The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-07


somewhat wounded. struck away for the shore,
which she regained not a half a mile from her own
villa, and there she was tracked by those ready
TO do anything for Nero. and was foully MUIR
dered. Both Nero and his mother were q bad
lot. After they had succeeded in putting Bri-
tanicus, the rightfui heir to the throne, out of
the way by a skillfully administered dose Of
poison. they were always plotting against one
another. | am afraid that Seneca was an alder
and abettor in Nero's getting rid of his mother.
Some may attempt toSwhitewash Nero, but the
more l see what contemporary heather writers
say Of the man I am convinced that the general
verdict of time is not Christian prejudice against
the mar who set Rome on fire, burned alive (see
Tacitus1 followers Of Jesus. and executed the
great apostle to the gentlles.n He was simply
Infamous in his life, and back Of his outward life
was a vile and infamous character and heart
1t was far more pleasant to turn our eyes to
other villas. as for instance We could see from
one place we visited what was in the Roman days
named the Villa Cornelia," because it was
owned by Cornelia the mother of the Gracchii
that Cornelia who was the daughter Of Scipio
Africanus. Her villa was purchased by her from
the famous Caius Marius. And what associa-
tions arise as we look upon this very little lake
called by the moderns the Mare Morte,H but by
the ancients tho River Lethe." that stream
whose waters were fancied to blot out all mem
DRY of the past. But / do not refer to Virgips
classic poetry, which places on the borders of
the Mare Morte' the elysian fields, where
4ILbOoo odW tu0 WaiA upOA ~ doPhO-
delian plains, and where, besides his father. he
rather inconsistency saw the shade of Queen
Dido, who had a clear case of breach of pGTpise
against him. /, however, wish to refer 70 the
real historical associations connected with the
Mare Morte. for it was here that there were
always kept one Of the two great Roman fleets
-one was at Ravenna and one here. It was
here that Pliny the elder, as admiral OF the feet,
was stationed. when the eruption OF Vesuvius
took place A. d. 79, which buried Herculaneum
onA porrpofi and vrhtch rocu1fod In tho doafh If
~Pliny-because he left his post and crossed the
bay Of Naples to be nearer the sublime and ter
rible spectacle at Stable. Here, too, it was
that a famous conference was held by Augustus,
Mark Antony and the younger Pompey, about
120 years before Pliny commanded the Roman
feet. Plutarch tells that when the two triumvirs
Augustus ana Antony went unarmed on board
Pompey's ship to arrange the partition OF the
empire, Menos, the then admiral of the fleet,
asked Pompey if he should cut the cables and
make him master mot only of Sardinia and
Sicily, but of the whole Roman empire" Pom
pey had the courage to make a reply that indi-
Gates that he. too, perhaps. had thought the
same thing, but would not listen to his admiral.
You should have done it. Menos." said Pompey,
without asking me. Let US now be content
with our present fortune. for I know not what
it is to violate my pledged word"
But how can I record this eventful day, when
we five Indianians and two Bostonians went over
such classic groundf We walked over the same
road that Paul did when he went a prisoner to
Rome; we stood upon the heights and looked at
the remains of Cuma, q city founded by the
Greeks beford David was on the throne of Israel;
we saw in the distance where Scipio Africanus
died; we bowled over a beautiful
turnpike to the borders Of Lake
Fusaro, the Styx and Acheron OF the ancients,
and instead of being pale shadows ferried over
by old Charon, we entered a boat rowed by an
Italian sailor. and in the Casino of the King
wound up by eating a lunch of oysters and fish
just taken from, not the shorrid Styx" as Virgil
called it. but from the placid waters of the Lake
Fusaro. All pronounced the oysters the best
they had ever eaten in Europe.
We saw this day Avernus 1.-THE hell of Homer
and Virgil) and the Elysian Fields-the fancied
heavens Of the ancients, and the sun was begin
ming to decline when we drove through the Jaws
of Tartarus" ii. g., in the valley between two
long, lofty. vine-clad hills) and around through
Baise and Puteoli to Naples. The city lamps
were twinkling long before we reached our rest
ing places. and though tired We had thoroughly
enjoyed our day amid scenes that were classic
sacred and profane. j. c. FLETCHER.