New-York tribune., 1908-03-22
PALACE NOW Il VILLAGE.
Three Thousand People Liue Within
Walls of Dioclctians Home.

Diocletian's imperial gorge would rise II he
knew to what base uses his palace on the east
ern shore of the Adriatc is being put the
master of the Roman Empire which was almost
coextensive with the world grew tired OF his
Job and ordered his architects to build him
simple little cottage about three blocks square
On the seacoast. the place of his birth
Here he retired for the last nine years or MS
life debating the story of his troubles with the
Senate and advising young aspirants for I'M
periaI hoIlors to go the stage instead 1t is
said lie contributed articles on fishing to
He magazines, and told in detail how 1t felt TO
fe god. Although the cottage was quite un-
rretertious comprising merely a few temples,
halls. living apartments. baths, barracks, offices
and the like. not to mention fortflcations ana
bombproof shelters. Diocletian never imagined
that posterity would have little respect for
him as turn his home into the modern town
Of Spaato
Where Caesar dwelt the common people swarm
to-day Three thousand inhabitants are
crammed within houses and narrow streets
built inside the bounds of the ancient palace
Base vermin burrow in the purple rug, so to
speak. If they had lived in DiOcletians day
the better hammered of them might have been
honored with jobs vafets, cooks and slaves
10 the boss of the world The outward strength
and solidity OF the palace are easier to recog-
nze now than the internal features. Jupiters
temple has become cathedral, the temple Of
HCsculapius a baptistry. The gods naturally
took back seat when Rome fell; HEsculapius
did not wait for prosecution by the County Med
ical Society.
The halls and apartments have mostly dlSap-
Ieared from Spalato-the word is corruption
Of palatium-and medieval houses cluster thick
y together within the wide quadrangle Here
and there a yaultinS Roman arch overleaps
modern lane Of magnificent CorlnthIan
columns pierces through and oVertops shop or
dwelling The gabble of hucksters and the dick
erng of tradesmen reSound in a spot where
his imperial maj jesty forbade the use Of the
word business and only condescended to re-
ceive taxes in the form Of hard cash. There is
q ripe Old atmosphere to the scene, especially
in summer when the mind travels back thou
sands of miles and wishes the home street
cleaning squad could flush antiquity into the
sewer. Spalato as a combination of the classic
and the modern is unique, that the Roman
amphitheatre at Aries. France, has been cleared
Of the town Of the Middle Ages which formerly
nestled within its walls.
Another sight as You travel down the Adriatic
is the Franciscan oloister at Ragusa. This is the
third Oldest monastery in Europe, said 10 be the
sUccessor to one that was founded by St Fran
els himself. 1t is a sunny. cheerful spot, al
though ina acination sees the centuries hanging
IKE the bats 20 the darker sides Of the veneT-
yble arches. These bats suspend themselves by
their hind legs and are remarkably temperate
considering their situation. Slender octaSonal
double columns. each pair with different yet
equally beautiful capitals, afford gllnpses OF
an open garden beyond, with red roses blooming
bv the statue of 81. Francis and the scent Of
orange blossoms pcrfuming the air. The monks
xace in the cIoisters the long, sunny after
moons telling their beads and keeping their eyes
on the bats. It is beautiful rest cure for an
American to walk here and imagine what the
world was like when there were no stock eX-
changes A hammock and the hutter of velvety