ere interwoven with the
ancient classical forms, mixed up with the old symbolisms partially
altered to suit their new service of Christian art. Of course such
changes were inevitable, while the old motives were being translated
to the new uses.

The corselet of Amasis (the Egyptian corselet, p. 20, _ante_) closely
resembles the Jewish ephod, which probably was borrowed from
Egypt.[487]

In Rock's "Church of Our Fathers," vol. i. p. 409, we find mention of
the consular trabea, profusely worked in gold, as being the origin of
the cope.

[Illustration: Pl. 51.
St. Mark. Anglo-Saxon Book of the Four Gospels in the Cathedral
Library at York.]

It has been suggested and disputed that the stole was an adaptation of
the latus clavus; indeed, if we compare the examples given by
Bock[488] we can hardly doubt that the consular trabea and the latus
clavus either served as the models for the Christian Bishop's dress,
or were derived from the same traditional sources. Such is the
intimate chain of design from century to century, from age to age;
from Egypt to the Holy Land, and thence to Rome.

Bock gives his authorities for saying that the clavus was sometimes an
applied border, sometimes a loose stripe hanging down in front, as may
be seen in two consular diptychs given in plate 70. Much has been
written on this latus clavus, its origin and meaning, and I shall
return to it in reference to the chrysoclavus pattern, p. 337, _post_,
and I refer the reader, who may wish to enter more fully into the
questions raised by conflicting opinions regarding the clavus, to
Marquardt's "Handbuch Roem. Alterthuemer," vii. p. 2, pp. 528-533, where
great learning and ingenuity have been expended, without arriving at
any satisfactory conclusions.[489]

This keeping to the old lines and outward appearance as much as
possible was mainly due to a regard for safety during the
persecutions, and also to the Christian spirit of adoption and
conversion, rather than that of antagonism, which influenced all their
early manifestations.

This unchanging character of art was also partly owing to the absolute
sterility of the ashes of Roman Imperialism.

It is true that through the Dark Ages individual genius occasionally
flashed and left a mark here and there; but such phenomena are so
rare, that when they occur we hesitate before we assign them to that
age.

The Anglo-Saxon art of illumination shows these inspired moments; I
would p