ITALIAN YESTERDAYS BY MRS. HUGH FRASER Author of “A Diplomatist’s Wife in Japan,” “A Diplomatist’s Wife in Many Lands,” “Reminiscences of a Diplomatist’s Wife,” etc. VOL. I NEW YORK DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY 1913 COPYRIGHT, 1913, BY DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY Published November, 1913 CONTENTS OF VOL. I CHAPTER I PAGE IMPRESSIONS OF EARLY ROME 1 Romance and Companionship of the Past—Rome the Supremely Beloved—Pictures and Legends of Her Origin—Migration of the Alban Shepherds—Romulus and Remus—Etruria’s Civilisation—Whole World Contributes to Rome’s Growth—Brilliant Scenes in the Roman World—Rome’s High Destiny—Numa Pompilius, the Law-giver—Egeria’s Grotto—Love Story of Herodes Atticus and Annia Regilla—Early Christianity. CHAPTER II REMINISCENCES OF MODERN ROME 18 Rome’s Seasons—Childhood Memories of a Roman Spring—My Birthday Festival—A Day in the Country—The Appian Way—Rome’s Great Wall—An Adventure with the Campagna Steers—Campagna Sheep-Dogs—Early Morning Street Scenes—The Giardino Colonna—Secluded Italian Gardens—Inroads of Commercialism—Discovery of a Dream-Garden of the Renaissance—Song of the Nightingale in the Lost Italian Garden. CHAPTER III LAST DAYS OF THE APOSTLES 34 St. Peter’s First Visit to Rome—Wide Scope of His Work—Rome Destined to Become the Seat of Ecclesiastical Government—St. Peter’s Early Converts—Persecution of the Jews—Life in the Catacombs—Simon Magus and St. Peter—Peter’s Return to Rome—Nero’s Slaughter of Christians—Peter’s Vision—“Lord, Whither Goest Thou?”—Preparation for Martyrdom—Last Epistle—St. Peter’s Successor—Imprisonment of St. Peter and St. Paul—Scenes of Final Tragedy—Crucifixion of Peter—Paul Beheaded—Devotion of Their Followers. CHAPTER IV ROMAN YESTERDAYS 51 The Gods of the Roman World—Leaven of Christianity—Measures of the Emperors Against the Christians—Nine General Persecutions—Mad Extremes of Heliogabalus—Rescue of the Bodies of the Apostles—Tragic History of the Appian Way—The Joys of Solitude—How Marion Crawford Became the Master of San Niccola—A Solitude of Relaxation and Quiet—A Secluded Garden on the River in Rome—The Contrasts of Life and the Happiness in Hoping—An Artists’ Festival—How a Roman Emperor Looked. CHAPTER V