The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-20
OUR LETTER FROM ITALY.
Rsnc-visit - the IColsssenm-sishtC Along
the observation-disclosures Remarks upos
Reconsideration and It's Landmarks-
Observations Or = New OrIeasian Abroad.
European Correspondence Of the Bulletin

the first time the Colosseum. the one tnln
ia Ill Rome, after st. Peters, that rises fir
in the mind when visit to the eternal CT
Is projected. Many, doubtless, attach mol
importance to the Colosseum than to snythin
else, but 1 think that majority, myself anon
the number, feel rather livelier interest in
stupendous work of the builders art In
perfect state of preservation, than in on
more stupendous, but in ruins these THOUSAND
years.
As the air was not hot and the day par
ticularly favorable for foot expeditions, v
preferred to walk from our hotel, choosing
very interesting route along the grea
"Broadway" of Rome, the Corso, out arount
the base Of the Capitoline hill by the ruins O
the Foeum, past the triumphal arches Of Con-
stantins and Titus, and straight to that ruin
= Of ell ruins, the Colosseum. The Crso is q
: thing 81 modern times, the great avenue Of
nsw Rome and, as it is merely busy street
like any IN one.of our American cities, only
n@ half - much so, can afford to pass it
for tho present without comment.
We had read 30 much about people being
robbed IN the Colosseum, and about its being
In q desert place to which it would be folly to
walk when one can as well ride, that when We
came to the "old band-box with the side bit
ton out" Just on the margin of the city, we
yer6agsseably surprised nor is it by any
means 81 long walk from our part of the city.
one ol66s ia the Post Office, and therefore
presumably near the center. We passed just
by thu Forum going, but, judging from ap-
peagances That one coull see all there was
therSi IN short time, We did not linger, but
postponing our survey for the :rstuih trip,
pushed straight on to the Colosseum.
We actually set up mild little shout when
the brown old ruin hove in sight, regardless
Of what people might think Of us; that's the
sort Of fellows We are, enthusiastic, You know,
especially about classical antiquities. Of which
" are such experienced and wellinformed
critics that We passed the Pantheon here the
other day. in fact, had to dodge around it,
without ever having an intimation Of what it
vas. We are the sort Of fellows that do credit
TO their country abroad; real classical anti.
quarians. To prove how we'll informed We
ere, We recognized the Colosseum at first sight
We also recognized the triumphal arch Of
Constantins, sitter consulting the guide.book
to IL sure about where that of Titus stands.
HIT II pas not until We got - from tho
expedition that We discovered, upon looking
ct photograph Of the arch in question, that
all the best sculptures are on the other side
that is to say, the side turned away from the
Colosseum. and which We forgot to examine. |
Thorough-going fellows We are. No; the fact
d we just half saw the different things, and
consequently will have to go again. as ex-
pect to do several times And in justice to
ourselves. We intended to do 50 anyhow, even
II We had missed nothing SO large as half the
Arch OF Constantine. After all I have read
about the Colosseum, was surprised to find
what bad idea had Of It in some respects.
For instance, I did not know, perhaps had
forgotten 1t, that the great arena was sup
ported by arches of masonry, and that all
underneath 1t were the cages of wild beasts
and cells Of various kinds. thought the
arena was solid ground like circus ring, but
It was nothing Of the kind. To-day the /!
arches are extensively broken in and one can
see the narrow passages and dungeons for :
merly tenanted BY wild animals, and oft by I
human beings destined soon to be martyrs e
7 wonder If the shouts Of tho 80, 600 specta-
tors and tho noise Of the combats going on /
over head used to reach the wretched cap a
lives. in these dark. noisome dens. These q
,ells and passages are now full Of stagnant :
water. Many have also been Allied up en- il
irely for fear the crumbling Of the brick fl
5ork might endanger the walls standing Q
Ibove ground. =
The inclined plane upon which the seats Ii
vere formerly arranged still exists in places,
mt the seats are nowhere to be seen. The
'assages leading up to the different tiers of
eats were numbered, in order to facilitate
be finding Of places, and some Of these num- 81
ers are yet extant, as we'll as some of the ~ ~
lights Of steps. Visitors, however, are not Of
flowed to Chamber about the ruins at will, on OF
ccount of the danger attending it Looking ~
tho vast size of the Colosseum one can =,
ardly believe that they used to stretch sail or
10Th so as TO cover and protect the whole q
mphitheater from the heat Of the sun, but r,
Q ar0informed that such was the case. al;
After lettering about the grand old ruin ca
ntil nearly shutdown, We returned by tie it's
Drum, and took . better look at the latter.
Ding back, on ths left hand side, the road
;irts the base Of the Palatine Hill, where
are still going on in the ruins Of
Q palaces Of the Caesars. The public are !
United only on certain days. The Forum s.,
omanum does not look the celebrated place ca,
is. It appears simply as q quadrilateral SD
ace, paved with marble, sunk about IL feet re
low the level Of the present street; up and IN,
wn the length of it are ranged the bases of
lumnr, with here and there slab bearing ne
inscription. but the whole is. awfully y, y.
and desolate; however, that is