The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-06-22

II was here, also, that Cato dis
played his obstinacy and vengeance,
ringing after every speech, "Deienda
EST Carthage" Carthage must be
destroyed. Within these walls, which
should have been free from bloodshed,
mighty Caesar fell, victor Of many
battles, to be a. last the victim Of
assassins. Caesar, the greatest hero
of antiquity, who, no doubt, would
have worked wonders in the Roman
world, had the fates decreed that his
lite should be spared. The cry of his
assassins was Liberty How little
they thought that instead of liberty,
they would soon be bound in still
stronger chains of ,despotism!
This Forum is also the scene of
that grand funeral occasion which
Shakespeare has converted into
drama more true, because more life
like, than history itself.
Up the "Sacred Way" passed those
magnificent triumphal professions,
which characterized the reign Of the
emperors, and marked by their osten-
tation and display the decay and ap-
preaching dissolution of Rome.
During the reign of Trajan the
rage for building reached its height.
Not only Rome and Italy, but even
the most remote provinces of the
East and West were, during this era
the scenes of vast engineering under
takings-engineering rather than
acknowledgement, bridges,
viaducts, amphitheatres. and basilcae
were constructed. Of all these varied
works, indeed of all monuments Of
Rome, or even Italy, Trajan's Column
is perhaps the most interesting and
most instructive. That which gives
to this column its peculiar celebrity,
however, is the magnificent wreath
of bass reliefs which wind around
the shaft and contain the history of
two campaigns against the Dacians.
The story of these campaigns is here
told with wonderful skill. There are
said to be more than FIVE hundred
sculptural figures of men upon this
column, and the, higher they are
placed. the larger are their dimensions
so that the effects Of the increased
distance may be counteracted. The
whole carving from base to summit
was executed with equally minute
care. Upon this, bridges being con-
structed, Roman causeways laid,
forts attacked with all kinds of m IL
tary engines, the charge Of the eaval-
ry, the rout and confusion of a de
feated army are all most wildly
portrayed. Here, Trajan in person
reviews the ranks on foot, or mounts
"a temporary platform and harangues
his men, or receives with simple Dig
nifty the submission of an enemy, or
marches with all the pomp of a Ro.
man procession under the triumphal
arch. rYg yEgrrrFrV q
The soldier like simplicity of the
great military Emperor is strikingly
portrayed. There is no silken tent,
or richly decorated chariot, or throne,
or canopy Of state, to be seen, His
Colonel of the Guards sits beside him
as an equal. In the midst of the
battle, the Emperor tears up his robe
to bind the wounds of his soldiers.
He is present everywhere, wearing
sword and fighting in person like the
mythical "Aneas" of old. Nothing
could be more illustrative of the state
of Roman affairs in that iron age,
when, as in olden times, rough and
unlettered warriors, fresh from the
camp, swayed the destinies of the
empire. The descriptions of Livy,
Polibius, Caesar and Tacitus, receive
life, movement and interest, as we
look at the actual figures here sculp-
tured. The Pretorian guards marked
by their belt over the left shoulder /;
the fierce looking standard bearers
and Centurions with their heads COW
cred. with wolves skins and the shay
gy names Of lions streaming down
their backs ; the rank and file carry
ing enormous stakes H.; the master ma
sons and pioneers with their axes
and crowbars the lancers, the
heavy and light cavalry and the
royal chargers; the Sarmatian horse
man clothed, riders and steeds, in
complete scale armor, and the Moor
ish cavalry riding without reins.
A certain mournful interest at.
taches to this scene of ruined splen-
dor, in the story il recalls of the fate
Of the architect, Apollodorous, who
planned and directed the construc-
ton. Hadrian having designed a
temple to Venus and Roma, sent
his design to the famous architect
of his predecessors public buildings,
nominally for criticism, really for
praise. But Apollodorous was bet
ter artist than courtier. He sent
back word that eff the colossal stat