The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1874-12-04


self, have softened the enamel of the
teeth, this fungus acts with great rapid
ity in e~ffecting the decay of the teeth.
The ordinary means of cleaning the
teeth do not affect the parasitic growth,
but soapy water appears to destroy
them. DIR. Demitt, an authority in den
tistry, recommends that the teeth be
brushed at least twice q day with a fine
powder and a little soap. The brush
should be soft, with the hairs not too
finely set, in order that they may pene-
trate into the interstices of the teeth.
TIE ROMAN COLOSSEUM.
1t is almost impossible now to realize
the magnitude of the preparations that
were made to amuse the Roman popa-
lace in this amphitheater, and it is yet
more difficult to realize how this people,
who had profted by the high civiliza-
ton of Greece, and already had a i'm
mortal literature of its own, could find
enjoyment in the scenes enacted there
mortal combats in which wild animals
were butchered by thousands, and men
torn to pieces by scores and hundreds.
As a recent writer puts it: "They
were plays which required no lissretto,
because the story was known by every
one of the $4,000 spectators. And they
had the great and absorbing interest
that nothing was acted, all was reality;
and the catastrophe, eagerly expected,
was not simulated. The hapless actor
who had to wear the shirt of Nessus,
knew that when he put it on, lined and
smeared with pitch, it would be set fire
to, so that he should represent in actual
torture the agonies of the dying hero.
Aciaon knew that the dogs would be
loosed upon him when the time came,
and would tear him TO pieces amid the
applause of the people. Medea stabbed
her children cOruna populo; Dirce
acted her part, knowing that she would
be tied by the hair to the horns Of the
bull, who would drag her till she died.
This was the favorite spectacle of the
Romans, gentle and simple. Such
shrieks, such shouts of applause have
echoed from these walls as no other
theater has heard; such tragedies have
been enacted as no other play-goers
have even dreamed of. The citizens
were Unsuitable; the roads that led to
Rome were thronged with prisoners
coming to take part in the sports ; the
old could at least be torn by the beasts;
the young could fight"
During the second and third centuries
the amphitheater was the scene of the
m%artyrdom of many Christians. st.
Ignatius, the Bishop of Syria, was one
of the first of his belief to suffer death
in this place ; st. Pslitus, st. Prisca,
st. Martina, and hundreds of others
shared n like fate in the sane dreadful
aren't. A cross now stands in the CEN
ter of the arena to commemorate their
martyrdom, AID under Clement NJ. the
entire building was consecrated to their
memory, this conservation atfording &
protection to which is due the preser-
walton Of the structure Till the present
day.
The building is supposed to have re-
manned entire until Rome was invaded
by Robert Guiscard, who began its de-
molition to prevent its being used as u
fortress. sit served that purpose, how
ever, in the middle nges, and wa long
held as n fortress by the Frangipan
family, until they were dislodged by
their enemies" In 1872 the munich
pality took possession OF it, and it was
again used for public entertainments.
After the fourteenth century the great
Roman families began to despoil it,
using the stone to build their palaces.
An effort was afterward made to turn it
into a palace of trade, by erecting shops
under the arcades, but the plan was not
successful. Since its conservation by
Pope Clement ri. the mighty structure
has stood silent and gloomy, a grand and
impressive monument to the heroism Of
the early martyrs of the Christian faith.
PARIS is said to be q heaven for
broken-down and discarded diplomats
of all nationalities. They hobnob nicely
among themselves, drink considerable
coffee at cheap restaurants, and smoke
an endless quantity of cigarettes while