Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-07-26

have had pointed out to us the throne Of the
Emperors, above them the boxes or stalls OF
the nobility, and we have mounted to the top
where were heard the applause of the Gods,
who happened then as now TO be plebians and
only like the Gods in that they were seated
high up. What sight must the interior of
this vast ampitheater have presented with its
100, 900 men and women, as they assembled
to witness the terrible com0ats of the Gladi-
ator slaves, or the awful agony Of the christ
ian martyrs, as they were torn limb from limb
by the wild beasts who had been starved, that
they might, with whetted appetites make
sure and more speedy work of their human
victims The Coliseum was commenced by
the Emperor Vespasian, after his retu from
Jerusalem to commemorate the capture of that
city The work was done by II 1000 Jewish
captives who toiled night and day for eight
years, to raise this grand monumen Mt of their
discontinue. 1t was dedicated in the year
80 by Titus, the eldest son and successor of
Vespacian. on which occasion 5000 wild
beasts and 10000 captives are said to have
been slain.
We shall never forget the sight of the splen-
did dome of the Pantheon, as we gazed up to
heaven from within. This is the most ancient
temple in Rome, and its foundations were
laid 20 years before Christ, by Agcipps, SON
in-law Of Augustus. The interior is per.
feet circle, l42 feet in diameter, and about
the same height, one half of which is the
dome. 1t is lighted by an opening in the top,
IS feet in diameter, through which the rains
from Heaven have fallen for nineteen humid
red years. Sixteen magnificent columns of
oriental granite, single stones, 40 feet high
and five feet in diameter, support the portico.
This is the only one of the verv ancient
buildings left standing in Rome. Its walls are
from Is TO % feet thick. Within this building
we saw splendid marble statue of yestal
virgin, found complete in the 10th century,
and also the tomb OF Raphael, whose remains
enclosed in three collins, wood. lead, and
marble, were placed in the walls with plain
latin inscription on marble tablet in front.
In the Capitoline Museum we saw many
famous antique statues and busts among the
former the originals of Mars. Minerva. APP
polo, Juno, Pandora, Isis, Esculapias, Jupi-
ter; and among the latter those of the Roman
Emperors, commencing with Julius Caesar.
who attempted to assume the role of Emperor
when he was one of the Triumviri, with
Mark Antony, and Cassius, and thus met his
death at the hands of Brutus, Casius, and 90
others. Next, Augustus Caesar, nephew of
Julius Caesar, who fought Antony and Casius
after Caesars DEATH and having conquered
them in battle, became the first Emperor of
Rome. The bust of Nero, who was so am
bilious to rebuild Rome that he is said to have
caused the city to be set on fire, and that of
Calgula who used to amuse himself and the
people Cd by fighting with them, he peting
them with stones while they threw sponges at
him; fine fun no doubt for the Emperor, but
rather severe on the people-the noble Roman
people. They must have been degenerate in
those days. Caliguls used also to show his
courage and valor by contests with the Gladi-
ators, they having wooden and he steel
sword On one OF these gladiatorial con-
tests he fought SO well that he butchered three
of these ignoble slaves-brave Emperor. At
the period when these statues and busts were
made, the artists being slaves, were not al
lowed to place their names upon them, hence
the masters were not known. We also saw
here the original of 1.-The Dying Gladiator"
also the busts of Demosthenes, Cicero, and
other noted Roman and Grecisn orators, and
the famous Venus of the Capital which was
found in state OF excellent preservation,
under Roman house, where it had lain prob
ably for centuries, protected by an arcn. 1t
| is supposed to have been chiseled by Praxit-
| iteles, the Greek artist. II resembles the
| Venus de Medici in general form aud position
| Of the limbs, but is much larger, being above
! while the Medici is considerably below lite
size. BY critics, we believe, the latter lie con-
sidered to be nearer ideal perfection than the
I former, OF course no one human form pos
sesses the perfect shape which many Of these
ideal statues have it might have required
| fifty or even one hundred men or women
| each with certain portions of the body, head
or limbs finely developed, to serve as models,
| before one Of them could have been moulded
| in clay.
| The hurried manner in which we were COM
! PEELED to survey these treasures of antique
art, made cur visit to this and other celebrat-
| ed museums rather unsatisfactory, for to fully
| appreciate perfection of form, whether in
comparison or detail requires more patient
observation than our limited time would al
low. To make tour of Europe in a month
| or six weeks is at best a rather unsatisfactory
pleasure, especially when it is in mid-sum
mer. Still we would advise any one who has
the opportunity, to pack up his carpet bag
and start-rather unnecessary advice we sus-
pect.
In the beautiful church of Santa Maris
SOpra Minerva, built on the ruins of the
, Temple Of Minerva, and said to be the onl,
church possessing a purely gothic interior
we sa. Michael Angeles famous picture O
{ Christ.
E What shall we say of st. Peters aud tn,
3 art treasures of the Vaticans Our feeble ant
e inar,istic pen cannot describe them, and W,
hesitate to say of them more than singh,
e word ''magnihcent." Here is the finest archi
t lecture and the choicest collection of statu
airy and painting in the world. St. Peters it
self is sight almost repaying visit to Rome
: for nowhere else can such a wonderful creu
ton Of genius be seen. 1t seems the perfec
ton of vastness and the vastncss of perfec
ton. To have planned this building mus
have required the study, not of one, but of I
hundred of the finest models in existence a
that time. What a wonderful, wonderful
genius was that of Michael Angelo. Ii
architecture, in sculpture, in painting and il
T poetry, he scared high as the heavens above
/ the earth.
''And what is the Vatican" may be asked
1t is the most extensive collection of palaces
in the world, Quilt at various times) in tbs
form of hollow square. and adjoining St
Peters.
The art galleries, the residence of the Pope
and Of his Premier Cardinal Antonelli are
here. These buildings stand on the right oil
western bank Of the Tiber, and are approach.
ed through the most magnificent colonnade in
the world, consisting of 2s4 columns arranged
in two semi-circular porticos. One hundred
and ninety-two statues of saints, each eleven
feet in height, surmount these porticos. In
the center of each colonnade is splendid
bronze fountain constantly playing. In Rome