Apollo and Hermes

Apollo and Hermes

 To invent the lyre, Hermes killed a tortoise and scooped the flesh out of its shell.

Then, honoring the Pleiades, he stretched seven strings of sheep-gut over the empty shell.

Once he found out who had stolen his cattle, Apollo was so angry at Hermes that terrible things might have happened if Hermes hadn’t appeased Apollo with a lyre- accompanied song.

In exchange for it, Apollo forgave his little brother everything and swore to be his closest friend forevermore.

1688.

Noel Coypel.

French 1628-1707.