On the main side of the amphora, Tereus is depicted chasing his wife, Prokne. He has just pulled out the sword and he is about to kill her. Prokne is terrified and runs to save herself. On the reverse side, the two sisters, Prokne and Philomela, run to escape from Tereus’ frenzy. A bird sits on the head of each figure. This indicates their being transformed by the gods into birds, so as to escape the pursuit. According to the myth, Prokne was transformed into a nightingale and Philomela into a swallow (or vice versa), while Tereus became a hoopoe.