Walks in RomeHare, Augustus J. C. (Augustus John Cuthbert)
History
Walks in Rome
Hare, Augustus J. C. (Augustus John Cuthbert)
Rome (Italy) -- Description and travel
A nobis abigas lubrica gaudia
Tu, qui martyribus dexter ades,
Deus
Une et trine: tuis da famulis jubar,
Quo clemens animos beas. Amen."
There is nothing especial to notice in _S. Adriano_, which is built in
the ruins of the basilica of Emilius Paulus, or in _S. Lorenzo in
Miranda_, which occupies the temple of Antoninus and Faustina, but _Sta.
Maria Liberatrice_, built on the site of the house of Numa and the
convent of the Vestals, commemorates by its name a curious legend of the
fourth century. On this site, it is said, dwelt in a cave, a terrible
dragon who had slain three hundred persons with the poison of his
breath. Into this cave, instructed thereto by St. Peter, and entrusting
himself to the care of the Virgin, descended St. Silvester the Pope,
attended by two acolytes bearing torches, and here, having pronounced
the name of Christ, he was miraculously enabled to bind the dragon, and
to shut him up till the day of Judgment. But when he ascended in safety,
he found at the mouth of the cave two magicians who had followed him in
the hope of discovering some imposture, dying from the poison of the
dragon's breath,--and these also he saved alive.
We now reach the circular building which has been so long known as the
temple of Remus. To the right of the entrance are two pillars of
cipolino, almost buried in the soil. The porphyry pillars at the
entrance, supporting a richly sculptured cornice, were probably set up
in their present position when the temple was turned into a church. The
bronze doors were brought from Perugia. If, as is now supposed, the
temple on this site was that of the Penates, the protectors against all
kinds of illness and misfortune, the modern dedication to the protecting
physicians Cosmo and Damian may have had some reference to that which
went before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account