King Tarquin and the Cumaean Sibyl
1650 · Private collection
mythologicalThe Cumaean Sibyl offered nine books of prophecies to King Tarquin, the last king of the Roman Kingdom. As the king declined to purchase them, owing to the exorbitant price she demanded, she burned three and offered the remaining six to Tarquin at the same stiff price, which he again refused, whereupon she burned three more and repeated her offer. Tarquin then relented and purchased the last three at the full original price.
