The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-07
REV.J.C. FLETCHER'S LETTER
4 Day with Horace, and in the Internal
and Supernal Regions of Virgil.
What Ancient Engineers Accomplished Is Not
Exceeded by Modern Works, Unless 1t Is
the Union Depot at indianapolis.
ro,re.ponaspce OF the indianapolis Journal.

the Unl0n UepOG dt IUuidHdp0IlSs
Correspondence OF the indianapolis Journal.
PozzuoLI fancient Puteoli), ITALY, Jan. 10
When President James B. Angel, of the
Michigan University, was editor of the Provi-
dence Journal, visited him in the editorial
ganctum on an occasion when had just returned
from Rio de Janeiro. President Angel was in
Brown University with three of my brothers,
and afterwards, while he was professor in that
venerable institution. became quite intimate
with him, and, therefore, on the occasion re-
terred TO we conversed familiarly about old col
bege aud other friends. Amongst the last was a
lawyer of Providence. r. l.. who was well known
For his genial disposition, and. unfortunately for
himself, for INDUCING in the FLOWING bowl"
Mr Hazard, the individual referred to, was COM
monty known as Med Hazard" He was classic,
witLal, end read the old Latin poets and his
torians with great pleasure. His favorite was
Horace, especially his laudatives of wine and
high living One day. when he was gently mel
low he said to the then editor of the Providence
Journal: "Angell, should like to make night
Of it with Quintus Horatius Flaccus. He was
lust the fellow for me!n Poor Ned Hazard is
gone, and his life and. opportunities
thrown away point their own moral.
and do not intend to say anything more about
him, except that his remark in regard to spend
ing "a night with Quintus Horatius Flaccus" l
might change to spending day with the same
gifted Latin epical, odical (f there is such
word) and satirical poet, whose works have been
more highly appreciated in more modern times
than in the generation in which he lived, though
be was then the favorite of the few, compared
with his friend Virgil. who had greater popu-
larity Naples and vicinity were the chosen
stamping grounds" of Horace. l have thought,
however, that day with Horace can be enjoyed
even now with the greatest interest and without
any Of his 'eat drink-and be-merry-for-t o-por-
row-we-die" principles. which crop out in many
Of his odes, epodes and satires.
I have been spending day with Horace in
trip which includes this place that date from,
and Nisida, Lake Avernus, Lake Lucrinus, Baia,
Cnma, Misenum, Virgils Elysian Fields, the
flaws of Tartarus," and the River Styx. How
ever, my day has not only been with Horace. but
have looked upon scenes described by other
poets, such as Homer. Pindar, Sappho, Virgil,
Juvenal, Petronius and Martial in ancient
times, and by some Of the first of modern poets.
What grand prose writer's, too, like Plutarch,
Etrabo, Cicero, Livy, Seneca. the two Plinys,
Tacitus, and a host of others have written about
This delightful part of southern Italy. Neither
will forget that in the very gate Of this classic
region entered the great apostle to the gentiles;
for are we not told that in his voyage from Malta
In the Castor and Pollux he landed
at Puteoli, and remained here a week.
c. ,%A vnh osoto
Luke, that Paul and himself touched at Rhegium
the modern Reggio-''and after one day the
south wind blew, and we came the next day to
Puteoli, where We found brethren and were
desired to stay with them seven days; and so we
went toward Rome"
But not only the scenes of this whole
region dear to sacred literary memories; they
associated with some of the greatest governing
and military minds that ever lived Hannibal,
B. G. PA, went down to Lake Avernus to sacri-
nee to Pluto Julius Caesar had his villa at Baia,
which villa was paatial in size and height, and
was built on one side out into the sea; Pompey
2 the Great here loved to lay aside his cares
Brutus after the assassination OF Caesar, lived
for some time on the island Of Nisida The
"Mare Morte." on whose border are the Eysian
Fields, near the little port where the conference
took place between Augustus Mark Antony
and the younger Pompey 1t is Plutarch
who tells us that when Augustus and
Antony went unarmed on board Pompey's ship
to arrange the partition of the en-
pire, Menas, the admiral of the feet,
asked Pompey if he should cut the cables and
make him master not .'only of Sicily and Sar
DINA, but the whole Roman empire" Pom
pey's answer is one of the famous ones in politi-
cal history s'You should have done it, Menas.
without asking me- Let US now be content
it is to violate my pledged word" Pu.eoli was
Re favorite residence for a time of
augustus. Tiberius died on the mainland
,.ear Misenum, Caius Caesar, better known as
AZ hsa Alyv oh In
boots, " made his famous bridge, from Baia to
Puteoli, over which, clad as Alexander the
Great, Little Boots" rode in triumph, and for
three days and nights had wine ION tap" for all
Corners Hadrian died at Baia and WAS buried
at Puteoli until his huge mausoleuin at Rome,
now known as the Castle of St Angelo. was
finished. Marcus Aurelius (Myron W. Reeds
great MANI used to pass weeks at Puteoli, Baia
and "an along shore" Both the Plinys wit
messed the first recorded eruption of Vesuvius
from Misenum, and the elder Pliny sailed from
Misenum to his death. In short, what Whittier
said of his books, so one may say of the thoughts
and associations of this region:
ssWhat lack of goodly company,
When masters of the ancient Tyre
Obey my call and trace for
Their words of mingled tears and fre9
And priest and sage with solemn brows austere,
And poets garland bound the lords of thought draw
near"
A friend Of mine, now gone, once wrote of an
excursion which he took to Puteoli Baia, Cuma,
Mlsenun, etc, IN the following language Inc
whole region over which we passed was sprinkled
with ruins, and the very dust raised by our
wheels was once the costly marble of imperial
structures. This Shore as every scholar knows,
was the focal point of Roman luxury and splen-
dor, glittering with palaces, temples and villas;
so charming from its climate and position that
men who might elsewhere have inclosed square
miles for their pleasure grounds we're here con-
tent with an acre"
In all this l have only summed up have
not gone into details Still il NAV
be interesting to the readers of the
Indianapolis Journal who love to lcok into the
past. and many of whom are college bred men
in the educational institutions of Indiana or
elsewhere, and will interest some who do not
claim college learning" to look little more
into detail concerning this region consecrated by
sacred and classic associations
lie you leave, with me- Naples by carriage