, 1874-03-21
thcoratio nation for period almost aB long IA
that which has passed away Bhco their dis

tl,at, which has pasaod away sinoo their dis.
4 fow hundred yards fsrt1or down tho Via
TIE COLISEUM
noxt to tho Pyramids tho grontest structure Of
human hands. Tons Of tllonsands Of tho cap
two Jows woro compelled to toll at It's erection
constructed to celebrate tholr downfall M and hn
milatlon.. but tho Roman Empire, tllen 30
proud and mighty, was Gro long )nld a. low aa
;, Ii front q tho Coliseum, and standing across
tho Appinn Way, 1B tho groat Triumphal Arch Of
Constantine, tic 1lrst Christian Emperor. II Ia
IN M oxcellont staso Of preservation, after en-
during tho tooth OF timc for !. 500 years. tho
stntuos OF tho Emreror on tho upper fronts still
to tho cessation Of tho Ohristian prosecutions.
The excavations already made ln
THE not1AN FORUM,
unoovcring the floors aud foundations, muBt
lon Of rubbish was to tho depth Of 20 to so foot.
Whole acrcs Of tho marble floors have boon hid
baro. Hundreds Of fragmonta of columns have
boon found aud tho work of exploration still
proceeds. L ia nearly impossible to convoy an
tntsllgent idea OF this Forum, wloro tho inter
thu focal point Of noman civil life and actions.
II was the pcat Of government. Evory stono
haa ita sstprY every pillar vas witness to
H., h1toy Il Was her9 thS non
destinies OF tho world woro discussed. 1t
WAS adorned with magnificent monuments;
but they were 30 crowdod upon one another, aud
80 often destroyed BY fire, and rebuilt that 1t 70
exceedingly difficult for mo- right on tho spot,
to got tllo,n all c1ea1ly in my mind. THO origin
Of tho Forum dates back 10 tie time OF tho nli-
ance OF tho Romans sud tho 9abines. 700 years
B. @. i covered most Of tho low ground snr-
city was aticlcnt1y built. Tho celebrated Clonoa
Alaxima Howor was constructed to drain the
marshy ground upon which was subsequently
erected tho templeB which u,terod arodnd and
as perfectly as 1t did 1850 yoars ago.
Tho magnificent Arch Of BopttmuB BeVoruB
still stands ut tho upper ond OF tho Forum, but
shows tho obstructive marks Of fro on it. Tho
Temp1o Of Concord eracLod B. @. 12t by Consul
Opimus, stood Just behind the Arch. a pave
foundation rouain. Here 1t WAS tint Cicero
pronounced those eloquent orattunB aSainHt the
Catilino conapirators, before tho Roman Senato.
a little to tho eaBt iH tho famous
MAaiERTINE PRISONS,
exoayated In the solid rock under the Capitol
Hill, 600 yoars before tho Christinn era. A mod
ern staircase loads into tho horrible dungeons.
Originally tho prisoners were lot down through
archcd ovor with atono. Not ray OF light pene-
tratod fnto tleae fcnrful caverns. Into thoso
dungeons tho Ca!iliuo oonspirator8 wero flung.
A staircase led up the rock wall Of tho Capitol
Concord. Il was by this staircase 0,ocro1 cano
forth and annuuncoi1 tn thn oxcited crnw5 fiat
the consnirators had boe, atranElcd, by tho aIu-
gle word, Vreruns, "They ooaHe 10 livo." On
the wall by which you dcscend to the lower dun
snot auainat whioh At, rote,'n hent restoi. nI,t
tho prntostnnt worll hnyn boon unnhin tn f,e,
cover gntisfactory proof that Peter oyer wag in
Rome. Certainly the Now Testament contains
no 8tatcmont Of it.
Close to tho Temple OF Concord stood that of
Vespasian. Throo beautiful columns aro still
standing. but blackenod and chipped by fro.
Next arc seen tho eight tallionic granite columns
Of tho Tcmrle Of Saturn, the anciont rod Of the
listeuing to tho
onAr1oNs OF CICERO,
Just be1ow the fi'omnlo NJ snt11rn il the attn of
tle Arch Of Tibcriue. 4 few rods or stands
the Column Of phncas. cn]led bv T}yrnn lila
:.Nameloss column WITH with q buried baso." But, s
a;nca iia t;n,c ti,a enrtl, .as hoeu cnrtaa AVN
to tj,a danth ~ an fnot ani +ha nrh,ri"d Ias1o
bronyt d to Iirit ~ - te l n1ma n IF ta ,nar o''o
4 fcv fra"mente rsn,niu NJ tGa I;.mnla of :1r,
1lus o!esar t was PLACED nea5 the co,trq q the
1o sa,a1 Sun,, a,, hnt,na,. H. Tr,,,, ~ ~ ti
eroat Daailica Of ,Ju|,a aud other ternnios. AZ
tho | southeast corner romaius heyo boon diaooy-
erod Of tic once famous Temple Of Oastor aud
stands several beautiful pillars Of the Tempio Of
Minerva, vii name but one other structure
tilo ste Of tie Tribune, in front Of which stood
the Kostra to Which tic head mud hapd Of Cicero
wore tixod by Antony. md where Fuya. tho
widow Of Oaudius; gpnt in hls dead face, aud
pierced his i1anilnnto tongue With the pin which
she wore in hor Iair in imbccilo revenge at Cio-
eros hostility to her husbaud.
Not fnr faom yIero tho phocag Column. stands
is tic Foundation, or 10 feet high, on which
stoo1 +ho ,,nfla stn}un of pnmnov n thn fnot ri
which
rnr GREAT nnaAn rrr1.
Ono is riyotod to the suut and cnzes on that
pjlo of volcanic stone tnlitg no note of time The
statuo itself ia on exhibition at tic Snaia i,uace.
went to zee It, Of courso. As Dickens descrbcsit,
it In stern tromnntlons fruro. f,1ll Of tlocntn
touches, lonne ita iist nct,ars IN tho piddv ewes
Of Que whoso blood was oDbing bofofe it, and
settling jnto ao,,e snol riri nm iosty Ms }hia as
Death camo oreopinn over tho uptuiued faco.S
There is q blool.coforod or red stain on tic
tho Sbnksporoan roport thnt the statue ran blood
wien tie greet Crear foll. Tho statue ia OF
aninasnI sgc' ho;nT ii fent hirh' NJ stands ~ IN
the auStcreyt form Of naked maicsty":
Thosa ,yb, behe,dcat ,mti1 t,,o nsaas s.in,s ain.
At Thy bathed buso tic blooly Cusur liz,
Folding Its robe In lyiug dignity,