Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-11-20

capable of holding SO, 900 people was re-
| ouired. Whist scene of noise and
hustle must have been presented between
the scenes or fights, when the people were
talking and enjoying the restaurants.
But now within these walls all is quiet.
The raven builds his nest where man once
| sported. Across stands where bloody
scenes were once enacted, where gladis-
tors fought, are to be seen chapels and
crucifixes. What cruel beasts the Ro-
mans must have been. v hen one sees
THIS mighty structure, and reflects upon
the purpose for what it was built, and the
scenes enacted in it, much Of the glory
which hangs about the Roman character
fades away, and a picture of cruelty and
heartlessness takes its place. As speci
men of archit acture it is grand and i'm
pressive. a celebrated American Minis
ter relates, without shame, that he passed
the Colosseum without paying particular
attention to it. Where his eyes and good
sense were it is hard to tell. Near these
ruins is an arch built or rather moved to
| its present place by Constantine.
Some of these arches are seen
| in different parts of the city. At Paris,
one would think that the Emperor was
original in his decorations of that city,
but when Rome is visited it is found that
| the great works of the French capital are
but repetitions of structures as old as
Paris. Next TO the great theater in ruin
are the Baths Of Titus. If these were
occupied by as many people all the time
as they could accommodate, there was no
reason why ancient Rome was not al
ways in clean dress, and faces well
washed. Many of the water-pipes and
accommodations are still to be seen. POr-
lions of the wall of the city, built when
the world was young, are still standing.
Could they not tell a story of the pomp
and glory of war if they hsd tongues
In the Forum of Trajan is large col
umn on which is carved representations
of conquest and spoils. But of all the
ruins, none are so interesting as the Fo-
rum Romanum. There you stand where
originated most of Rome's glory and
downfall. Above is the Capitol, with all
of its associations; near, the palace of
the Caesars, the spot where great
Caesar fell; where the Senate sat
where Cicero spoke, where conquerors tri-
umphed, where the fate of nations was
settled. Around no other spot on the
globe does so much of profane history
enter. Sheep and cattle feed where the
Senate house stood, and only a few
of the columns CT the grand old temples
remain. How queer to stand in the door
way of the temple in which hCnors were
once paid to Romulus. The beauty of
their remains fall short of that seen at
at Baalbek, but more interest is felt be-
cause more is known of them. Here one
is not left to conjecture, but history clears
up the mysteries and presents before us
living men with all the deeds that make
them shine in the galaxy of natures noble
men or sink into the depths of scorn.
How different it is to walk amidst the
sign posts of history aud that be able to
enter into the spirit of great events, from
reading of the same thousands of miles
from the spot where they occurred.
Close at hand, down deep in the ground
is the prison where st. Peter
and Paul were confined. The former was
good enough to leave the print of his
face IN the stone wall, if Catholics are to
be believed. La the same prison is the
spring which Peter impr0vised to obtain
water for the baptism of his converts.
The spring still contains supply of wa
ter. Over this prison church now stands.
To the Bible reader, no spot around Rome
is more interesting than the Via Appia.
The old road has been eXcaYated and
stands now as it did when trod by Paul.
This read runs through the Campagns, and
is lined on both sides with lovely scenery.
All along the way are thousands of tOmbs,
many of which bear names famous in
history, such as the Scipios and Caesars.
The sarcophagus of the great Scipio has
been recently discovered, and is to be seen
in the Vatican. This road proves that the
Romans knew the value of firm bottom.
How pleasant was it to stand on this
famous way as the sinking sun cast his
DETECTING rays on the neighboring noun
tains, and think of the events which once
transpired therei Here, as at Athens,
time lad gone back, and the tread of the
barbarian horse could be heard; the
Roman eagle was again borne alett, and the
shouts of victorious armies rang in the
skies. Only an arch of the bridge where
Horstius GOGGLES showed his nerve re-
mains. The great sewer, or Cloaca Max
lima, still drains the city as of old, and
shows how men long ago knew how to
preserve the health of great city. The
Tiber is still entitled to the name of yell
low, but it is so from mud, and far from
exciting poetical feelings. On its banks
stands the tomb of Hadrian, large enough
to have contained a thousand emperors.
There is no beauty about the building,
only large, ruined mass, without any
thing TO attract attention but the ruin.
The mauEoleum of Augustus is used for a
very different purpose from its first use.
The people of Rome now witness thea.ri-
cal plays where once lay the remains of
the man who found Rome q city of bricks
and left it one of marble. ALE.