Extirpation of the Plagues of Egypt; Destruction of Revolutionary Crocodiles c. 1798

This satirical print by James Gillray depicts Horatio Nelson as a heroic figure, eradicating ‘revolutionary crocodiles’ from the mouth of the Nile. Here, Nelson is metaphorically cleansing Egypt of the 'plagues' of revolution, armed with a club labeled 'British Oak'. The crocodile, an ancient Egyptian symbol of power and destruction, is here reimagined as a symbol of revolutionary chaos. We see echoes of ancient myths where gods battled monstrous creatures to establish order. Think of St. George slaying the dragon, a tale resonating through centuries. The re-emergence of ancient symbols in new contexts illustrates a continuous dialogue between past and present. The crocodile's transformation from a sacred symbol of the Nile to a representation of revolutionary turmoil, is a potent example of how cultural memory shapes our understanding. This interplay reveals the cyclical nature of history, where symbols are continually re-interpreted and imbued with new meaning, reflecting society's ever-changing concerns and anxieties.