The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-01
ii.

Such is the picture which Poggio drew OF Rome
in the early part OF the fifteenth century II
is 10 some extent inaccurate since several
monuments which still remained arc omitted
II, as regards tho number and grandeur
Of the still existing memorials Of classic
times ancient Rome already bore In the
fourteenth century her present aspect
the living city. nevertheless presented
an entirely different character In order to re
call It, We must eliminate all that has been since
built Even If a picture Of Rome in the four
tenth century were compared with one OF the
city in the thirteenth the former would show
a still greater amount OF ruin in the fortresses
OF the mobiles and the churches, and would prove
that several districts had been absorbed by swamps
and wildernesses Gregorovius renounces the
task of depicting the imposing waste on which
Petrarch gazed from the baths of Diocetian,
and Poggio, from the Capitol, This vast urban
world. with its hills crowned by lowly churches,
with its deserted fields. with the masses OF ruins
Of ancient and medieval Rome and
with the scattered clusters OF streets.
resembled wide landscape Of plains
and hills to which tho walls Of Aurelian
alone gave unity Rome in the fourteenth cen
tury represented two great historic periods in
devastation side by side. pagan antiquity and
the Christian middle ages The Imagination
can scarcely trace q moro interesting contrast
than that presented by the city at three different
periods, TO wit in the time of her greatest splen-
dor under Hadrian, in tho middle period under
Charles the Great and IN the hour OF her deepest
decadence az the end OF the fourteenth century
After tho Trastevere and the island had been
reunited TO the Urbs Romano In the beginning
Of the fourteenth century. the city consisted OF
thirteen quarters. or so-calcd regions. In tho
course OF the century tho names which these still
bear became established, The most populous
OF the quarters were at that time Ponte,
Prea and Trastevere Each region contained
several streets and squares Scarcely any pave
ment other than that Of ancient times was seen
in Rome: but few streets followed their ancient
course II would he impossible to exaggerste
the disorder OF these streets blocked as they were
by rubbish heaps, marshes and patches OF cul.
lvated soil. The Roman houses OF tho period
consisted mainly OF brick. but had many wooden
additions such we still sec in Trastevcre Their
balconies oggias and vestibules rendered still mar
ROVER the tortuous streets The ground floor OF
thclarger houses was formed OF Roman arches rest.
ing on pillars. These pillars were taken from
ancient monuments; the most magnificent marble
OF granite columns were cut down
TO ht them for phvate dwellings. OF
all cities. Rome was the richest In
columns In the thirteenth and fourteenth cen
turtles and even earlier the arcaded streets Of
Rome resembled the streets OF Bologna at the
present day. Even now, one may form a clear
idea OF this style Of architecture In tho Re6ola.
one OF the oldest quarters Of tho city. Tho col
umns which We there find built into tho walls Of
several houses, were taken from the Theatre of
Balbus, which provided material for the ncghbor-
hood. The Theatre OF MArcellus tho Circus
Flavainius the Theatre of Pompey, tho Porco
OF Octavia and other great monuments furnished
in like manner their surrounding districts with
stones and columns which may be still discovered
in many houses Gothic architecture added
foreign ornaments to the round-archcd Roman
structures: but these ornaments were. In general
restricted to the windows, which were incased
with black peperino. Half Gothic windows were