﻿THE 
  SPLENDOR 
  OF 
  ROME 
  

  

  603 
  

  

  -Elmendorf, 
  from 
  (.'.allow; 
  

  

  the: 
  pyramid 
  of 
  cestius 
  

  

  The 
  Egyptian 
  pyramidal 
  form 
  was 
  frequently 
  adopted 
  by 
  the 
  Romans 
  in 
  their 
  tombs. 
  

   To 
  the 
  left 
  of 
  St. 
  Paul's 
  gate, 
  in 
  the 
  rear 
  of 
  the 
  pyramid, 
  is 
  a 
  chapel 
  where, 
  according 
  to 
  

   legend, 
  St. 
  Peter 
  and 
  St. 
  Paul, 
  on 
  their 
  last 
  journey, 
  took 
  leave 
  of 
  each 
  other. 
  Caius 
  Cestius 
  

   Epulo, 
  a 
  praetor 
  and 
  tribune 
  of 
  the 
  people, 
  died 
  before 
  12 
  B. 
  C. 
  

  

  Over 
  by 
  the 
  huge 
  Treasury 
  Building, 
  

   which 
  is 
  the 
  bitter 
  jest 
  of 
  Rome, 
  far 
  be- 
  

   low 
  the 
  pavement, 
  are 
  the 
  cells 
  where 
  

   moulder 
  through 
  the 
  centuries 
  the 
  bones 
  

   of 
  Vestals 
  who 
  loved 
  not 
  wisely 
  nor 
  well. 
  

   With 
  a 
  crust 
  of 
  bread, 
  a 
  dish 
  of 
  wine 
  and 
  

   water, 
  a 
  small 
  lamp, 
  they 
  went 
  down 
  alive 
  

   into 
  the 
  gloom 
  and 
  were 
  sealed 
  there 
  

   forevermore. 
  

  

  Not 
  at 
  first 
  were 
  Rome's 
  buildings 
  

   showy. 
  The 
  Kingdom 
  and 
  the 
  Republic 
  

   built, 
  of 
  tufa 
  and 
  peperino 
  (volcanic 
  

  

  stone), 
  structures 
  dull 
  in 
  color 
  and 
  small 
  

   in 
  size, 
  and 
  only 
  toward 
  the 
  end 
  began 
  to 
  

   coat 
  them 
  with 
  stucco 
  and 
  adorn 
  them 
  

   with 
  terra-cotta. 
  

  

  Tarquin's 
  great 
  temple 
  to 
  Jupiter 
  was 
  

   of 
  these, 
  its 
  smooth 
  stucco 
  of 
  marble 
  dust, 
  

   and 
  on 
  the 
  roof 
  a 
  terra-cotta 
  quadriga 
  

   that 
  required 
  a 
  fresh 
  coat 
  of 
  paint 
  each 
  

   year. 
  It 
  was 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  gentle 
  joys 
  of 
  

   Rome 
  to 
  chaff 
  the 
  consuls 
  whose 
  duty 
  it 
  

   was 
  to 
  apply 
  the 
  paint. 
  Glistening 
  white 
  

   and 
  brilliant 
  red, 
  the 
  temple 
  rose 
  against 
  

  

  