Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 11.djvu/58

42 great lawgiver still extends his hand towards this means of salvation for the Israelites, Aaron turning round appears to be addressing them reproachfully for having previously been so faithless towards God, so disloyal towards their divinely appointed leader. The fish are delineated, I imagine, simply to denote that the wavy lines around them are meant to indicate the sea, after an ancient Assyrian and Egyptian custom; although M. Tarbé finds a further reason for their appearance here, when, speaking of this subject, quaintly observing: "On voit Moise fendre la mer, les poissons sont surpris de ce qui arrive!"

No. 4 portrays Nebuchadnezzar, clothed in ample flowing robes, and with a peculiar kind of cap on his head, whilst before him stand Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This scene is laid when the threat of the burning fiery furnace had