New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-02-09
An Ancient ParafttI for fhe late y,s..ss.,.
nj LAffrturc.l

/
Mt Lawrence
The Lowell journal, in sllnsiag to the hate asaa-
YET a. lawrence, refers to q assnilar catastronhe
near Rome, ard says
Tacitus, the historian, from whosg syorys ts,sz
count y aaken was born nineteen yesrs afser iii.
death Of " ne Emperor Mberins. Coming 81 tIse
sage u We so early after The event asa sasosia-
TED, az ne n1Ist have done, with those Win WIN
messed the calamity, biz account Is the more rea
Bile. Tacftns, Ann. book j, p. 1876, see. 52s
! sudden calamity occurred in the consuIsIgas 81
Marcus Iicinius and Lucus CaIpurais,s sgSseil
equaled the havoc Of the most destructive w5ssss
its beginning and ending were simultaneous. One
AtiIius had undertaken TO erect an Amuhitheates
at Fidena, there to exhibit combat of gadiators
He was of the race offfeedmen, and as he engaged
in the business from no exnberance Of wealth. nor
to acquire popularity among the fnhabitanta but
as matter Of sordid gain he neither put # upon
solid foundations, nor employed braces to strength
en- the wooden fabric which formed the superstruct-
nre.
Thther fiocEed from Rome persons Of every sex
and age, eager fUT such shows as during the reign
Of Tiberfas they we're debarrea from diversions at
home, and IN greater crowds from the nearness Of
the place. Hence the calamity was the more dis
astrons, for the theaser being crowded 70 az to
form denss. mass aHd then rent ssHBder. some
portions tumsling inv aFds, others SalgIng toward
the outer part. a countless number Of human be-
ngs, either intent upon the spectacle OF standing
near around the place, were either bosne headIong
to the ground or buried under the ruins. Those
crash escaped. az sgr possible in suca DISASTER
the misery of torura much sore to be pitied we're
those who, with portions of their body torn away
were not yet forsaksn of life those sgis8 bV esar
Beheld their wives ard childre and Div night dis
tinguished them BY tseir groars and cries Ana
now others, summoned to- the spot BIZ the sad
tdgs bewaiIed one his brother another his aiHis-
man. and a third his parents Eren they whose
friends or kindred wercabsent On different ae-
count we're yet terrified for, as il was not dis
tnetiy known who had foflen in the calamity, the
alarm spread wider from the uncertainty.
When the ruins began to be removed tfiefr
crowded around the dead embracing them and
kissing them; and frequently there arose contest
about their identity, where distortion of the fea
lures, personal resemblance or similarity of age
had created liability to error in those who claimed
them Twenty thousand persons, according to-
Suetenias, and fifty thousand, according To Taeitns,
We're crushed to death or MANNED by this sad dis
aster- II was, therefore, for the future provided
by q decree Of the Senate, that no man tsater
the qualification Of four hundred thousand SEES
terces. should exhibit the spectacle or the gladia-
tors: and no amphitheater should be founded but
upon ground of proved sodity.'' AtiIius was pun
ished with exile. However. Immediately upon this
destructive calamity, the doors of the great city
were thrown open: medicines and physicians were
furnished to ALL and at that juncture the city.
though under an aspect Of sorrow, presented an
image Of the public spirit Of the ancient Romans
who. after great battles, relieved and sustained
the wounded by their Hberality and attentions.