The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-07-18
The Mystery
of the Horses
of St. Marks
Their Origin in Doubt
Their Present Where
abOuts q State Secret.

stated mat the famous gllded
bronze horses which for centu-
ries have adorned the principal
portal of st. Marks Church in Venice
have been removed to a place Of safety
because Of the fear that they might
be damaged by hostile aviators or
warships. Apparently the italian ~
thorities have decided that the -four
horses have suffered enough hardships
since they were first placed on the
parapet of st. Marks and by hiding
them they will not be exposed to dan
ger in the event of an invasion Of
Venice by the enemy. The Smelling Of
the Rheims Cathedral has been an OBJ
feet lesson to the Italian Government.
Before the European var the horses
OF st. Marks were one of the sights
Of Venice. The glowing mosaics OF
the glorious Byzantine structure. the
lofty campanile. the Grand Canal, the
Doge's palace. the marbles. the bronze
doors and the inscriptions in the
basilica have no greater attractions
for visitors than the four horses. beau
tiful specimens Of sculpture. standing
to the right of the famous clock tower,
with their left fore feet lifted. heads
erect, unbridled, and beautiful flowing
tails.
John Ruskin. who lived much in
Venice and wrote much about the ISL
and city. in his book st. Marks Rest:
A history OF Venice says. II begin
with the horses-those ! saw In my
dream In 1871 putting on their harness.
These are the sign to Europe OF the
destruction Of the Greek Empire by
the Latin. They are chariot horses,
the horses of the Greek quadriga.
and they are the trophies Of Henry
Dandolo.'
Another writer on Venice. L. NJ.
Rogg. in his book Things Seen in
Venice" expresses his sentiments
toward the horses In this manner:
Four steeds divine that strike the ground
resembling with their feet.
And from their nostrils snor; ethereal
fame.
Where the four horses originally
came from has been a much mooted
question. According to n popular
guide OF Venice much used at present
"the -four horses OF st. Marks. five
feet high. are among the finest Of
ancient bronzes. They probably once
adorned the triumphal arch OF Nero
"a. n. 1869 and afterward that Of
TraJan "a. d. 52-17O. Constantine
"a. n. 270-331) sent them to adorn the
imperial hippodrome at Constantinople.
whence the Doge Enrico Dandolo took
them to Venice In 1904 as the spoils
Of war. In 1877 they were carried to
Paris by Napoleon, where they were
set up on the triumphal arch In the
Place du Carrousel. but In 1915 they
were restored to their former position
by Emperor Francis"
Another authority says that "they
We're taken from the triumphal arch
OF Titus "a. D.. 40-Sl) to the Greek
New Rome"
Thus there seems to be a great diff
ference Of opinion among historians as
to where the horses came from. Some
assert that the -four horses originally
came from Greece, being modelled
after the winners Of the four horse
chariot race in the olympic games.
Other authorities maintain that quad
rigas were unknown to the Greeks and
consequently the horses were FASH
Toned after the quadrigas appearing on
Roman triumphal arches. coins and
gems, particularly in the time OF Nero.
During the sos a history Of Vene-
tan antiquities. prepared under the
direction Of Prof. Camille Bioto and
translated by william Scott. was pub
lished in Venice. The book was called
"The Basilica Of st. Marks" Each sub
ject was assigned to a man best quail
fed TO deal with It. The history of the
four horses was entrusted to a. Dali
Acqua Giustl. and there is no doubt
he did his work well.
Giustl found that Niketas OF Iconium
lamented the irreparable devastation
caused in Constantinople by the Latins
when they hesieged and q the city
In 1904. Niketas deplored the destruc-
ton Of the ancient statues. However.
the four horses OF gilt copper were
jealousy preserved. Those horses had
been placed in the hippodrome above
the grand stand when the chariots
stood ranged before the race.
Niketas repeats the words OF al Arab
who had fled to the hippodrome and
assembled 10 the tower. The Arab said:
"They were four horses of gilt copper
Tor bronze) with their necks some-
what curved. turned toward one an
other and eager for the race"
Other Byzantine writers besides
Niketas speak OF the horses. Papias,
an old writer, relates that the four
gilded horses placed on the upper part
of the h~ippodrome were brought dur
ing the reign Of the younger Theodo-
eius from the island OF Chios, a large
island close to the Asian shore and
widely known as the home OF the al
legged descendants Of Homer. George
kodinos, another writer, takes the
same view Of their origin.
Therefore the first undisputed move
ment Of the horses was as a part of
tins share Of the loot OF Constantinople
haItng to the Venetians in their union
With the crusaders.
When the four horses reached Ven
ice they were Immediately placed on
tho front Of the basilica of St, Marks,
mere the passing throngs could see
~ admire them. But even IL the
masses did accord TO the beautiful
horses their admiration the Venetian
writer's did not %enthuse, and most of
them failed to note the event. Even
such an ardent writer as Andre Dam
dolo, who devoted much time and
trouble to enumerating the relics and
bodies OF saints brought from Con-
stantinople, failed to say one word
Shout the horses.
fetrarch seems to be the nrst writer
to mention them. 1t was In 1884. 1t
the time there was great Joy and cell
ehratlng In Venice because n rebellion