The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-04-04

jan The emperors and senate of Rome
built many Fora. There was the Fo-
rum Bomanum, the Forum of Angus
tus, the Forum Of Nerva, the Forum
Julum; then there We're other grand
Fora, but the most magnificent of all
even far grander and nobler than the
Forum Romanum Qf we can believe
such thing to be possible) was the Foo
rum of the Emperor Trajan. This Fo"
rum formed q series of most gorgeous
edifces and was designed by the great
est architect of the period, Apollodorns
of Damascus.
1t was built after the emperor had
returned from his conquest of the Da~
Gains who dWelt along the Danube.
There We're seven sections in the ar
rangement of this magnificent forum,
such as the forum proper, the Basilica,
the Libraries, the Temple and various
other sections. 1t adjoined the Forum
of Augustus and between the two Fora
was a superb triumphal arch, which
has long since disappeared Only two
or three sections have been partially
excavated for the greatest part lies
hidden beneath streets, churches and
scarcely ever be attempted owing 10
the fact that the land owners have put
an enormous price upon their property
1t seems singular to think that below
the busy streets and houses the splen-
dor of the proudest Forum of the Ro-
man world lies hidden. The portion
which has been unearthed is but small
attract of four hundred feet by one
hundred and fifty,-merely the five
hailed Basilica where we see twenty
feet below the street level forty bases
of immense granite columns; the pave
ment was of rarest marble, In the old
court stands FTrojan's column" This
is a marble shaft eighty seven feet
high or one hundred and forty-seV
feet with the base and statue at the
summit; the diameter is ten feet, and
running around the column is a spiral
band three feet wide and six hundred
feet long, with has reliefs of Trojan's
conquests; there are over twenty-five
hundred human figures represented and
these are over two feet high. Beneath
this splendid column Trojan was bur-
led and his statue was placed on its
summit. The column shows the depth
of the excavation which was made here
between the Quirinal and Capitoline
Hills, when the Forum was built; the
tract of ground which was removed
was over one thousand feet long by five
hundred feet broad and one hundred
feet deep; the old level was about equal
to the height of the column as it stands
to-day. 1t was erected ia A. ID.
spiral staircase of nearly two hundred
steps conducts to the top and standing
here one can look right across the Tiber
to the Trastevere where on the Janicu-
lum slope we can plainly observe the
church of "St. Pietro in Montorio" al
joining which is the Tempietto, small
circular building which covers the spot
where St.Peter was crucified.
The view from Trojan's column is
magnificent one, for we can view an
cient medieval and modern Rome;
but singular as it may appear, I could
onlybehold the holy place ii. e., if
places can be called suchl where the
aged apostle yielded his all to his Mas
ter-his all was his very life. I seemed
to behold a great concourse OF people
hurrying the condemned saint through
the streets Of Rome; across the Pons
Subicius and UP the Janiculum they
went; the jests, the cruel taunts, the
gibes moved not the aged Christian; he
is ready to die and the only favor he
asks of his cruel executioners is to be
allowed to be crucifed head downward,
for he thought himself unworthy to die
as his Lord had died In an upright po-
cd 10 faz ,.,rr ia
the soul of the servant and apostle of
Jesus Christ" assembled to heaven. AS
| leaned on the railing beneath the
statue of st. Peter, which has replaced
that Of the emperor | wondered what
words would the impetuous faithful
apostle utter were he here in the place
of his stone effigy. Might he not ex-
claim in those words which have
sounded clear and loud, ringing down
the centuries, IF We be reproached for
the name of Christ happy are We" .
* 8 unto q faithful Creator" Still
again knowing this first that 40
prophecy of the scripture is Of any pri-
waite Interpretation, lastly seeing
then that all these things shall be dis
solved what manner of persons ought
we to be in all holy conversation and
Godliness?"
At last the shadow of the column
heightened and crept up the hillsides as
the glowing sun god quenched his
burning fires in the waters of the blue
Mediterranean, and as total darkness
enshrouded the great city this ancient
shaft brooded in mournful silence
faithful sentinel; thus has it performed
daily for nearly twenty centuries its
sad office of guardianship in a city
where old things having passed away,
thruth and faith in living God have
superseded the old reign of paganism
and idolatry. VIATOR.
NOTE.
We are all doubtless aware of the
fact that st. Paul wrote or dictated the
following epistles at Rome viz. to the
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Co.
lossians. II. Timothy, Philemon. Hav-
ing followed the footsteps of the great
apostle as he came across the Campag-
ma by the Appian Way and passed into
the city going under the Arch of Dru-
sus: again following him out OF the
citys gate (now called "Porta st. Pao-
lo,) along by the Pyramid of Caius Ces-
thus to the place of his execution, I am
free to confess that the words in the
above epistle come home to me with
greater force and with richer, far deep
er meaning than they ever possessed
before. st. Paul, too seems very real.