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A rare case of Actias luna albinism

Happy #WorldTurtleDay! Here’s a kind turtle helping a monkey out with a ride, from the Lights of Canopus, a 19th-century Persian version of an ancient Indian collection of animal fables. More here: https://publicdomainreview.org/collection/illustrations-from-the-lights-of-canopus-1847

This is the head of the one-eyed, man-eating Cyclops whom Odysseus finally outwitted and blinded. Here the monster is in a peaceful mood, either waiting to receive the cup of wine offered him by Odysseus, or, more likely, gazing love-struck at the indifferent sea nymph Galatea. The head comes from a sculptural group that might have adorned a public fountain or a luxurious seaside villa. The type originated in the second century B.C., yet the lively and direct style of this piece makes difficult to judge whether it is a contemporary variant or a Roman copy.

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