Rumored to have been created by Italian stone carvers because of their Roman style, lions guard the right and left sides of the main entrance to Woods Memorial Hall. The stance of the lions -- known as an "attitude" in heraldry -- is "passant" and references the Lion of England. The Lawrenceville School was reformed in the 19th century and drew inspiration from English public schools such as Eton College, Harrow School, and Rugby School. In addition to geographic references, the lion connotes both the Christian virtue of courage and of vice, pride. The Christian Evangelist Saint Mark is also represented as a lion. Yet, the animal has mythological symbolism too. The Greeks associated the lion with Hercules (the Nemean lion) and Socrates who described the selfish, bestial part of the human psyche as the "lion."
