Danaids1.0008_Diepenbeeck

Abraham van Diepenbeeck, 1596-1675, "The Danaids (punished in the world of the dead)" (Les Danaïdes), drawing by Diepenbeeck, engraved by Cornelis Bloemaert and printed by Theodor Matham.
This printing was included in Marolles' Temple des Muses (Paris, N. Langlois, 1655).

Diepenbeeck/Bloemaert's depiction was reproduced in many publications over many years. The original quote from Hor. Carmina 3.11.26-27 [mistakenly asscribed to "Ode 2 of book 3" and misquoted in the published print] refers to Mercury's divine musical skill that charmed the Danaid virgins into pausing from their "famous punishments" to listen thus allowing the water to run dry in their holey vat (dolium)". The Horatian quote is gratuitous as a caption, since none of the women seems distracted by any musical performance.