IV. ADVENTURES OF CELLINI 83 V. SIXTUS THE FIFTH 105 VI. THE STORY OF THE CENCI 132 VII. THE ROMAN INQUISITION 157 VIII. LATER DAYS IN ROME 187 IX. THE PIOMBI OF VENICE 208 X. THE VICARIA OF NAPLES 248 XI. THE CAMORRA AND THE MAFIA 262 List of Illustrations ALEXANDER VI AND MACHIAVELLI _Frontispiece_ THE CASTLE OF ST. ANGELO IN 1490 _Page_ 18 LUCREZIA BORGIA DANCING “ 58 SIXTUS V “ 106 BEATRICE CENCI “ 142 THE GRAND DUCAL PALACE “ 210 ITALIAN PRISONS CHAPTER I THE CASTLE OF ST. ANGELO St. Angelo a living part of the history of Rome--Its origin and uses--Preceded in date by the Mamertine Prison--Mausoleum of Hadrian--Other ancient monuments in Rome--Description of mausoleum--Hadrian, his life and work--Antinous--Funeral procession--Antoninus Pius--Marcus Aurelius--Severus--The mausoleum as a fortress--Struggles with the Barbarians. A prison of great antiquity still exists in Rome and claims precedence in date over St. Angelo. This is the Mamertine Prison, situated just below the Capitol and on the way to the Forum, in which by common tradition St. Peter was confined A.D. 62. The pillar to which he is said to have been chained is still on view, and the well of water is shown which sprang up miraculously for use in the baptism of the converted gaoler and St. Peter’s forty-seven fellow prisoners. It is an appalling place even to-day when the light of heaven creeps down the stairs leading to its subterranean recesses. These were two cellars, one below the other, and access to them was only gained through a small aperture in the roof of the upper cellar, while a similar hole in the floor led down into the cell underneath; neither had any staircase. The upper prison was twenty-seven feet long by twenty wide, the lower, elliptical in shape, was twenty feet long by ten feet wide; the height of the former was fourteen feet and of the latter seven feet. They were used originally as state prisons and lodged only persons of distinction, Jugurtha being among the number. We read in Sallust: “In the prison called Tullian when you have gone a little way down, a place on the left is found sunk twenty feet; it is surrounded by walls on all sides, and above is a room vaulted with stone, but from uncleanliness, darkness and a foul smell the appearance of it is disgusting and terrific.” Livy tells us that this prison was built by Ancus Martius, and like the Cloacae, of large uncemented stones; it was also called “Robur” and