Sappho and Alcaeus
The painting illustrates a passage by the poet Hermesianax , recorded by Athenaeus in his "Deipnosophistae" ( "The Philosophers' Banquet" ) , book 13 , page 598 . 
<triplet> Athenaeus <subj> Deipnosophistae <obj> notable work <triplet> Deipnosophistae <subj> Athenaeus <obj> author