The next scene is of a totally different character. It represents a lion hunt (fig. 136). The king is in his chariot, drawn by three horses, which the charioteer is urging forward to escape the attack of an infuriated lion that has already placed its fore paws upon the back of the chariot. The action and countenance of the charioteer are not without an expression of fear, and his flowing hair evinces the speed at which the horses are advancing. At this critical moment the royal descendant of the "mighty hunter" aims a deadly shaft at the head of the roaring and wounded monster, the position of whose tail and limbs is finely indicative of rage and fury. Behind the lion are two of the king's bearded attendants, fully armed, and holding their daggers and shields ready to defend

Fig. 136.-THE LION HUNT. Size, 3 ft. in. by 7 ft. 4 in.

themselves in case the prey should escape the arrow of the king. Before the chariot is a wounded lion, crawling from under the horses' feet: the cringing agony conveyed in its entire action is well contrasted with the undaunted fury of the former. The existence of a claw in the tuft at the end of the lion's tail was disputed for ages, but here in these ancient sculptures is an exaggerated representation of it, in support of this curious fact in natural history (fig. 137). The peculiarity was first recorded by Didymus of Alexandria, an early commentator on the Iliad, who flourished 40 years before the Christian era. Homer and other poets feign that the lion lashes his sides, and Lucan states that he does so to sti

284

NIMROUD.-THE BULL HUNT.

mulate himself to rage; but not one of these writers adverts to the claw in the tail, although Didymus, who lived 100

years before the last-named author, discovered it, and conjectured that its purpose was to effect more readily what Lucan ascribes to the tail alone. Whatever may have been the sup

Fig. 137.-CLAW IN LION'S TAIL. posed use or intention of this claw, its existence has been placed beyond

From Nimroud Sculptures.

Fig. 139.-CLAW IN LION'S

TAIL, full size.

dispute by Mr. Bennett, who, at one of the meetings of the Zoological Society of London, in 1832, showed a specimen of it, which was taken from a living animal in the Society's menagerie (fig. 138). (See "Proceedings of the Council of the Zoological Society of London," 1832, p. 146.) It is no small gratification to be able now to quote in evidence of the statement of Mr. Bennett and his predecessor, Didymus of Alexandria, this original and authentic document, on the authority of the veritable descendants of the renowned hunter himself; a document too, that any one may read who will take the trouble to examine the slab under consideration. The king's bearded attendants wear the conical cap, with a large tassel depending from under the hair at the back of the head. The king himself is habited as before described; the scabbard of his sword is adorned with lions' heads. In its groove behind the chariot is the king's javelin, decorated with two fillets.

The fourth scene which likewise relates to the chase, displays a bull hunt (fig. 139). The king is attended by his huntsman, who follows the chariot, riding sideways upon one horse, and leading another with embroidered saddle, and richly caparisoned, for the king's use in the chase. The king, in his chariot, turns round to seize a bull, whose fore legs are entangled in the wheels, and he secures the infuriated animal by grasping one of the horns with his left hand, while his right inserts a small dagger precisely between the second and third vertebra-just where the spinal cord is most assailable. He performs this dangerous feat with dignity-with that calmness and composure acquired by long experience. Another bull, pierced with four arrows, lies dead on the ground. In

the accustomed place is the royal spear, and like that in the hand of the huntsman, it has the addition of a fillet to arouse and frighten the wild animals. The same deficiency in the number of legs, both of the chariot-horses and of the saddlehorses, is observable in this sculpture.

As this subject completes the upper line of illustration, we return and commence reading the second line. Here the first scene relates to the conquests of the great king, fig. 140. It represents a procession conveying prisoners and spoil to the feet of the conqueror. The procession is led by two officers of importance, habited in long fringed and embroidered robes, having swords with ornamented scabbards and handles slung over their shoulders, and sandals on their feet. The one is bearded and the other beardless; the latter having a turban of

Fig. 139. THE BULL HUNT. embroidered linen on his head. Both have their hands crossed in the attitude of respect. A double bale of embroidered cloth is placed above, but not resting on, their heads. Immediately succeeding these are two other officers, similar in every respect, excepting that the head of the eunuch is uncovered, and that he is on the right instead of the left of the bearded figure. Three bars of precious woods are placed above these two. Following them is a single eunuch, clad in the same fashion, and having two tusks of an elephant placed above his head. His left hand is upraised in the act of introducing a prisoner of distinction, as may be inferred from

286

NIMROUD.-PROCESSION OF CAPTIVES WITH SPOIL.

his flowing robes and the decorated fillet upon his head, above which are two square vases. The feet of this prisoner are bare, and his arms are tied behind him, the cord being held in the left hand of a gigantic soldier, who follows with his clenched right hand elevated, as if in the act of buffeting his prisoner. The costume of the soldier is the high conical cap, a tunic reaching midway down the leg, quiver slung at his back, and bow on his arm; above his head is a semi-circular vase of different form, with two handles. Then follows a eunuch, -excepting that he wears sandals, habited likes the first prisoner, whose chief minister he probably is. Above his head is also a vase. His arms are bound and secured to the two bare

Fig. 140.-PROCESSION OF CAPTIVES WITH SPOIL OR TRIBUTE. Size, 8 ft. by 7ft. 4in. footed, and evidently inferior, prisoners who follow in succession. These two wear short tunics and the fillet encircling the head. The cord which binds their arms and secures them to one another is held by another gigantic soldier, wearing the conical cap and short tunic, as in the former case; in the left hand he likewise holds his bow, the right being raised in the act of striking with the staff the captives before him. Some have considered that the vases and other implements above the heads of the people in this procession are intended to indicate the rank of each person; but to our view, they represent the spoil taken and brought with the prisoners, and laid down on the ground before the conqueror, as in the battle scenes are represented on the ground the dead bodies of the slain. "I give him charge to take the spoil, and to take the

prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets." We cannot leave this frieze without noticing especially the attitude of the principal prisoner who is brought before the conqueror. The position of this prisoner suggests a passage in 1 Samuel (c. xv., ver. 32), in which Agag is described as coming to Saul after the defeat of the Amalekites, "and Agag came unto him delicately."

The next subject, fig. 141, may be called the League or Treaty of Peace; for such is its probable import. The great king having pursued his enemies who fled like wild beasts, as indicated by the spear furnished with a fillet, into their strong places, has alighted from his chariot to ratify a treaty of peace

Fig. 141.-THE LEAGUE OR TREATY OF PEACE. Size, 3ft. by 7ft. 3 in.

with the Melek, or king, of the opposite party, particularly marked by his dress, but who, like the former, is attired in the richly embroidered upper garment, which is seemingly a royal vesture. Both kings are on foot; but the conqueror is distinguished by the implements of war which he still retains, while his adversary raises his right hand in the act of supplication. Moreover, the favourable conditions of the treaty are further intimated by the surrender of the prisoners-as expressed by the figure in the conical cap kissing the feet of his sovereign and deliverer. Immediately behind the great king stands his umbrella-bearer and a sceptre-bearer (see fig. 142). Then follows the royal groom in front of the horses; then one of the king's body-guard; and, last of all at his post, the charioteer.