Enlarged in heart with such desire and prayer And lifted high in hope of what would be, Paul walked as one with feet above the ground Unconsciously buoyed up to tread the air. But God had further cheer in store for him. At Appii Forum and the Taverns Three, Two several stations on the Appian Way, There met him out of Rome two companies Of brethren who, while he abode those days Guest at Puteoli, had heard of him As Romeward faring, and had come thus far To bring him greeting and good cheer. They vied With one another, those two companies, In joyful rivalry of love to see Which should speed faster farther forth, and come First with their plight of loyalty to Paul. Divided thus, their welcome doubled was In worth and in effect to him who now Thanked God and took fresh heart. So on to Rome. The city, from the summit of a hill Surmounted, of the Alban range, hill hung With villas and with villages, was seen, A huge agglomerate of building heaved Above the level campagna, circuit wide By the blue Sabine mountains bounded north With lone Soracte in Etruria shown-- Streets of bright suburbs, gardens, aqueducts Confused about the walls on every side. Between long rows of stately sepulchers Illustrious with memorial names inscribed, The Scipios, the Metelli, many more-- Each name a magic spell to summon up The image of the greatness of the Rome That had been--ranged along the Appian Way, Slowly they passed, Paul with his train, unmarked. Through throngs of frequence serried ever dense And denser with the confluence of the tides Of travel and of traffic intermixed, Pedestrian, and equestrian, and what rolled In chariots, splendid equipage, or mean, Entering and issuing at the city gate-- Slowly, thus hindered, on they urged their way. At last they--passing by the Capene port Under an arch of stone forever dewed And dripping through its grudging pores with ooze As of cold sweat wrung out by agony To bear the great weight of the aqueduct Above it--were within the Servian Wall. On their left hand the Aventine, they wound About the Coelian by its base; traversed A droop of hollow to the Palatine; Over the gentle undulation named Velia next passing (where, ere many years, The arch of Titus would erect its pride To glory over Jerusalem destroyed!); Hence down the Sacred Way into the famed Forum, where stood that milestone golden called Which rayed out roads to all the provinces, And was as if the navel of the world.