Acis and Galatea

Galatea, a Nereid of Sicilian origin, loved the handsome youth Acis and was herself loved by a monstrous, one-eyed giant, Polyphemus, who had descended from Cyclops. The giant sat on a promontory overlooking the sea and played a love song to the Nereid on his pipes. Later, wandering disconsolately among the rocks, he discovered her in Acis's arms (Metamorphoses 13: 750-897). De Troy depicts the episode before the couple flees and Polyphemus in a rage flings a great boulder that kills Acis.