Dead son of Niobe

myminifactory

A Roman replica of a Greek statue that depicts the slaying of Niobe's children by Apollo and Artemis. The children were killed because their mother boasted she was a better mother than Leto, the titaness who gave birth to the twin gods. One child lies dead on the ground, struck down by an arrow. Niobe, in Greek mythology, is the daughter of Tantalus, king of Sipylus in Lydia, and wife of King Amphion of Thebes. She was a mother consumed by grief after losing her children, who were six boys and six girls. According to Homer's Iliad, Niobe boasted that she had more children than Leto, who only had two, the twin gods Apollo and Artemis. As punishment for her pride, Apollo killed all of Niobe's sons, while Artemis killed all of their daughters. The mythographer Apollodorus, writing in the 2nd century BCE, mentions one child who survived, Chloris, who later became the wife of Neleus and mother of Nestor. The bodies of the dead children remained unburied for nine days because Zeus had turned the people of Thebes to stone. On the tenth day, the gods buried them. Niobe then returned to her home in Phrygia, where she was transformed into a rock on Mount Sipylus, which continues to weep when snow melts above it. This object is part of Scan The World, a non-profit initiative launched by MyMiniFactory to create a digital archive of fully 3D printable sculptures, artworks and landmarks from around the world. Anyone can contribute by emailing stw@myminifactory.com.