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Chap. VIII. ALLEGORIES AT ASSISI. 239 the aid of S. Francis and assume the vows of his order. One of the soldiers behind the Saint already holds the instrument of penitence in his hand, which is a whip of many tails. Further to the right, a novice stands naked in a font, and whilst an angel in robes imposes hands on his head and shoulder, another on the right pours over him the purifying water. Two angels with the dress of the order stand by, waiting till the ceremony of purification is over; whilst in rear of the whole group two figures symbolising purity and fortitude hold in readiness a banner and shield, and with them lean forward from the wall which surrounds the tower sacred to chastity. To the right of the scene of purification stands one of the flagellators, hiding the instru ment of punishment behind his back, and indicating that he awaits the novice, whilst another by his side and seen more in front, wields the instrument as if the flagellation had al ready taken place upon one to the right, winged, cowled, and bearded, who strong in purity and penitence and with the marks of the flail on his torn garment and back, lias already driven away and prostrated the unclean spirit in the shape of a winged boar, and strikes with a trident a naked winged female blindfolded and symbolical of lust. Her feet are as the talons of a bird, her form youthful, and her head crowned with roses. But from her shoulder hangs a quiver and a string of human hearts. Behind, the skele ton of death grasps the hand of a figure emblematic of im pure passions, and hurls him into the flames of the ever lasting abyss. The penitent is aided against his foes by three noble and youthful females with helmets, one of whom pricks lust with a lance, whilst another repels her with a vase, and the third with the cross and the remaining symbols of the passion. Behind these again, are three old lielmeted war riors holding lances. Chastity, a youthful female, in profile, stands in prayer in the upper part of the tower guarded by purity and fortitude. Two angels in air at the sides of the tower offer her a crown and a vase, out of which grows a palm. The tower itself, the symbol of the force of chastity stands in a quadrangular fortalice flanked with square tur rets crenelated triangularly after the Florentine fashion. A bell at the top indicates the necessity of vigilance. Under the name of obedience Giotto symbolized the rules of the order of S. Francis whose practise secures the ascent to heaven. On the right foreground he depicted an animal of three natures, part man, part horse, and part dog, ad vancing with a red cloak on his shoulder, and symbolizing