The middle of the pediment, to the left of the bluebeard monster, is occupied by a hermaphrodite lion savaging a bull. The lion/lioness was once assisted by another animal on the left, but it seems to have no difficulty crumpling the terrified, bellowing bull. The lion has the right claws and musculature but it also has both a mane and teats. Some scholars have explained this bizarre combination of male and female characteristics to the artist’s ignorance of the animal. It is also possible that the sculptor wished to create a fantastic beast that would be even more ferocious and terrifying exactly because it seemed so unnatural. Finally, it may be a fine example of the adoption of Near Eastern mythology, where the bull brought down by lions is a potent symbol of the struggle between the forces of life and death.