New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-02-10
CURRENT TOPICS IN ROME.
SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND INDUSTRIAL.

show aud every one present recoshi~ep 'ii"V ~.
Italian troep, arc TO be taken into serious "o0o"n'
both A. far rs offence and defence are concerned
noticed that the Crown Prince paid specia attehUoh
IN the mountain artillery. As soon as the review
,.s over ,bc Prince hurried back to the Quirnal.
changed his brilliant uniform for PLAIN clothes, ana.
accompanied by only one aidc-de-camp, in the same
attire m,ncled with tho crowd in the Piazza di
Sn,ors t. see HE soldiers march back. happened
"a Le auic close 10 His Imperial liighness and |
hoard h,o make most lat,crng remarks. i am
o,ite s1rc that thus unrcCugnilcd and unnoticcd,
Aha Prince watched the Italian troops with far
oreoter interest than while present al the grand
review it,oii.
For this military show the same field was chosen
where according TO tradition. Constantine was
when HE labarun appeared to him. and where he
defeated the army Of MCltntiUs, the Christians
enemy Somc cleTicals were kind enough TO say
that this timo il was Mcxentus himself who, In tho
person q; ihc German Prince, witnessed review Oh
the same fields Of the FanCsina. Anyhow II 'hcy
did look uprn him as q new Mczontins they TOOK
good care not 10 keep him waiting three days anu
tbres nights M the Vatican courtyards without
food or shelter as happened 60 Henry w. with Popo
Crnecry who dared to jcer at the Inundated
,ooparcl, from the Papal windows IN company with
the he,utifA and heartlcss Countess Mathlldo OF
CanOsSa.
Asallwho kuow Rome can imagine, Tie bringing of
something like $4,000 extra men within the walls
brought about no small difficulty in tho lodging
oues,ion The mon were pat in al sorts Of places.
among others in the Colosseum. ] have often seen
tho grand ed monument. hut never presenting so
strange an aspect MS when about 1000 men and
/ 500 horses were sheltered under the enormous
archos IT WAS most picturesque sight to see tho
numerous lights fitting about the sombre galleries;
the fires lit in the centre and in the corners.
throwing y strange weird light on the grand ruin;
the bold arches aud the splendid broken columns or
exuuistoly carved capitals. The authorities have.
however been severely blamed for placing the
soldiers in the Colosseum. when 50 many other
pnbl,c bindings might have been utilized. 1t is
certain that the men must have suffered from an
hypienic point of view. rs the place is not only
always eX coedingly damp. but also. ON account of
the miasmata arising from the excavations.
positively dangerous.
Talking about excavations. must mention some
important archaeological discoveries at the AtJfam
ycste In the Forum. These discoveries coincide
exactly with the information already had of the
Aiscoyeric. made at the same place in the fifteenth
and sixt,cnth centuries. The cdihce which has
iust come 10 light belongs 10 The epoch when the
yestals were six In number. On examining the
building in detail. notes that several of the
roops cofrespond 10 the requirements and habits
which history attributes to the priestesses of NeSta
Thus one recognizes the locality where the stables
must have been. they having the right to drive.
Small bronze ramiao have also been found, which
were put round tho neck of the Vestals' horses,
both in town aad country. and which were the
msrk, ex omptrng them from all public taxes and
imposts Tho recent discovery OF the statue of tho
yestai fisvia PublIcia. is a valuable one; the
workmanship i, very good aud the details of the
dress particularly important. Tho attitude of this
Vesta is majestic and the features fine; her head
sho wears the VEIL as we'll the bisia. the broad.
white band which tells that she is represented as
about to offer a sacrifice; certain peculiarities
proper to the Yosas also to be noticed. such as
tho cord bound under the breast the sandals aud
the hair clipped very short. AT later period the
Vestals also wore mcdallions set with precious
stones on their breasts. On the pedestal TO the
Vestal Flayia Publicia arc dedicatory inscriptions
reading Uranslatedl as follows:
Dedicated on the first of the Kalends Of October.
Our Lords Nalerianus Augustus for the fourth time
sud Ga!lenus Augustus for the third time, ConSuls
TO Fayia Publcia, High NeStal Virgin. most
holy aud religious who through all the grades of
the priesthood day and night, at this time arrives
at position and age near the holy altar OF all tho
Gods An everlasting token of her deserving merit
and pious rite. Barcius ZOticuS with FlaVia OF his
mOdesty for her unparalleled preeminenco and
boney olcnCe for him. raised this to her
A fraGment If q tablet has also been found bear
Ip9e list of mems and wOmens names inscribed
alternately IL also contains the names OF some of
the priestessos quoted on the honorary inscriptions.
Hitherto sixteen bases hayo been found at the
north side Of tho Atriam Fst0, six at the east and
six st the esutl end. At the rear base has been
discovered al the foot of which important traces of
n spendid mosaic pavement have been found; this
psvomont is below the present level Of the AtriHm
Besides these. brick fountain with marble front
ba, been discovered; this fountain contained
beautiful small head OF Minerva, three heads of
yasta,s. f. small weight of black marble, coins
terra.ootta lamps and a small marble lamp pedestal
Ihis at ter has three sides Ornamentod WITH relief
sculptures; on one side il the figure Of woman
nude her mantle fallen at her feet her back turned
on the spectator her arms stretched out and
upwards holding an Oval instrument in her hands
On the second side is n candclabruin and on the
third an altar upon which fire is burning this
altar /, surn0uuted by tree.
From the dimensions OF the Atrirm and the
ornamentation ono may conclude that the number
of the Vostais statues amounted TO about 100. As
the honor OF having statue erected only belonged
10 the Vcsiacs Marina that is to say, TO those who
had surpassed the Others in age. may suppose
that TIE Same prestcss had at times several statues
which superstition is further strengthened by
seeing how several pcdcstals are dedicated TO ono
and tho Same NcStal.
From tho lcyo Of the Vcstals House one must
conclude that its position was most insalubrons.
II is at tho very foot of the Palatne. The place
must have been damp. and in fact. recent dis
cOyerios have shown how during the Vestas' time
gres. many attempts had been made to combat
tho evil The mention, too, that is found of the
arokiateY in one Of the inscriptions proves that the
guardians OF the sacred fire must have often had
occasjop to call in the ply sican's aid.
Among tho many idle and purpOseess steps taken
in the Italian Parliament. Deputy Berio took one
IN the right direction lately, when he called upon
tbe slnster of Foreign Affairs SignOr Mancini. to