Editing Portland Vase (section)

===Scene 1===
Interpretations include:
* The marriage of mortal [[Peleus]] and the sea goddess [[Thetis]], "the most enduring mythological interpretation".{{sfn|Williams|2009|p=292}}
* [[Dionysos]] greeting [[Ariadne]] with her sacred serpent, in the sacred grove for their marriage, symbolized by [[Cupid#Roman Cupid|Cupid]] with a nuptial torch, in the presence of his foster-father, [[Silenus]]{{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}
* The story of the Emperor [[Augustus]]' supposed siring by the god [[Apollo (god)|Apollo]] in the form of a snake <ref>{{cite web |last1=thehistorianshut |title=Augustus Was Rumored To Be The Son Of Apollo |url=https://thehistorianshut.com/2018/12/09/augustus-was-rumored-to-be-the-son-of-apollo/ |website=The Historian's Hut |date=9 December 2018 |publisher=Keith Hansley |access-date=20 April 2022}}</ref>
* The younger man is [[Mark Antony]] being lured by the wiles of the reclining woman, [[Cleopatra VII]] (accompanied by an [[asp (reptile)|asp]], the alleged type of [[venomous snake]] involved in the [[death of Cleopatra]]),{{sfn|Roller|2010|p=178}} into losing his manly [[romanitas]] and becoming decadent, with the bearded elder male figure being his mythical ancestor [[Antonia gens|Anton]] looking on.{{sfn|Roller|2010|p=178}}
* The dream of [[Olympias]], mother of [[Alexander the Great]], who is emerging from the building to greet her, with his father Apollo as the serpent. This was the first theory, dating to 1633, and connected to Severus Alexander and his mother, "of whom a similar tale of reptilian paternity was told".{{sfn|Williams|2009|p=290}}