PROBABLY DUCHY OF URBINO, CIRCA 1562

Niobe boasted of her fourteen children, seven male and seven female, to Leto who only had two children, the twins Apollo and Artemis. Using arrows, Artemis killed Niobe's daughters and Apollo killed Niobe's sons. According to some versions, at least one Niobid (usually Meliboea) was spared. Their father, Amphion, at the sight of his dead sons, either killed himself or was killed by Apollo for having sworn revenge. Devastated, Niobe fled back to Mount Sipylus and was turned into stone, and, as she wept unceasingly, waters started to pour from her petrified complexion.