day called
t