ASSYRIAN MONUMENTS. 171 



symbols of all sorts have been transformed into decor- 

 ative ornaments. The trident itself is transformed 

 into an extravagant trisula — a sort of trident ' gone mad ' 

 (fig. 90). 



Naturally, when the sea-god was adopted as a patron 

 by sea-faring people they put barbs to the prongs of 

 the trident, and so it became assimilated to the gaff 

 of fishermen. So that our 'Britannia' is ever watching 

 over us, and protecting us from the evil eye and other 

 troubles, by means of that mysterious horn-emblem ! 



I feel a suspicion that the pretty myth of the thunder- 

 bolt will have to be abandoned, and be replaced by the 

 vulgar story of horn-protection. 



One of the most interesting sculptures in the British 

 Museum is No. 28 and 29 (Nimrood Gallery).^ It is a 

 spirited chase of a devil by a genius holding a double 

 trident in the right hand. Both figures are winged, 

 which is enough to show that the whole thing is meant 

 for an invisible, or spiritual, battle. But the expression 

 on the face of the genius, and the spirited way in which 

 he is trotting after the devil, shows that he is enjoying 

 the hunt, and that he is performing this policeman's 

 function with great ' gusto.' The expression and attitude 

 of the devil, on the other hand, are sufficiently indica- 

 tive of his disgust at being meddled with. 



Well, these tridents have their side prongs wavy, and 



1 Taken from the entrance of a small temple (Nimrood). 



