The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-11-21

generally bat one story high, the ancient
style, and the streets are very narrow. On
your right is the mansion Of Diomede, as it
is called, and you go through its different
npartm ents, the Romsn names OF which ]
will not mention, and see Whist was the home
Of patriciah Of the empire. You go into
the garden. at whose gate the skeleton OF
Domede himself was found, attempting 80
escape, us is supposed, when the sudden ruin
came, and down into the cellar, where wine
jars still stand, end see the marks against
the wall made by the bodies of Diomede's
wife and children, who there found thsir
graves.
You pass up the street. beholdipg tombs
iG neOr neighborhood to houses, and some OF
them you enter. Here you Ses bakery, as
indicated by its oven and its other apparatus
for preparing brsnd,-thers is an oil store,
as shown by its jirs standing around, ,-snd
yonder Is barber's sh9p, where, as at the
present Day, men had their heads an faces
shaved, in subserviency to the wondrous
power OF custom and habit. Wine shops,
too, are easily dstinguishable, where men
were accustomed "to tnrry long" then, as
row. Some Of the houses were on much
erGnder scale than others, showing the rank
or wealth of their owners. In the floors o.
some of them you see beautiful mossics on
the walls of the din;ng.room fne paintings
of obsters, fish, fowls, and viands, strongly
inimating the epicuean propensities Of
their lordly possessor and in the sleeping
apartments, which were generally very
small, pictures that were deemed oppropri.
ate 10 them. The bath appeared 10 BE- some.
times in room by itself, and sometimes in
the court, but facilities for enjoying the luz.
ury OF wuter, on rising, were not found in
the chambers. Occasionally ia seen still
standing piece of statuary, or some other
ornamental work but such thing, have
been generally removed to the Museum in
Naples, for exhibition. Some public bltha
are shown, which, from their structure, ore
very curious. Arrangements appear in them
for erj ying warm bath, and for vigorous
eymnastic exercise in connection with it.
There ere remains o what must have been
some fine old temples, whose sltars and par
aphcrnslia of sacrifice arc still! remaining.
A A"forum' is found there as we'll as ., Rome,
whore the people were in tie habit of inset.
ing for the transactions Of public business,
! and listening to the elequence of their ora
tors. GA one side Of the city. and from sp.
pearance should judge not to have been 90
completely covered by the ashes as the rea',
was spacious ampitheatre, where the pso.
pie could find the entertainment which all
Romans loved too we'll. This building,
with its cruel sports, seemed to be Roman
institution, as remains of them are found in
connection with all larger Roman towns -
Theatres for tragedy and comedy are seen,
and Hall Of Justice, with its prisons where
criminals were kept, and from which they
were brought to receive their sentence.
The number of buildings is large. the
streets generally run at right angles, and
thus on appearance of great regularity is
presented. All of the structures are roof.
less, inasmuch as the roofs, being OF wood,
were consumed by the hot cnders and ashes
which fell upon them. Al the streets are
paved, and ore Of course kept very clesn,
being trodden only by the feet OF visitors.
But 40 one wsnders through these narrow
ways, and thinks Of what they were OF the
thousands who once thronged them, and
made many busy ard exciting scene in
them,-of the strife and conflict OF human
pnssons the pulsations of hope and the
paroxysms Of despair, the glow of success
and the doom OF disappointment, the pcmp
OF pride of power, and the modification 0!
disgrace, which they have witnessed in past
nges, in contrast with the silence and soli-
tude that now reign there, impressively deep
and dreadful, he lie conscious OF emotions
different In kind, probably, from any thst
ever before eprang up within him. Here is
a city OF the past, Time seems 10 be ami.
hilsted. He is ready to ask where all the
the people have gone. Are they o t the am
phiihsatre, where ccmpany Of ChriSiians
orc 10 be given. TO tho wild beasts! Are
old and youDa Etem the grandS:re to the
Graded infant, freed men ard slaves, nre
they nll gone tewitncss sodSe entertainment,
so attractive sRios.canse q compI te deser
ton Of housess hops. temples and market
places Hark! can we not hear the deeI
shout OF the multitude, as it comes from tht
distance through the clear air ? We listen
but in vain. Every voice il silent, as vel
as every place deserted. They who once
thronged these streets are gone mover to re
turn. tWenderfully, mystsriously. but fol
some wise purpose, their homes, their fire
eides, are discovered to US just as when they
left them; but the occupants of those homes
themselves are not to be found there !! The
tool of the mechanic, the furniture that wa:
used in the domestic circle, the elaborate
work OF art that grsced luxurious homes -
a Thousand things that were employed. fol
purposes OF utility, beauty and pleasure are
still fouud; but the hands that uaed them
and the eyes that gOzed upsn them. and the
hearts tha. swNlled with pride at the posses
sion of them, have all passed away | Ever
base material seems to have had longe
lease of existence than they who had th
shaping Of It to their wants and purposes. =