
'Bacchus and Aridane' , a composition of half-length figures , represents the grieving Ariadne on the island of Naxos after her lover , Theseus , the son of Aegeus , has abandoned her . Theseus , to whom Ariadne has given the thread that enabled him to find his way out of the Labyrinth of the Minotaur in Crete , had brought Ariadne to Naxos only to abandon her a short time afterwards . With a tear in her eye , the naked beauty points toward the sailing ship in the background which is bearing the prince away to new heroic deeds . Ariadne is forsaken , but she quickly finds a new lover who is already holding her in his arms and trying to comfort her. Bacchus , the son of Jupiter and Semele , on his way back from conquering India , passes through Naxos . He learns of Ariadne's misfortune , declares his love for her , and marries her .
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