Thus encouraged, Raphael devoted himself with all his heart to the work, and on another wall of the same apartment, he represented the Approach of Attila towards Rome, and his encounter with Pope Leo III, by whom he is met at the foot of Monte Mario, and who repulses him by the power of his word alone. In this picture, Raphael has shown San Pietro and San Paolo appearing in the air with swords in their hands, with which they come to defend the church. It is true that the History of Leo III. says nothing of such an occurrence, but so Raphael has chosen to represent it, perhaps as a mere fancy; for we know that painters and poets frequently permit themselves a certain degree of freedom for the more effectual decoration of their works, and this they may do without any undue departure from the propriety of the original thought. In the two apostles thus depicted, there is all that holy zeal and dignity which the Divine Justice frequently imparts to the countenances of those among God’s servants, whom it has commissioned to become the defenders of the most holy faith. The effect of this expression on Attila is manifest in his face. He is riding on a fiery black horse, having a star on the forehead, and beautiful as it is possible that a horse could be; the attitude of the animal also betrays the utmost terror, its head is thrown aloft, and the body is turning in the act of flight.[1]
There are other magnificent horses in the same work, among them a Spanish jennet, ridden by a figure which has all the parts usually left nude covered with scales in the manner of a fish; this is copied from the column of Trajan, the figures of the people around that column being armed in this fashion; such defences being made, as is conjectured, from the skins of crocodiles. Monte Mario is seen burning, as an intimation that on the departure of soldiery, the dwellings are constantly given as a prey to the flames. Certain mace-bearers belonging to the papal retinue are
- ↑ The numerous errors into which Vasari lias here fallen, are in part attributable to the Florentine historian, Villani, (see lib. ii. cap. 3.) The meeting with Attila took place on the river Mincio, near Mantua, and the Pontiff was not Leo III. but Leo the Great, the first of the name.
the connection of Raphael with both these Pontiffs, sec Passavant, as above cited, vol. i. p. ‘205. et seq.
