traitors' letter to Tarquin]. His whole attitude and expression bear at the same time marks of a profound affliction and of an inflexible severity. "I have had to accomplish it, this cruel sacrifice": that is the feeling which seems to be impressed on his lips, but with a sombre and withdrawn grief which is sufficient evidence of all the force and constancy he had to muster in order to win so painful a victory, in order to sustain so heroic a devotion, eminente animo patrio inter publicae poenae ministerium. This austere figure, isolated and as it were enshrouded in shadows, forms an admirable contrast with this group of women, illuminated by a light that is rather bright, but gentle and tranquil. (…) Several have observed that in this painting there are two separate scenes, the worst fault one could reproach a work of this sort with, and we agree that before having been able to grasp the whole conception of the artist, the eye is in some fashion offended by this singular separation of light and dark which, one might say, divides the canvas in two entirely different parts. However, with steady attention one soon sees the intimate connection of the two scenes, and one can no longer doubt that the action is unequivocally unified, and thanks to the double scene our interest, without ceasing to be concentrated, is only the more lively and moving.