Lamia

In ancient Greek mythology, Lamia was a Libyan queen transformed into a child-devouring daemon as punishment for her affair with Zeus. In Keats's 1819 poem, Lamia is trapped in the form of a serpent until she is transformed back into human form by Hermes for her assistance in helping him seek a beautiful nymph. Her true identity is eventually revealed by the philosopher Apollonius at her marriage feast, however, and tragedy ensues. Like many other poems Keats composed during his most brilliant period, Lamia was popular material for both publishers and artists alike. In this 1888 volume, the tragic poem is beautifully rendered with lavish illustrations by the American artist Will H. Low.