There is nothing decadent or seriously wrong with the drawing of the steeds delineated in Figs. 271 and 272, although the "what-not" proceeding from the mouth of the Geho is somewhat perplexing. This is seemingly a ribbon or a chain, and like the perfect chain surrounding our SOLIDO coins, and the chain which will be noted upon the Trojan spindle whorl illustrated on page 583, was probably intended to portray what the ancients termed Jupiter's Chain: "All things," says Marcus Aurelius, "are connected together by a sacred chain, and there is not one link in it which is not allied with the whole chain, for all things have been so blended together as to form a perfect whole, on which the symmetry of the universe depends. There is but one world, and it comprehends everything; one God endued with ubiquity; one eternal matter; and one law, which is the Reason common to all intelligent creatures." [Illustration: FIGS. 274 to 276.--British. From Evans, and from Barthelemy.] A chain of pearls is proceeding from the mouth of the little figure which appears on some of the Channel Island coins, _vide_ the DRUCCA example herewith: students of fairy-tale are familiar with the story of a Maid out of whose mouth, whenso'er she opened it fell jewels, and that this fairy Maid was Reason is implied by the present day compliment in the East, "Allah! you are a wise man, you spit pearls." The DRUCCA coin is officially described as a "female figure standing to the left, her right hand holding a serpent (?)" and it is quite likely that the serpent or symbol of Wisdom was intended by the artist. There is no question about the serpents in the Tyrian coin here illustrated, where on either side of the Maiden they are represented with almost precisely the same [SS] form as the [SS] proceeding from the mouths of the two steeds on the British "altar". In the latter case the centre is a vase or demijohn, in the former the centre is a Maid or Virgin. Without a doubt this BER virgin is Beroë or Berith, the _pherepolis_ of Beyrout: in Fig. 278 the two serpents are associated with a phare, fire, or pyre; from the mouth of the British "Jupiters," illustrated in Figs. 274 and 275, the same two serpentine flames or S's are emerging. The word BER, as has been seen, is equivalent to Vir, and in all probability the word _virgin_ originally carried the same meaning as _burgeon_. That old Lydgate, the monk of _Bery_, knew all about Vera and how she made the buds to burgeon is obvious from his lines:-- Mightie Flora Goddesse of fresh flowers Which clothed hath the soyle in lustie greene, Made buds spring with her sweet showers By influence of the sunne-shine To doe pleasaunce of intent full cleane, Unto the States which now sit here Hath _Vere_ down sent her own daughter deare. [Illustration: FIGS. 277 and 278.--From _Ancient Pagan and Modern Christian Symbolism_ (Inman, C. W.).]