Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1866-08-03
yERONA.

Ihe scene or the present Italian struggle
Is classic ground. Long before Rome was
founded the country i'm which two armies
are now marching and fighting was inhabi-
ted by people considerably advanced IN
CIVILIZATION, and large cities were built,
which still exist Around these towns con-
tending armies have been marshalled and
every implement Of warfare has been tried,
from the rude sling to the needle gun, from
the batterng ram to the steel cannon. The
form OF civilization hes changed from time
to time, as the barbarian or the cultivated
races have conquered After the Roman
| legions were victorious, many Of the best
families OF Rome removed to Verona, and
here some of the renowned Latin authors
were born. In the Plaza del 3Sazr0qf are
placed the statutes Of che men whom Yer
ona claims as natiyes-a a long list going back
two thousand years.
Catullus-at first the enemy, afterwards
the friend ofC8sar- in his verses
the families of Verona. the original 4. F.
Ns-'::fos Feronelasiau fssrennDs Be
sides, CatuIlus, the historian Cornelius
Nepos, the poet Macer the friend of Ovid,
and the celebrated architect, Vitruviris,
were natives of Vernona. This favored
land between the Alps and the Pc, the old
Padus, gave to the Roman race It's two
greatest poets-the Veronian Catullus and
the Mantuan Virgil The grapes and wine
of Verona were greatly priced by Virgil !;
the Rhetian wine or the Veronian pan.
acea. Near to the battle-felds of Solferi-
no and Custozza Virgil had farm, which
in the Vicissitudes of war was taken from
him. Fortunately, he had friend at court
and il was restored to him, He sings of this
in his pastoral
Iityre, tppdtulae recubdas sub &egaaiae f1gt
,Silrestrea TENN nausdnl neeclstoris aceph
Beneath the shade which beechen boughs
diffuse
! on, Tityrus, entertain your sylvan muse
Round the wide world in banishment we roam
Force d from our pleasing fields and native
home
While stretched at ease you sing your happy
loves
And Amarillis fills the shady groves.
When Virgil favored by Augustus, had
secured his patrimony and endeayored to
take possession he was in danger OF being
slain by the centurion to whom it had been
given, and this trouble gave rise to his ninth
pastoral Lycidas sings
REST here thy weary limbs. the kids ydown;
We've day before us yet to reach the town
Morris, Virgifs bailif, replies
Cease to request me, let us mind our way
Another song requires another day
Catullus, pining in distant Asia for his
home at Sirmio, gives utterapce to his feel
ings in an ode, Ad SuntioReDl peniasuldD..
'SalYe, O Yenusta Sirmio, atque hero gaude. y
And what are called the lesser poets all
sang the glories of this land--until the Lat
in tongue was changed to Italian and
then we have Dante living here and
adding to the fame of the country. The
Florentine poet Berni, wrote
Eccelsd 9rdzlosd alma Verona
Terra aRttca, geetsl, Raadre e autrice,
Di SPIRIT, eli rirtu, di discipEiald.
Some claim for Livy birthplace on these
plains, and Pliny is known to have been
born at Como. Pliny always had an affec-
ton for Lake Como. At the time when the
noble Romans went to pass the hot weeks of
the summer on its banks he was often COM
PEELED by official duties to stay In town
There is a letter from him, written eighteen
hundred years ago, which reads with all the
freshness of letter of this day. 1t was
addressed to his friend Rufus Cannius, whose
family had house in Pompeii, and is worth
publishing as a model for modern letter-wri-
tiers. The date is not given, but we may
callit July 8, 100, seventeen hundred and
sixty-six years ago.
&c Pliailts Can6tio Rqgo sato, $. IStadcs?
an piscdris an rerdris an SfDlttt0nlaid?
Possugt eaina oBsnid iSiinlm -fsri od Ecsrii-
nm nost1afna, &c
My Dear Rufus What art thou doing
at Como? Dost thou study, hunt. or fish,
or all three together? For on our beloved
lake one can do all at once Her waters
afford fish, her wooded heights game and
the deep solitude of her nest quiet for study. !
But whatever thou dost, envy thee, from
my heart. ] cannot restrain the confession
that it makes my heart heavy to be depri-
for draught, for bath Or cooling spring.
Shall / ever be able to rend assunder these
closely con6ning bonds? All, fear never
For to old occupations new ones are added,
before can clear away the old and thus
link after strengthens the chain Of endless
labors, that hold me here enthralled Fare
well -