ABSTRACT
The exemplary story of the daughter who secretly sustains her father (who is starving to death in prison) by breastfeeding him is one with a very long history, particularly in art, albeit a history that has been largely forgotten and neglected in recent decades. The theme has often been dubbed “Roman charity” because of its classical origins – depictions survive from Pompeii as well as from a range of classical authors. This chapter surveys the theme before turning to what is surely one of its most intriguing aspects: the fact that the father becomes the mother in some versions of the tale. This chapter considers the evidence for this gender shift, its significance, and the possible reasons underlying it.
