THE COLISEUM. 271 



skill of those old builders who could run up a roofless 

 wall of seventy or eighty feet, and make it stand the 

 storms and earthquake shocks of twenty centuries. 

 Within these galleries 100,000 spectators used to 

 assemble to witness the games and gladiatorial 

 combats in the open space in the centre, or (water 

 having been turned in), naval fights in such real 

 earnest that men were killed for the mere amusement 

 of those who looked on. Here are the lofty ceilings 

 and leaden pipes, and bright pictured walls which 

 gave comfort and elegance to the imperial household. 



THE COLISEUM. 



BY CLARENCE LUCAS. 



Colossal remnant ! Vast and mighty ruin ; 

 Thou crumbling echo of great Emperors gone ; 

 Like the vague memory of a glorious dream 

 Remainest thou. Shadow of vanished splendor, 

 Thy limpid fountains stifled up with slime, 

 Thy kingly lion's den a silent cave, 

 Thy monarch's balcony a bed of weeds. 

 Thy vast arena green, that oft ran blood. 



The brooding owl hoots nightly unmolested. 

 Where first some trembling maid confessed her love ; 

 The .skulking rat his midnight feast engorges 

 Of refuse on the throne where GVssar sat. 



