The Delta independent., 1907-03-07
STEPHAN'S VISIT
CITY OF ROME.

DEPENPENT is permitted to publish.
Feb. IL, 1907.
DEAR PARA
wanted to write to you yesterday
but was too tired after dinner-my only
spare time. thought of you and
wished l could send you some of the
beautiful roses and violets that they
sell on the streets here, for mammals
grave. know, tho. that you will have
flowers to lay there. as it is the only
way we can remember her birthdays
now.
We went to the Capitol yesterday
and also looked at the Tarpean Rock.
1t is not very impressive now. as the
ground has gradually filled up around
its foot for many feet, and there are
houses built right against it. The cap
itol hill is approached by staircase of
very wide shallow steps; at the bottom
are two lions in dark granite. Near the
top. on the left is a small park, con-
tanning bronze statue of Rienzi, and
two large cages in one of which is kept
she-w wolf. and in the other some eagles.
At the head of the stairway, on either
hand. are two large marble groups of
"Horse-tamers." and beyond them, on
the balustrade, to right and lett.
statues, then the milestone from an
ancient Roman road. and the 7th mile
stone from the Appian way. The steps
lead you into square, on the three
sides of which are buildings. In the
center is a magnificent bronze esquestar-
ian statue of Marcus Aurelius. dating
from the l3 or l4th century. On the
left of the square, or piazza. as they
call them in Rome, is the buildin & con-
tanning the Capitoline Museum. On the
right is the Palace Consemtori. also
containing sculptures and pain tings.
and on the back. facing one as they
ascend the stairs, is the Palace of the
Senators. now used as for civic pur-
poses: from either side of it, narrow
stair ways lead down to the Forum,
which lies Immediately back of it, and
just beyond the Forum is the Colosseum.
To the right of the Forum, as you de-
scend to it from the Capitol hill, lies
the Palitine hill, with its runs of i'm
perial palaces. You may remem Der
that Caligula had bridge built from
the Palitine to the Capitol IN order to
facilitate his intercourse with Jore.
whose temple was on the Capitol and
whose representative he claimed to be.
The Palitinc hill. as well as the Forum,
is all enclosed by fence and you have to
pay to enter. We are going this week
to the Palitine One descends from
the Capitol, enters the Forum near the
temple of Saturn-s pillars still stand
ing with the Arch of Septimus Sever
us on the left hand. Walk the length
of the Forum, pass under the Arch of
Titus, and you come out near the Golden
House of Nero. on your left, the Pail
tine hill on your right and in front of
you the Coliseum. Just by the Coils
scum is the best preserved arch in
Rome, the Arch of Constantine. You
may remember that the Palitinc did
Flol dllotu IOoiIl SIlOuSu loi VIC sSiiSS-
less extravaganza of Nero. so he built
his Golden House. over toward the Col
lisscum. and had a colossal statue of
himself as God of the Sun erected in
front of it. 1t was that statue that
gave the Coliseum its name.
In the Capitol we saw some very fine
statues. the Dying Gladiator. of which
VIC have seen 50 many pictures, the
Faun of Praxitcles (which inspired
Hawthorne's Marble Faun' that
mamma liked SO welD and the Capt.
tolinc Venus. which George and con-
slider the most beautiful statue we have
seen in Italy. 1t is Greek, tho. and
even WE can see how much more beau
tiful the Greek statues are than the
Roman.
We spent the afternoon in the Pin
clan gardens, a most magnificent park.
all laid out with fountains, trees,
statues, beautiful shaded walks and
dclls. and bits of ruins. until it resem-
bles scene on the stage. A military
band was playing and there was an i'm
mcnsc crowd. Until 80 years ago. these
gardens were waste, and it was be-
licved they were wandered over by the
ghost of Nero, who is buried at the
foot of the hill where the church of st.
Maria del Popola now. stands. These
beautiful gardens are deserted in sum-
mer on account of the dangerous Roman
Marble Faun'', Fever walks arm in
arm with you thru these beautiful
shaded paths, and death awaits you Mt
the end of the VISTA" But at this sea
son and during March and April they