TWO EXAMPLES OF SYMBOLISM. 21 



the renewal of life, whose path disappears into the underworld, 

 but rises again into the light of day. 



In Ireland, on either of the door-jambs of the Round Tower 

 of Roscrea [43 miles N. of Kilkenny] and contemporaneous with 

 the structure which dates prior to the Xllth century, we see 

 (Fig. 5) the ship, which symbolises the True Church, and the 

 duplex, the interlaced cross, which denotes Christ and His 

 twofold nature. 



Last, and most convincing of all, is a silver crucifix of the 

 XVth century, found in Valbo, Sweden, but evidently of Byzantine 

 origin (Fig. 6). A duplex covers, not the heart only, but the 

 whole of the thorax of the sufferer ; and it will hardly be asserted 

 that in this case the intreccio was designed to fill in an awkward 

 space. It is, beyond all doubt, an attribute of Christ.* 



We now pass on to consider the other, but no less difficult 

 motif, frequent enough on Roman tesselations, as at Cirencester 

 and at Frampton (Fig. 7). 



From general considerations I had derived it from the Lotus, 

 but my friend Mr. Miles Barnes prefers to call it the Axe of 

 Lycurgus. 



Lycurgus was King of the Edones in Thrace, and was famous 

 for his worship on the sacred mountain of Nyseion. He warred 

 against Dionysus (Bacchus), who escaped by casting himself into 

 the sea, where he was saved by Thetis (e'-m apyvpoirfa}, grand- 

 daughter of Poseidon (Neptune) and mother of Achilles. 



Ovid, when invoking Bacchus, prays that the bones of 

 Lycurgus, wielder of the axe, may lie uncovered (Tristia V. iii.) ; 



* It is interesting to read, in this connection, the following from Heine's 

 Pictures of Travel : 



" I gazed upon Christ 

 The Saviour of Man ; 

 His head reached high to the heavens, 

 His hands he stretched out in blessing 

 Over land and sea, 

 And as a heart, in his bosom, 

 Bore he the sun." 



