Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1906-04-05
TEMPLE OF DIANA VISITED
On the Borders of the Italian Lake
NemI

| should like TO tell YOU OF a trip to
the mysterious temple of Diana, served
by that strange priesthood of runa-
way slaves, who had killed their, pre-
decessors.
The priest that slew the slayer. =
And shall himself be slain
We took the morning train TO
Albano, passing the beautiful ABban
lake and two or three picturesque
towns, as We climbed the hills after
crossing the Campagna- At Albano-
We took a two1wheeled cart, called a
carrozzina, drawn by tfinnnutive
horse and driven by a small boy ansi-
set off at rafting pace through thIer
stony streets. The roads finally be-.
came secluded and very beautiful. We
met a herd of goats-60 or more
just outside the town, but after they
had gone by we saw no living creature
during the three-mile drive. Roses
were blooming in the hedges and tins.
small boy. hearing me exclaimi over
some particularly beautiful pink ones.
was out of the cart in al minute auG
gathering them for me-
Soon we began to see, the lake. ever
It's volcanic rim, deep down In Ire
green bowl. On oprnsite sides OF efsr
lake Genzano and Nemi faced eaen
other, each on its high rocky Cliff.
while all the steep slopes were cover
ed with vines and olive trees. On
reaching Nemi We dismissed our cart
and began the zigzag descent to the
lake, stepping aside once to let little
donkey with big, wide panniers.
pass us. AS we neared the Ssveg OF.
the lake we came upon acres of straw
berry beds. some of them red with the
ripe berries (Nemi is famous fog
this fruit, a little larger than our
avn wild berries, but looking much.
like them.
After some search We found the
ruins of the temple, which are rathec
puzzling to understand. But little
can be seen now save two long walls
nj right angles to each other. and
backed by the hillside, each contain.n,.
IL inches for statues, probably two OF
the sides ON an inclosing eolonnad,s
y.yi taso ?nffi$ fat egg rfiafswpg
The whole is now overgrvwn witt
ivy and lick, with dainty maidenhair
ferns spripging out of the crevices OF
the inches.
| We sat down in a sunny spoel to ca.
our luncheon, watching tho hrigh.
green lizards dart in and out OF the
| wall, and our sandwiches and oranges
and figs tasted very good. We tfiea
TO put ourselves back into those days
when the white-robed priesteSsea
served in this temple and the fearfns
priest watched always for the COMING
OF the one he must sometime meet
IN mortal struggle. But 1t all seemed
dim and far away. while the peaceful
scene before us,-tthe blue lake the
the olive groves the voices of rser
and women at work, pruning the
vines and picking the olives, a snatch,
OF song on the hillside,-this was
real human and comprehensive.
walk by the side of the lake
brought us to fisherman's hut, ana
We got him to row us across to Gen
zano, passing over the sunk treasurss
ships that for so many hundred years
have been hidden in the bosom of the
lake. Several attempts have been
made to raise them, and once some,
beams We're brought up and few
bronzes recovered. Curiously enough.
that very evening, after our return, WIS
| saw in the Roman World that auotJ,szx.
attempt to recover them would soou
be made by draining the lake thiuut.sl
its artificial outlet and some method
OF siphoning. How thrilling II would
be II, after all these centuries, the hfd.
den treasure, guarded SO jealousy
should be brought to light.