Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-04-10
Discovery nt ROme-A singniar

Interesting Discovery nc ROme-A Singular
-El I2elio Erhamed. ff F1 Fs-
Hon. Lewis Cass, Jr., late Charge d'Affairs at
Rome, writes to the Rev DR.. Duf6eld, Of De
troit, under date of Milan, Feb. IA, au account
Of the discovery at Rome Of aninteresting relic.
He SAYS:
In the progress Of the excavations on the Pa
latine, where stood the House Of Gold of the
Caesars, fragment of an arch, covered with
Inscriptions and delineations, was brought to
view. Further explorations in the same dirsc
ton resulted IN the exposure ofa room, on the
walls Of which was found a sketch, cut or en-
grsyed with sharp pointed instrument, of q
cEuciix, with the figure Of man in the attitude
Of prayer, standing near it. The announcement
of this discovery created great interest. By
order Of the Pope, the design was removed
from its position, happily without injury, and
cOnided to the charge Of MonsignOr Maceni,
who invited me to inspect it, and by whose per
mission procured a copy to be made, which is
herewith inclosed. II is needless TO say that
this event las elected elaborate speculations.
In addition to various treatises, which have
appeared in different languages in ezpla alton
OF the subject, it has provoked numerous con-
troversies between certain Protestant Divines
in Germany and prelates OF the Roman Catho-
lie Church; these conflicting views. s.cqre esEsssith
scarcely an exception in the CoHclusidn, that
the ann Of the sketch was to cast Tidicule on the
worship of the Christians Il presents the
outlines of Gross, on which is human figure
bearing the head of an ass A tunic envelopes
the waist, and the arms and legs are partially
covered with bandages. To the left, with one
hand raised in the posture Of alteration, as
depicted on ancient monuments, appears the
form of mar, while below is seen the following
inscription: alexander adores God" Thee
cution of the engraving, as you will perceive
from the fac-simile, of which the scale is one
fourth smaller than that Of the original, indi>
Gates an entire ignorance Of art, being stiff and
hard, without ease or grace whatever. Salts
factory evidence refers The date Oft to the reign
of Septimus Seyerps, There were numerous
Christians in his Court one Of whom, it is sup
p0sel, of the name of Alexander, was thus ex-
posei to ridicule BY his Pagan associate or
cempaniOn.
It is unnecessary to recall the existence ofthe
legend, current throughout The Roman domin-
ions, in the days of the empire, that the Chris
tians worshiped divinity whose head differed
in no respect from that OF an ass In Africa,
then filled with rich and splendid cities, this
was the popular belief It was ineulcated in
the Magian schools of Asia, from the sands of
Paltia to the Ptidan forests, and leveled at tie
converts to the strange faith in the streets OF
Narheordea, Amida and Mardin- -on-the-nilI.
The latter GnOstics in particular, more espeeial-
ly the seots Bardesanes, ommilted no occasion
to disseminate this calumny, accompanied with
every epithet of contempt and detestatiOn. 1t
is allCded TO in the pages Of the contemporary
fathers, by whom it was repelled with vehement
and irrepressible indignation. The origin Of
IL 4
can be little doTbt however, that it had its
foundation in the hatred with which the dis
oiples of the pure and spiritual doctrines were
invariably regarded by the idolatrOus nations
among whom they lived. But whatever the
source, the first mention of this calumny occurs
IN the records relating to the period intervening
between the years one hundred twenty and two
hundred fifty Of our era, subsequent to which
epoch all trace oft disappears. Precisely dur>
ing the same period the room in which the
design was found was constructed. = A
The palace of the CesaIs on the Palatine, was
the growth Of successive Teigns. That part of
it which embraces the chamberin questi n, was
built by Hadrian, as the bricks, of which it Is
chiefly composed attest They IRE impressed
with the names and titles of the Consuls Pac>
tiRus and Apronicanus This scoincidence-the
prevalence of the legend in the years already
mentioned, and during that period only, and the
erection within the same time of the wall on
which the drawing is traced-establishes salts
factorily, the purpose of the sketch, as well as
the date of the execution. Still more conclu-
sive perhaps, is the mannsr in which The figure
upon the cross is presented to view. 1t is de-
lineated with draTery, while twas the invsria>
bic practice in executions Of this nature, mode
Of punishment very common among the Romans,
to expose the victim OF criminal in a state Of
nakedness. This discrepancy finds its sole
warrant in the tradition that our Lord was put
to death with garment about his lOins, and
its admission in work emanatinR from ths
hands of a Pagan whom we cannot suppose to
have been influenced by any sentiments of awe
or respect, and whose experience would never
have suggested such departure from the uniS
form custom, indicates clearly caricature, of
which the first requisite is conformity to its
protOtyps Finally, the words alexander
adores God" admit OF no other Interpretation;
nothing in history. legendary or monumental,
tending to theidea that the sympoI Of crufx>
ed bring was ever regarded as an object ofven>
Grafton by any other seet than the followers of
Christianity. ~