The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-02-19

| represented (God, for instance, pictured as a
venerable old mani: and often their accesso-
ries of trees, shrubbery and flowers would
better indicate the stock in trade of some
dealer in garden vegetables than what they
are intended for. Possibly if all such were
gathered together, and with those which pre-
sent Jesus as an infant in the act of betrothal
to some buxOm woman, exhibited as curiosi-
ties OF an unenlightened age, it would be well
enough.
But suppose one needs to acquire taste
for this species of art, in order 10 relish it, as
he does for tomatoes, caviare and olives.
| Yours, &C., S. B. 3.
ROME, Jan. 2, 1870.
MEssRs. EDITORs,-There are other things
| besides statuary and paintings that demand
| ones attention in Rome. True
"The Goth the Christian, time, war; flood and ire
Have dealt upon the seven-hil ed city's PRIDE"
but they have spared mementoes of her an
| cient greatness calculated to live forever-and
| foremost OF all these in interest are the ruins
of the Coliseum. We paid them visit one
afternoon, when the breaking up of the clouds
gave indications of a pleasant evening.
just as we arrived the sun was going down
amidst splendors that reminded me of our
autumnal sunsets in Maine (than which the
world cannot produce iner), and we climbed
to the highest arch of the structure the better
to witness his farewell beams. Calmly, al
most imparceptibly, he withdrew his light, in
furn from and cfaonlo md
top, dra3ing gauzy mantle of vermiion
about him; whilst the deeper sky was adjust
with gold; and the glow of the pageant,
shooting along the heights beyond Trastevere
and the nearer slopes of the Palatine, came
IN full upon the crags of the old ruin, and
brought into bold relief the irregular sweep
of its upper walls. and large portion of the
shattered arches below, with all their depend
ing burdens of vegetation. Don't accuse me
of being carried away by Imagination, If I say
it was glorious! Among all of the beautiful
creations of the pictorial art in the city, one
might look in vain tor such developing and
beautiful lights and shadows.
Gradually these glowing tints paled before
the beams of the full moon that came looking
over the wall behind us. Then we descended
| and took seat at the foot of a rude cross in
the centre of the arena, and there remained,
watching the slow redemption of the huge
arches and buttresses on the opposite side
from the deep shade, until the whole pile was
revealed, and the arena, up to where we sat
was flooded with her silvery light. You may
imagine the effect!
And could it be possible that this area, now
so quiet and serene, had been the scene of so
| much bloody strife For history tells us that
for one hundred days after its completion, the
| fights between lions and tigers, slaves and bar
| barians, were kept up, in the presence of a
multitude which generally occupied the seats
to the number Of eighty five thousand, during
which 5000 wild beasts were slain but tits not
| so particular to detail the number of human
beings that were torn to pieces, or who fell by
each others weapons-or the thousands of
| Christians that thereafter suffered similar
| fate.
And gazed around on the wonderful rain
until Imagination began to restore it to its
original perlection-wingel the whole with
ripples of marble seats, and packed them all
with eager humanity-and on high replaced
the awnings to shield the great concourse
| from the sun, so that they might the more
comfortably sloat over the blood, and dust,
and sweat, and agony, and struggle exhibiting
| below-until shuddered at the picture, and
was disposed to thank God that the world
while it yet tolerates the atrocities of war, is
so far improved as not to permit the exhibit
tion of such scenes for pastime!
| As to the size of this enormous pile, one
gets but an inadequate idea of it, in details of
yards or feet. A fuller conception of its mag
nitude may be given, perhaps, in statement
of the fact that if Lincoln Square were in
creased in width to three times its present
measurement, and carriage room were allow
ed at either end, it would just suffice for its
accommodation; and if ten feet were added
pie, that structure would just represent its
| elevation!
| The ruins around the Roman Forum
abound with interesting "reminiscences. Here
| still stands the column erected to the tyrant
Phocas about the year Cos. Near by are the
remains of the Schola Xantha and the Colon
ade of the Twelve Gods, erected in 367 by
one Of the last champions of paganisin. And
adjacent are three fine columns of the temple
of Vespasian.
Other relics in this vicinity are: Eight
granite columns of the temple of Saturn; the
triumphal arch of Septimus Severus, almost
entire; the three beautiful marble columns
from the temple of Castor and Pollux, erected
in commemoration of victory over the Lat
ins at Lake Regillus, but in state of excel
lent preservation Notwithstanding the storms
and changes of the twenty-four centuries that
have elapsed in the meantime.
On the opposite side Of the forum are the
remains of the temple of Antonnius and Faus
tina, LARGE portion of which have been in
corporated into church.
Farther on towards the coliseum, the huge
arches of the Basilica of Constantine, claim
attention. Those old Roman magnates, II
would seem, had little regard for the works Of
each other; and embedded in the rough ma
sonry here, may be seen two or three i'm
mense marble capitals of beautiful workman
ship.
The Palatine Hill further illustrates tho in
difference Of the ancients to each other:
works. Here, where they could not demolish
they filled up to obtain new foundations; ant
the whole area is little else than mass of ru
ms, temples, palaces, and other fabrics, so in
terminsed that Notwithstanding the excava
tions that have been made, in many cases OF,
can scarcely separate them. Here, far below
the present surface, apartments beautifully
ornamented with fresco paintlrgs with cour
paved in mosaic, and a fountain, have beel
unearthed-allsim to the arrangements o
the dwellings in Pompeii. And more ele
waited plateau, according to notice poste
up, is the enclosure to which the tyrant Do
mitan used to "hee from himselt"-whos
marble walls were polished like mirrors, tn
better to notify him of the approach OF an
one who might seek to infict on him retribr
ton for his many atrocities.
Following the road hence towards the Ooi
, iseum. YOU first come to the Arch OF Illus
, erected in commemoration of his victory owe
the Jews. Farther on is the Triumphal Arc
, of Constantine, erected alter his victory ove
, Nraxentius. when he declared himself in fave
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