Unknown Artist
This Roman mosaic from one of the houses in Pompeii (it was placed in the triclinium, which was a formal dining room) represents the Wheel of Fortune which, as it turns, can make the rich (symbolized by the purple cloth on the left) poor and the poor (symbolized by the goatskin at right) rich; in effect both states are very precarious, with death never far and life hanging by a thread: when it breaks, the soul (symbolized by the butterfly) flies off. And thus are all made equal! The theme, like the skeletons on the silverware in the treasure of Boscoreale, was intended to remind diners of the fleeting nature of earthly fortunes.
The topic is Hellenistic in origin and presents death as the great leveler who cancels out all differences of wealth and class. It is a theme that has come down to our days, as for example in the famous poem A livella by the comic actor A. de Curtis (Totò).
Happy Halloween everyone!
P.S. Here you will find a lot of Halloween in art! :-) And here's what's most popular in Pompeii—the erotic art (NSFW)! ;-)