Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-04-24
CARNIVAL DEAD IN ROME
LITTLE LEFT OF THE MERRY-MAK
ING OF THE PAST.
The Races in the Corso, the Professions
the Masking All Practically
Gone.

Twenty years ago the Roman carnival
was still well worth seeing aud the pro-
cession of gorgeously dressed masquer-
aders that filled the Corso was not only
novel sight to foreigners but a source
OF enjoyment to the Romans of all
classes. Carnival time saw unlimited
festivities, and the gay confusion and
tossing of flowers and bonbons, the show
ering Of confetti, the splendidly draped
balconies and windows filled with happy
faces, were only the outward display of
excessive inward gayety which filled the
heart of every Roman.
Today the real carnival is no more,
and although there are still the bonbOns,
the draped balconies and the crowded
streets, the whole performance is moth
ing short of a farce which appeals chief
ly to the minds of little children who are
dazzled by the tiuttering of brightly col
ored paper ribbons and the peting of
confetti. The pitiable display does not
give even faint idea of the Roman no
BILE gala feast of the past century.
During the Middle Ages the carnival
festivals were many and varied. The
most extraordinary was the sO-called
feast of the mad. or of the innocents, as
it was known in some places, La fiesta
del pazzI innocenti," which was held in
churches, although of a profane charac-
ter. A donkey was wOrshipped as the
symbol of docility, utility and servility.
Ridiculous honors were paid to him by
the assembled crowds, and a Pope a
bishop and a King of the mad were elect
ed. Many famous sculptors have repre-
Sented this ceremony on Gothic mOnu-
mentS.
About the middle of the Fifteenth cen
fury a characteristic carnival feast was
introduced in Rome which survived until
tho .nln
brated race which was run in the Via
Flaminia and it was known as the Corsa
del Barbara. The name Via Falminia
was changed to COrso owing to the race.
These medieval shows were continued
until a comparatively recent date, and
the artists who fiocked to Rome from
different parts of the world contributed
to render them historically correct and
ENTHUSIASTICALLY perfect. Gradually the
custom of holding them in public was
discontinued and from professions they
were changed to so-called historical mas
querades, which were held in the Negll-
oni or the theaters or at the Artist club.
Today they have almost died out, al
though this year the artists intend to
give a ball at their club, which they say
has been changed into the Golden house
of Nero, and in all probability the show
will prove but a shadow of similar ones
held in the past, as the carnival In Rome
yive it. will succeed.
The close of the old carnival on the eve
of Ash Wednesday, when Lent began,
was especially. exciting from the fact
that the people strived with all their
might to get US much pleasure as they
could out of the few hours that, were left,
The last game of all consisted in blow,
ing out the carnival, as it We're
Every person was provided with
small candle, which he strove to keep lit
While he tried to extinguish the candles
of his neighbors. AS the candles burned
low cry went up, "Gar Jda j; is de-, dead ID
carnival is dead" And dead 1t really
was. but for a year only, as each new
wear from early ancient times with their
saturnalia down to the Middle Ages with
their shows, professions and pageants;;
and later with the races, masques ana
day the carnival time is marked in cal,
endars. probably lest its memory should
be entirely forgotten.