It was at this time, says Mr.Horne, and under the influence of these emotions, in the year 1500, when he was sixty years of age, that he painted the picture here reproduced, as an illustration to the prophecies of Savonarola, and a tribute to his memory.

Savonarola had been wont to use the descriptions, in the Book of Revelations, of the woes that were to fall upon the earth before the building of the new Jerusalem, to illustrate his prophecy of the scourge that was to come upon Italy, before the Church became purified from the wickedness of the times.

At the top of the picture is written in Greek: I, Sandro, painted this picture at the end of the year 1500, during the troubles of Italy, in the half year after the first year of the loosing of the Devil for 3-1/2 years, in accordance with the fulfilment of the 11th chapter of the Revelations of St.John.Then shall the Devil be chained, according to the 12th chapter, and we shall see him trodden down as in the picture.
The Devil which was loosed for three and a half years stood for the stage of wickedness through which Botticelli believed that Florence was passing in 1500.

In the bottom corners of the picture you can see minute little devils running away discomfited; otherwise all is pure joy and peace, symbolic of the gladness to come upon Italy when the Church had been purified: When Life is difficult, I dream Of how the angels dance in Heaven.
Of how the angels dance and sing In gardens of eternal spring, Because their sins have been forgiven....
And never more for them shall be The terrors of mortality.
When life is difficult, I dream Of how the angels dance in Heaven....[2] [Footnote 2: By Lady Alfred Douglas.] That is what Botticelli dreamed.

He saw the beautiful angels in green, white, and red dancing with joy, because of the birth of their Saviour, and into their hands he put scrolls, upon which were written:--'Glory to God in the Highest.' The rest of the verse, 'Peace and goodwill towards men' is on the scrolls of the shepherds, brought by the angel to behold the Babe lying in the manger.