Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-09
2Niseellansous.
THE TIBER AND ITS TREASURES.

who that has had his fancy excited in
his youth by the romantic stories of the
Roman poet, in his longings to stand upon
the spot where the sons of the vestal ver-
| gin were discovered by the shepherd Faus-
tutus, has not imagined himself upon the
banks of a mighty river, capable of bearing
the navies of the world upon its broad bos-
ON. But the ardent student of classical
poetry and history (Which in ancient times
were often identicaD is greatly scandaliz-
ed when he looks upon small, muddy
stream, nowhere within the limits of the
city more than 800 feet wide. He is dis
appointed; the mud, the narrowness Of the
of the river, the very swiltness of its cur
rent, as if it were hurrying away to the
sea to escape observation, are almost too
much for him at the first glance.
The current of the Tiber is always swift,
and its waters turbid. Virgil is the only
| author who calls its ccrulean, and this was
a stretch of poetic license quite beyond
the mark. Upon what the fancy was
| founded it would be difficult to tell It's
! powerful current is often swollen and
made more impetuous by the rains or the
melted snow in its mountain sources.
The Campus Martius, on which the mod
ern city is chiefly built. was frequently in
undated in ancient times, and the same
thing now occurs annually. The height
of the water is marked upon columns
standing on the river bank in the via Ri
petta, and also upon the facade of the
church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, in
the very heart of the city, where the marks
are some ten or twelve feet above the
pavements. have myself twice seen wa
ter in the Pantheon, when it was several
| nhOYn thn ont baft tho mil
ing could besentered only by boats
The Tiber is as rich in treasure as in its
historic associations. From age to age,
since the foundation of the city OF Rome it
has been the receptacle of uncounted
wealth and the articles of immense value.
Treasures Of art have often found their
way into its waters, which, if they could
be recovered, would bring in the art mar
kets of the world immense prices. Statu-
airy more perfect and perhaps more beau
tiiul, than any of the works of the ancient
| master that are preserved in the Vatican,
doubtless lie embedded in groups in the
muddy bottom. | saw once, in the Mu-
scum of st John Lateran, a magnificent
column of marble which had been taken
from the Tiber, a portion of which was
polished to display its beauty; and no one
could see it without wishing to have more
of the secrets of this river revealed.
The famous banker of the time of Leo
X, Agostino Chigi, once give to the Pope
and his cardinals one of the most splendid
and costly entertainments on record, in
which the dishes were all of the precious
metals. 1t is said that when the feast was
over, they were thrown into the Tiber, by
the order of the rich banker, that no less
illustrious guests might use them. l have
already mentioned the tradition that the
sacred vessels of the Jewish Temple,
brought from Jerusalem among them the
golden candlestick, We're lost or thrown
from the Milvain bridge and never recov-
cred. What Il treasure this would be at
the present day. even to those who would
not pay to it any of the superstitious rev.
erence or worship which Papists bestow
upon relics.
1t is said that an English company once
made proposals to turn the Tiber from its
course and carry it around the city of
Rome by anothor route, in order to ex-
plore the bed of the stream; an enterprise
which, am inclined to think, might be
made remunerative even in pecuniary
way; but the Government would not give
its CONSENT 'Euse6iusn, IN the Observer.