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

On the Borders OF the Italian Lake
Nemi.
| should like to tell YOU of a trim 10
the mysterious temple of Diana, served
by that strange priesthood of runa-
way slaves, who had killed their pre.
decessors.
me priest that slew the slayer,
And shall himself be slain.
we TOOK the morning train to
Albano. passing the beautiful Alban
lake and two or three picturesque
Towns, as We climbed the hills after
crossing the Campagna. At Albano
we took a two,wheeled cart, called q
carrozzina, drawn by diminutive
horse and driven by small boy. and
set on at rafting pace through the
suony streets. The roads finally be-
came secluded and very beautiful. We
met herd of goats-60 or more
Just outside the town, but after they
mad gone by we saw no living creature
during the three-mile drive. Roses
were blooming in the hedges. and the
small boy, hearing me exclaim over
some particularly beautiful pink ones.
was out of the cart in minute and
gathering them for me.
Soon we began to see the lake. over
It's volcanic rim, deep down in its
green bowl. On oppnsite sides of the
lake Genzano and Nemi faced each
ouner, 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 level OF
the lake we came upon acres of straw,
berry beds. some of them red with, the
ripe berries (Nemi is famous for
this fruit, a little larger than our
own wild berries, but looking much
like them.
After some search we found the
ruins OF the temple, which are rather
puzzling to understand. But little
can be seen now save two long walls
at right angles to each other. and
backed by the hillside, each containing
Ii inches for statues, probably two OF
the sides on an inclosing colonnade
WI taso ?nfis fat egg rfiafswpe
The whole is now overgrown with
ivy and lick, with dainty maidenhair
ferns Springing out of the crevices OF
the inches.
We sat down in a sunny spot to cal
our luncheon, watching the bright
green lizards dart in and out of the
wall, and our sandwiches and oranges
and figs tasted very good We tried
to put ourselves back into those DAYS
when the white-robed priestesses
served in this temple and the fearful
priest watched always for the comins
OF the one he must sometime NEE
In mortal struggle. But it all seemed
dim and far away, while the peaceful
scene, before us,-the blue lake, thu
the olive groves, the voices of mer
and women at work, pruning The
vines and picking the olives, snatch
OF song on the hillside,-this wa.
real human and comprehensive.
A walk by the side of the lake
brought us to fisherman's hut, ant
We got him to row us across to Gen
zano, passing over the sunken treasure
ships that for so many hundred years
have been hidden in the bosom of the
lake. Several attempts haze beer
made to raise them, ard once some
beams We're brought up and few
bronzes recovered. Curiously enough
that very evening, after our return, WI
saw in the Roman World that another
attempt to recover them would soor
be made by draining the lake through
its artificial outlet and some methot
OF siphoning. How thrilling it would
be if, after all these centuries, the hid
| den treasure, guarded so jealously
should be brought to light.
4