■VSi#*%P^
Persian Lion.
"Naturalists are disposed to consider the lion as a genus, consisting of some three or four species. Two of these are found in Asia, the one called, from the scanti- ness of its mane, the maneless lion (Leo Goozeratensis), found only in Western India, and the other furnished with that appendage in its ordmary profusion {L.Asiai- icus), -which, is spread over Bengal, Persia, the Euphrate- an Valley, and some parts of Arabia. This is smaller, and more slightly built than the African lions, with a fur of a lighter yellow. It is doubtfiU, however, wheth- er it is really more than a variety" (Fairbairn).
"The lion of Palestine was in all probability the Asiatic variety, described by Aristotle {H. A. ix, 44) and Pliny (viii, 18) as distinguished by its short curly mane, and by being shorter and rounder in shape, like the scidptured lion found at Arban (Layard, A7«ciY A and
Lion at Arbau.
Bahtjlon, p. 278), It was less daring than the longer- maned species, but when driven by hmiger it not only ventured to attack the flocks in the desert in presence of the shepherd (Isa. xxxi, 4 ; 1 Sam. xvii, 84), but laid vaste towns and villages (2 Kings xvii, 25, 26 ; Prov, xxii, 13 ; xxvi, 13), and devoured men (1 Kings xiii, 24 ; XX, 36 ; 2 Kings xvii, 25 ; Ezek. xix, 3, 6). The shep- herds sometimes ventured to encounter the lion single- handed (1 Sam. xvii, 34), and the vivid figure employed by Amos (iii, 12), the herdsman of Tekoa, was but the transcript of a scene which he must have often wit- nessed. At other times they pursued the animal in large bands, raising loud shouts to intimidate him (Isa. xxxi, 4) and drive him into the net or pit they had pre- pared to catch him (Ezek. xix, 4, 8). This method of capturing wild beasts is described by Xenophon {De Ven. xi, 4) and by Shaw, who says, ' The Arabs dig a pit where they are observed to enter, and, covering it over lightly with reeds or small branches of trees, they fre- quently decoy and catch them' {Travels,2i\ ed. p. 172). Benaiah, one of David's heroic body-guard, had distin- guished himself by slaying a lion in his den (2 Sam. xxiii, 20). The kings of Persia had a menagerie of lions (35, guh, Dan. vi, 7, etc.). When captured alive they were put in a cage (Ezek. xix, 9), but it does not appear that they were tamed. In the hunting scenes at
Lion-huntins— Lion being let out of a Cage. ^Fn)m the bas-relief of Sardanapahia III, British Museum.)
LION
448
LION^
Beni-Hassan tame lions are represented as used in hunt- iiiy (Wilkinson, A nc. E'jypi. iii, 17). On the bas-reliefs
Ilanting with a Liou, which has beized an Ibex.
at Kouyunjik a lion led by a chain is among the pres- ents brought by tlie conquered to their victors (Layard, Nineveh and Bahi/lon, p. 138)" (Smith). Wilkinson says : " The worship of the lion was particularly regarded in the city of Leontopolis, and other cities adored this an- imal as the emblem of more than one deity." It was the svmbiil of strength, and therefore typical of the Egyp- tian Hercules (Wilkinson, A nc. E</i/pt. v, 169). In Baby- lon it appears to have been the custom to throw offend- ers to be devoured by lions kept in dens for that pur- pose (Dan. vi, 7-28). This is thought to be contirmed by the evidence of several ancient monuments, brought to light by the researches of recent travellers, on the sites of Babylon and Susa, which represent lions destroy- ing and preying upon human beings. See Den. The
Supposed repiesentatiou of a Lion devouring a Man. (From the Babylonian Remains.)
Assyrian monuments abound in illustrations of lion- hunting, which appears to have been a favorite pastime, especially with royalty (Layard, Xineveh, i, 120). See Hunting.
" The terrible roar of the lion is expressed in Hebrew Iiy four different words, between which the following dis- tinction appears to be maintained: '^'i<0,shdag' (Judg. xiv, 5 ; Psa. xxii, 13 ; civ, 21 ; Amos iii, 4), also used of the thunder (Job xxxvii, 4), denotes the roar of the lion while seeking his prey; 0^3, ndham' (Isa. v, 29), ex- presses the cry which he utters when he seizes his vic- tim ; riyn, liatjah' (Isa. xxxi, 4), the growl with which he defies any attempt to snatch the prey from his teeth ; while ^"D, na'ar' (Jer. li, 38), which in Sj'riac is applied to the braying of the ass and camel, is descriptive of the crj' of the young lions. If this distinction be correct, the meaning attached to ndham will give force to Prov. xix, 12. The terms which describe the movements of the animal arc equally distinct: 'TS"!, i-ubats' (Gen. xlix, 9 ; Ezek. xix, 2), is applied to the crouching of the lion, as well as of any wild beast, in his lair; riH'^, shdchuh', S'^J^, ydshah' (Job xxxviii, 40), and ^^X, drah' (Psa. x, 9), to his lying in wait in his den, the two former denot- ing the position of the animal, and the latter the secrecy of the act; i^^^, rdnias' (Psa, civ, 20), is used of the stealthy creeping of the lion after his prey; and pSt^ zinnvk' (Deut, xxxiii, 22\ of the leap with which he hurls himself upon it" (Smith). "The Scriptures pre- sent many striking jiictures of lions, touched with won- derful force and fiilelity ; even where the animal is a di- rect instrument of the ^Vlmightv, while true to his mis-