Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1874-04-04


on the doors The celebrated sar-
eophagus bearing the name of Lucius
SeipiO, is now among the Vatican
-cOlleetiOns.
But must not dwell among the
tombes any longer. When | descend
ed from the top of the tower, walk
ed around to the brink of the classic
.3 -Efs TTARPEIAN ROCK -- sa
not forthe purpose of trying a leap,
but to see how far those dropped who
did make the jump. 1t is on the
southeastern summit of the Capito-
line Hill, which faces the Palatine
(Once covered by the Palaces of the
Caesars, but now a tremendous mass
of ruins). The top of the rock has
been cut down to make foundation
for the buildings, and at the bottom
it has been filed up considerably.
But there yet remains not far from
so feet of rugged, perpendicular de-
scent along distance or face of per-.
haps 80 feet. It's still high enough
to put leg, if not neck, out of
Joint Enough remains to mark
't aF The steep
Tupeian, fitted goal of Tresson's race,
The promOntOry whence the Traitors leap,
Cured all ambition.
1t was on this side that the differ
ent attacks were made ON the Capt.
tai in the early days of Rome. The
first was made by Herdonius, at the
head of band of slaves, who scaled
the heights at night near the Tar
peian, surprised the garrison, and
proclaimed the freedom of all slaves
who should Join him. But few ae-
cepted the offer, and, after most of
the band were slain, HerdOnius and
the remainder were hurled over the
rock. The second invasion furnished
the incident which schoOlboys are
never tired of employing in their es-
says and valedictories. 1t was the
ATTACK OF THE GAULs, Jf1--
in 800, B. c., who climbed the steep
rock near the Tarpeian, and nearly
reached the summit unobserYed,-
for the dogs neglected to bark
when the. cries of the sacred geese of
Juno aroused an officer named Man
Illus, who rushed to the defense, and
hurled over the precipiee the first as
sailant, who knocked down others
below him in his fall, and thus the
Capital was saved. The story goes,
that, IN remembrance of this aeci-
dent, a goose was carried annually
in triumph, and a dog was crucifed
between the temple of Summanus
and that Of Youth. The spot is
pointed out to the eredulous visitor
where the sacred geese hissed the
salvation of Rome, and where the
unfaithful dog was tortured to death,
all for a shinplaster-lire- Cheap
enough. BY the way, it was the
same Nautilus that rushed to the de-
fense of the Capital at the signal of
the geese, who was afterwards con-
denmed by the patrieians, on the pre-
tense that he aspired to make himself
King, and was thrown from the Tar
peian Rock, in sight of the Forum,
and killed within a few steps of the
spot where he had hurled down the
Gauls. 1t was thus his valor and
patriotism were rewarded.
Not far from there, and close un-
der the Palatine Hill, is the site of
the famous circular
TEMPLE OF vEsTA,
in which the sacred fire was preserv-
ed. with the Palladium saved from
Troy. On the alter of this temple,
blood was annually sprinkled from
the tail of the horse which was saeri-
feed to the god of Mars in the Cam
pus Martius. This temple is one of
the best preserved edifces which
have survived the wreck and ruin of
ancient Rome. 1t has stood in its
present form since about the time of
Nero. Close to the temple of Vests
was the Regia, where Julius Cesar
lived, and whence he went forth TO
his death at the hands of Brutus.
Standing ON the classic ground,
asked my cicerone to show me the
scene of the exploit of
MARCUS CURTIUs,
which must be somewhere in this Vi
einity, He confidently and volubly
pointed it out. According to the
tradition or account as related by the
historians Status, Livy Il Pliny, the
ground where it happened was orig
inal1y the Curtain Lake, so-called
from Curtius, Sabine warrior Who
with difficulty escaped from its quag.
mire after a hard battle between RQ
mulus and Tatigs. The quagmire
deepened until it became a gulf,
which an oracle declared wonld new
er close until the brayest Roman was
sacrificed to it; and, as the diSagreea.
bic aud annoying gulf stretched be.
tween the CapitOlne. and Aventine
Hills, it became public necessity to
have it closed. Then it was that
young Marcus CuTtius, equipped in
fpll armor, and in the presence of all
the Romans, putting spurs to his
fiery steed, leaped horse aud rider
into the awful abyss, exclaiming, as
he made the plunge into the mud,
that every warrior was hound to sac
rifiee his life for the good Of Romej
and the gulf was closed-forever.
'sFwo alters were erected on the site,
-one 10 the hero, and the other to
his heroic horse; and vine and aR
olive grew there. ."-Liry
A little further TO the South, and
between the Palatine and Aventlne
Hills is the valley where the great
C;rcus NTaximus was established,
which would seat 25O,OOO spectators,
Il was oblong in form, and a mile in
circumference. But the valley is
more famous as the celebrated scene
of the
RAPE OF THE SABINE MAIDENS,
who were invited as guests to q grand
picnic by the young Roman blOods.
Their visit was treacherously abused.
But the Young rakeS made the
amende honorable TO the forlorn dam
sells, after shouldering and running
off with them, as the pictures in the
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