Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-10
NO, %
what "a Merchant Saw in Europe.

ROME, Italy, April 30, 1872,
''while stands the Coliseum, Rome shall
stand
When fails the Coliseum, Rome shall fall,
An1 when Rome ftlIs-the world"
These words were penned by Byron
rs The echo in ryhme of similar chant
from the footsore pilgrims who cen-
turtles ago marked their route To Rome.
Ravagcd by that unSparing despolier,
Time has mocked the prophecy by the
ruins of to-day Some one has better
said than can express it, "Of all the
temples, palaces. and piles stnpcndous,
whose massive ruins the traveller en-
counters at Rome, the Coliseum makes
the firmest and most lasting impression
upon the mind There Ia none which
more completely fills the measure of
ones admiration, both from the gran
dcur of the original idea and the mag
nificcnce of the remains. Who would
not be stalled at the bare suggestion of
constructing an edifice at the present
day in which hundred thousand people
could be seated so that each one could
observe what was taking place within its
walls?" Yet in the Coliseum we see that
this was an accomplished fact ; and even
in its present attenuated state its gram
deur astounds u.s. There never was in
Rome more forcible Illustration of the
power of her EmpeFors. In the prime
of its beauty the Coliseum covered near
ly six acres. Lightning and storm. food
and earthquakes, have combined with
the still more fearful spoliation of man
for their prostration. At this day not
more than one-third of the original struc-
ture is left. If The spirits of those sad
captives who were butchered to make a
Roman holiday, now look down upon
the scene of their sufferings, they must
derive a gloomy satisfaction from this
battered monument, whose present con-
dition is so typical of the fall of their
murderers. Its mutations have been ex-
traordinary. Fights of wild beasts and
gladiators, executions of Christians and
! felons, sea fights and contests of sea
monsters, bull fights, mystery plays and
| theatrical spectacles have all taken place
within its wall-at last having served
for wooden factory and then as fort
! res, religion secured it for her use. In
1850 ii was consecrated as church, and
now a cross towering over sin and
shame" rises in the centre of the arena
from an elevated platform-around it
the soil once dyed with the blood of the
martyrs is covered with bright, fresh
turf.
At each of the principal entrances to
the Coliseum, inserted in the masonry,
is a marble tablet bearing the figure OF q
cross; under it are engraved words
which, translated, read by kissing the
/ holy cross one obtains year and forty
DAYS of indulgence" One can hardly
4 believe the evidence of his senses when
looking upon this desecration OF a
sacred spot Can this be true? | asked
myself BY this slight exertion can
indeed acquire the right to sin un-
punished? Can repeat on this arena
those murders for which the church OF
Rome has consecrated it? Has heaven
granted to any man the power of par.
doning such offense? | could only ex.
claim in the words with which Madame
Roland apostrophised Liberty, 80, Re
ligion, what crimes are committed II
thy name!" 4,
We climbed 159 steps to the fourtf
story of the Coliseum, and felt that In
describable effect of mightiness witt
which it never fails to impress. History
tells US that it was inangurated by
hundred days of carnival, during whiel
5000 wild beasts and 10000 captiye'
i were slain. can assure any OF MARI