This significant quoted part is taken from a famous dramatic monologue, "My Last Duchess", by Robert Browning, a famous poet of Victorian Era. This poem is published in 1842 in "Dramatic Romances".

            In this poem, we find that the Duke talks with the envoy of a Count about his second marriage. But incidentally, he directs the attention of the envoy towards a bronze statue, Neptune controlling the sea waves as a horse.

            This line highlights the character of the Duke. The Duke's vanity for his patronate of art again manifests itself. He tells that the statue was considerd to be a rare piece of art and that Claus of Innsbruck, the famous sculptor, had specially cast the bronze statue for him.

           By this sudden indroction of the art of Neptune, he wants to show his inner sentiments. Just as Neptune taming a sea horse, the Duke is very fond of brute force which he uses to crush all opposition, direct or indirect. He is proud and unrepentant that he has killed his beautiful and devoted wife by his harsh behaviour.