already, in the thirteenth century, to be decoratively, instead of
vitally, religious. The history of the Religious Imagination expressed
between Alfred's time and that of Cœur de Lion, in this symbol of the
Lion only, has material in it rather for all my seven lectures than
for the closing section of one; but I must briefly specify to you the
main sections of it. I will keep clear of my favourite number seven,
and ask you to recollect the meaning of only Five, Mythic Lions.

First of all, in Greek art, remember to keep yourselves clear about
the difference between the Lion and the Gorgon.

The Gorgon is the power of evil in heaven, conquered by Athena, and
thenceforward becoming her ægis, when she is herself the inflictor of
evil. Her helmet is then the helmet of Orcus.

But the Lion is the power of death on earth, conquered by Heracles,
and becoming thenceforward both his helmet and ægis. All ordinary
architectural lion sculpture is derived from the Heraclean.

Then the Christian Lions are, first, the Lion of the Tribe of
Judah--Christ Himself as Captain and Judge: "He shall rule the
nations with a rod of iron," (the opposite power of His adversary,
is rarely intended in sculpture unless in association with the
serpent--"inculcabis supra leonem et aspidem"); secondly, the Lion of
St. Mark, the power of the Gospel going out to conquest; thirdly, the
Lion of St. Jerome, the wrath of the brute creation changed into love
by the kindness of man; and, fourthly, the Lion of the Zodiac, which
is the Lion of Egypt and of the Lombardic pillar-supports in
Italy; these four, if you remember, with the Nemean Greek one, five
altogether, will give you, broadly, interpretation of nearly all