Vatican Museums-6 (119)

The scene illustrates a chaotic blaze in the Borgo district, with citizens in the foreground fleeing or attempting to douse the flames. On the far left, a young man carries an older man on his shoulders in an intentional reference to Aeneas fleeing Troy, while in the background, the Pope appears on a balcony to halt the fire with a sign of the cross. The composition is framed by classical architectural elements and includes a ceiling tondo by Perugino depicting the Holy Trinity.

This work represents the High Renaissance synthesis of Christian history and classical mythology, specifically linking the Papacy to the Roman epic tradition. The inclusion of Aeneas and Anchises serves as a Neoplatonic emblem of 'pietas' (filial and religious duty), a central virtue in the humanist intellectual circles of the Vatican court.