ii8 FLORAL SYMBOLISM 



have seen, through the fleur-de-lys to the stem of 

 liHes. In Siena it was the meaning of the wand, 

 rather than the wand itself, which was developed. 

 The wand simply marked that Gabriel was a 

 herald; that it was a message of peace and 

 goodwill which he brought was shown by the 

 grey-green leaves of the olive. As a symbol 

 it was by no means of Simone Martini's own 

 finding, for it was a very usual pohtical symbol 

 of the day, but he seems to have been the first 

 to have placed it in the angel Gabriel's hand, and 

 the school of painting in Siena whole-heartedly 

 and faithfully adopted his device. The general 

 trend of Sienese symbolism was to direct devo- 

 tion to the incarnate Godhead rather than to 

 Mary of Nazareth, and it is of Him, as the bringer 

 of peace on earth, that the branch of olive tells, 

 as elsewhere the white lily proclaims the 

 virginity of the coming motherhood. 



Then again, on that night when the angels 

 sang of peace on earth and good-will towards 



men — 



. . . ' the meek-eyed Peace, 



She crown'd with Olive green, came softly sliding 



Down through the turning sphear.' ' 



1 MUton- 



