Vignette (Tome 1.er, page 200, lib. III, fab. 3), depicting Diana Turning Actaeon into a Stag, from Les Métamorphoses d'Ovide en Latin et en François de la traduction de M. l'Abbé Banier de l'Académie Royale des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres. Avec des explications historiques. A Paris Chez Despilly rue saint Jacques à la croix d'or. MDCCLXVII. Avec Approbation et Privilège du Roi

Augustin de Saint-Aubin (French, Paris 1736–1807 Paris)

Public domain scan of French 17th-century print, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

Public domain scan of French 17th-century print, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

The story of Diana and Actaeon is a classical myth from ancient Greece. Actaeon was a hunter who stumbled upon the goddess Diana while she was bathing in a forest pool. Outraged by his intrusion, Diana splashed water on him and, as punishment, turned him into a stag. Actaeon's own hunting dogs, recognizing their master, chased and killed him. This story is often interpreted as a cautionary tale about the consequences of hubris or arrogance, as well as a celebration of the power and majesty of the goddess Diana.