gate of Classis virgins issue, and proceed in a long line until they reach Madonna seated on a throne, with Christ upon her knees, and the three kings in adoration at her feet.  From Theodoric’s palace door a similar procession of saints and martyrs carry us to Christ surrounded by archangels.  Above this double row of saints and virgins stand the fathers and prophets of the Church, and highest underneath the roof are pictures from the life of our Lord.  It will be remembered in connection with these subjects that the women sat upon the left and the men upon the right side of the church.  Above the tribune, at the east end of the church, it was customary to represent the Creative Hand, or the monogram of the Saviour, or the head of Christ with the letters A and [Greek O].  Moses and Elijah frequently stand on either side to symbolise the transfiguration, while the saints and bishops specially connected with the church appeared upon a lower row.  Then on the side walls were depicted such subjects as Justinian and Theodora among their courtiers, or the grant of the privileges of the church to its first founder from imperial patrons, with symbols of the old Hebraic ritual—­Abel’s lamb, the sacrifice of Isaac, Melchisedec’s offering of bread and wine,—­which were regarded as the types of Christian ceremonies.  The baptistery was adorned with appropriate mosaics representing Christ’s baptism in Jordan.

Generally speaking, one is struck with the dignity of these designs, and especially with the combined majesty and sweetness of the face of Christ.  The sense for harmony of hue displayed in their composition is marvellous.  It would be curious to trace in detail the remnants of classical treatment which may be discerned—­Jordan, for instance, pours his water from an urn like a river-god crowned with sedge—­or to show what points of ecclesiastical tradition are established these ancient monuments.  We find Mariolatry already imminent, the names of the three kings, Kaspar, Melchior, and Balthazar, the four evangelists as we now recognise them, and many of the rites and vestments which Ritualists of all denominations regard with superstitious reverence.

There are two sepulchral monuments in Ravenna which cannot be passed over unnoticed.  The one is that of Theodoric the Goth, crowned by its semisphere of solid stone, a mighty tomb, well worthy of the conqueror and king.  It stands in a green field, surrounded by acacias, where the nightingales sing ceaselessly in May.  The mason bees have covered it, and the water has invaded its sepulchral vaults.  In spite of many trials, it seems that human art is unable to pump out the pond and clear the frogs and efts from the chamber where the great Goth was laid by Amalasuntha.