Again, the secret mischief done by slanderers is compared to the wound of an arrow ('whose t«etn are spenrs and arrows, and their tongue a ■harp sword,' Ps 57*). Children begotten in their father's youth are likened to arrows (Ps 127'). Arrows are also a symbol of that which is care- fully guarded and highly valued ; thus, Israel itself is God's polished aiTow, ' ho hath made me a
polished shaft, in his quiver hath ho kept me close' (Is 49^ RV). W. E. Barnes.
ARROWSNAKE (Is 34" RV for AV 'great owl ').
— See Serpent.
ARSACES {'A.p<rdKrit, connected possibly with the Armen. Arschag) was a Scythian (Strabo, xi. 515) from the banks of the Ocnus, who founded the Parthian empire and the dynasty of the Arsacidse (Justin, xli. 5 ; Strabo, xv. 702). The sixth king of the name (known also as Mithridates I.) subdued Persia and Media, and when opposed by Demetrius Nikator, who thought the people would rise in his favour and afterwards assist him against Tryphon, deceived him by a pretence of negotiations, and in B.C. 138 took him prisoner (1 jfac 14'"'; Justin, XXX vi. 1). Demetrius received in marriage Rhodo- gune, daughter of A. (App. Syr. 67), but died during his captivity (Jos. Ant. XIII. v. 11 ; Justin, xli. 6 ; Oros. v. 4). In 1 Mac 15^ A. is mentioned among the kings to whom was sent an edict (Jos. Ant. XIV. viii. 5) from Rome forbidding the per- secution of the Jews ; but there is a lack of con- firmatory evidence of this, though the incident would, notwithstanding the independence of Parthia, accord with the practice of Rome.
R. W. Moss.
ARSIPHURITH (B 'Kpauipovpeie, A 'Apo-i^p^AV Azephurith), 1 Es 5". — 112 of his sons returned with Zerubbal)el (B omits the number). The corresponding name in Ezr 2" ia Jorah (.tj'i', B Ovpi, A 'loipi) ; and in Neh 7" Hariph (Tlij. P 'Apei<f>, A 'Apel/i). It has been conjectured that the name in 1 Es is due to a mistaken combination of the two forms in Ezr and Neh, the c in the second syUable being due to confusion between c and e. H. St. J. Thackeray.
ART. — The Hebrews, like many other nations, did noi t Jtcel equally in all branches of art. In litera- ture and poetry they have shown great ability in all ages down to the present time. In music they were apparently quite the equal of their neigh- bours, judging from the variety of instruments named and the frequent references to singing and playing, and in modern times they fully sustain this character. But, on the contrary, in mechanical arts, in form and design, and in representations, they showed an inability amounting to positive aversion. That this aversion was not on religious grounds alone is evident on seeing that, when sculptured figures were made for the temple, the chief^ artist in metal was a Tyrian half-breed, and there was not among the Jews ' any that can skill to hew timber like the Sidonians' (1 K 5*). Probably the aversion and the prohibition to imitate natural forms acted and reacted on each other, so that all ability was lost. We find in earlier times that, on the contrary, artistic work is attributed entirely to Hebrews shortly after the Exodus, when the Egyn. training and skill would be still possessed (Ex 35**).
There does not appear to be much that can be distinctively marked as Jewish or Palestinian in the motives of design ; many of the elements that we can trace in the scanty remains showing Egyp. or Bab. origin. What original style Pal. posscsscil amonfj the Amorites was mostly <lestroyed by *.\w Ilcb. invasion. This can be traced best in tin' pottery, as, though simi)le in forms and material, it IS the most continuous series that we aave. The Amorito .shows jjood and original forms of a pure style ; the Phfcnician is entirely difTerent, but also well shaped and original ; but the Jewish pottery has no original motives, and is merely a degra- dation of the Amorit«, running down into complete ugliness and baseness (see PoTTEKY). In architec- tural forms there appears to be little that is distinct from Egj'p. sources. The details have
158
ART
ARTAXERXES
been noticed under Ap.chitecture ; but the general impression is that a plain and simple masonry with some locaj features was overlaid by foreign designs. The motive of a row of bucklers liiin^iing over a parapet is suggested in the nioditi- cation of Gr. metopes and triglyphs on the so-called ' Tomb of Absalom ' ; and it appears to be an early
I • I. ~
r
o
JEWISH DECOltATION, DERODIAH 'TOMB OP ABSALOM.*
feature, as Solomon made two hundred targets and three hundred sliields of beaten gold for the house of the forest of Lebanon. The shields were used by the guard (1 K 14'-^), but the targets may have been decorative. The tapering form of the ^Ioabite Stone is rather akin to Assyr. than Eg;yp. types. And the horns upon the pillars (Ionic volutes) belong to the same source.
lu surface decoration some late examples seem to reflect a national style, as we do not know of any external source for them. The graceful design of plant forms decoratively treated over the door of the so-called tombs of the Judges (perhaps Maccabsean), the later and more classical foliage work of the so-called tombs of the kings (Herodian), and the great golden vine which Herod placed over the front of the temple, point to a treatment of surfaces which is most nearly akin to some Egyp. work that is probably of Slesopotamian motive. In the plant decoration of the columns, etc. of Akhenaten's palace at Tel el-Amarna there is the same flowing style of foliage covering the surfaces, and the motive of this may well have come from northen. Syria or Mesopotamia, like other influ- ence:^ of that reign. In the absence of any details about early Syrian art, it seems that we may per- haps see in this one of its features, which lasted until the Greek period. That surface decoration was a main feature of the richer Jewish work is sho^vn by the details of the temple : ' He carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubim, and palm trees, and openings of flowers, within and without' (1 K 0^), and the doors were likewise decorated (w.'--"). On the bronze bases of the lavers were ' lions, oxen, and cherubim ' (1 K 7^), and 'cherubim, lions, and palm trees' (v.**). This frequent decoration with palm trees is singularly un-Egyp., and points to a Mesopo- tamian influence, as palm trees and winged genii are very characteristic of that style.