262 THE STORIES OF NOTED PAINTINGS. 



in the guise of a servant and a guide working for stipulated 

 wages, brought him by various devices out of his poverty, restored 

 to him his sight, and obtained for his son a fair and wealthy wife. 

 When, however, they called Eaphael before them to pay him his 

 wages, and further to give him the half of all the wealth he had 

 helped them to obtain, the angel refused the gifts, pointed them 

 to God as the source, and informed them that he was "one of the 

 seven angels who go in and out before the glory of the Holy 

 One." " Then were they troubled and fell upon their faces, for 

 they feared. But he said unto them, fear not, for it shall go well 

 with you. Praise God therefore. Arid after a few more words 

 he vanished, and when they arose they could see no one." 



THE RAPE OF ETTROPA. 



By PAUL VERONESE (born at Verona, 1528, died at Venice, 

 1588). The original is in the Gallery of Paintings in the Palace 

 of the Conservator]', at the Capitol in Rome (No. 224). There 

 are also paintings of the same subject by the same master, very 

 similar in composition if not copies, in the Ducal Palace at 

 Venice, and in the National Gallery in London. Europa has 

 just seated herself upon the bull, who has lain down to receive 

 her ; her attendant women are arranging her dress. She is 

 again represented in the middle ground as going down to the 

 sea ; and in the extreme distance the bull is swimming with her 

 towards the island. 



A very ancient legend relates that Europa was the daughter 

 of Phoenix, the founder of Tyre, and first king of Phoenicia in 

 Asia Minor. Jupiter, becoming enamored of her, changed him- 

 self into a beautiful white bull, and approached her, "breathing 

 saffron from his mouth," as she was gathering flowers with her 

 companions in a field near the sea-shore. Europa, delighted with 

 the tameness and beauty of the animal, caressed him, crowned 

 him with flowers, and at length ventured to mount on his back. 

 The disguised god immediately made off with his lovely burden, 

 plunged into the sea, and swam with her to the Island of Crete, 

 where he resumed his own form, and under a plane tree made 

 love to the trembling maid. 



