Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-03-13
ESTABLISHED 1876
ROGER I'm SUNNY ITALY
CASTLES. CHURCHES, GREAT
MEN-PAST AND PRESENT
Wanders Amid the Ruins and Revives
Again the Memory of Italy's
Ancient History

train. we rode through country OF
centuries cultivation of olives and
grapes. We run along the base of the
Apprentices and see old cities built on
the mountain side; see old fortresses,
castles and cathedrals standing boldly
on the highest rocky points. We up
grade, then through a tunnel; now down
grade TO the Tlber to Rome. Looking
out of the window, far away | see tow
ering high dome, above ali things
visible on the earth; il is st. Peters
showing that we are nearing the Eter-
nal City. We pass under the aoue-
duct standing high over the campagna.
much broken, and Shere two thousand
years ago, water flowed from the Alban
bills twenty miles away, to supply the
millions who drank and bathed in the
Acqua. Took rooms in the Grand Hotel,
surroundings pleasant; did not see the
lowly nor did we look for it. ..
travelling In the simple life we took
an electric car to Piazza VenetisA where
we commenced the tour of Rome. We
stop before the Italian monument to
Victor Emanuel, who unified Italy. 1t
is of pure white marble, and the mob
lest of all tombs on the continent of
Europe. to glorify the builder of Italy.
Not far away is the home of the Pope,
in the vatican, by st. Peters, the great
est of all cathedrals. The monument
OF Victor Emanuel is to be the resting
place of the king who abolished the
Papal states and sent the Vicegerent of
Christ to suite of rooms in the Vati-
can. This in spite of the excommuni-
cation OF the royal fa.-ily. We wonder
how a nation so poor, with an army so
large, would undertake to glorify the
name of Emanuel who made provinces
nation, which the of the world
honor and greatly respect. On the four
corners are bronze quadrag, gilded with
gold. In the center over the main en-
| trance an equestrian bronze statue of
Victor Emanuel, copied from the eques-
trlan statue Of Marcus Aurelius which
we will stand before little further on.
We reach the foot of the Capitolian
bill; we pass the she wolf in an iron
cage, uneasy as wolves are in. captiv-
| ity. 1t represents the tradition of
Romulns one of the founders. On a
| peueslai iarthsr up is a bronze man
earnestly pleading for a tax on salt.
his bronze features show great ea-
nestness. Ii is Renzi, and the peor
dragged him to his death, ard there
ended the last Roman Tribune, that
had stood for the people for sixteen
centuries.
At the head of the steps we pass be-
tween the colossal statues of Caster
and Pollux holding their horses, and
chiseled from marble. They performed
several stunts in the Tarquinian period.
In the center of the piazza is bronze
equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius.
This isa masterpiece, cast in the third
century, and has sithstood the hurri-
canes and barbarians for sevents On CEN
turtles. II has been model for artists
/ TO copy all the centuries 1t has stood
there.
We turn to the right to the Capitol
and enter the museum to see the an
tiques, the work of the ages far in the
east. The Greek masters cut well in
marble their gods, goddesses, busts of
the priests, sages, philosophers aid
statesmen; are perfect works, never
| approached by subsequent sculptors.
We halt before the work of Phidias. of
| Myron and others of the period when
Greek sculpture reached the climax of
all time, the sixth century before the
Magi followed the star that stood over
Bethlehem, the anniversary of which
we celebrate in q few days. ! see on
the wall fragments of the twelve tables
Of the law, in bronze, and posted that
those who could read might know the
law. This bronze fragments is reported
to be the first statute of legislative
body ever given to man. We cross the
square and enter the Senate more
marble statuary, more busts, more
my thology the wrestler. the discus,
the runner so truy to nature, perfect
il art and much that reflects a religion
that fiourished and disappeared. We
go down towards the Arch of SeptfTtaus
leading to the Forum. We enter. 90
down, and were shown where Pidro
was sleeping when the angel came,
awoke and released Peter from the cell
and told him to go forth and fight the
good battles. His report may be found
in most all the homes in Vernon, hope.
| see before me the Forum, columns
broken and standing. We walk along
where the unblemished animals, bulls,
boars and rams, ribboned and laureled
were led to the altar for sacrifice We
stop at Assilian Julia, the Temple Con-
cord where Caesars body was brought
for the funeral pyre. | stood where
Brutus and Antony stood two thousand
years ago, and having pocket edition
of Shakespeare | read the two master
orations delivered at the very place
i BO w bUG pitC VI UEtCh WHEIC LtC EftdS
Caesars ashes were placed, now and
for centuries ruins. They rendered unto
Caesar things that were Caesars, and
history has told of HIM, the greatest of
Romans.
turn to the right, to the Temple
Vesta. The virgins, pure in heart and
who kept sacred fires alive on the affairs
of their god; their mission was one of
love and pity and their successors are
the nuns. pass to the Arch of Titus,
which the great Roman built to COM
memorate the fall of Jerusalem He
made the poor Jew carry the sacred
utensils of the Temple to Rome, to
build the arch of their misfortunes and
cut in stone the seven prong candle
stick, the ark of the covenant, and are
to be seen in rock today. pass on to
the coliseum; | ascend to the upper
tier, and look down in the arena, and
what scenes enacted there chilled my
blood, though two thousand years ago
all for religion established by law. How
much better in the fifteenth century
let the inquisition tell. | pass under
the arch of Constantine, go down the
Appian way to the place where Peter
heard voice: "Quovadis" and recog-
nized the spirit form and voice of
Christ. A church marks the place.
Down the Appian, then turn to the right
and reach the St. Paul church, where
st. Paul was beheaded | return to
the city. / stand by the Column Tro-
jan, the temple in ruins. The column
in base relief represents Trojan s march
to the Danube, builds bridge, crosses,
-