Vol TL] 
In pelegrina, the letter L has probably 
‘been fubfituted for R. 
~ "Phere is alfo a little portative lamp, 
having only one fnufk; handles of other 
-veffels, the bodies of which are not to be 
found; little fpoons for, cutting pomatum 
or fard; and a large platter or round ba- 
fon, afoot and a half im diameter, made 
in the fhell fathion, and remarkably weil 
executed. At the bottom: of this-utenfil 
ftill adheres a {mall piece of linen, ap- 
parently the remains of a napkin or hand 
towel, an evident proof of the precipita- 
tion with which this treafure was con- 
cealed. 
The mof curious pieces, however, of 
this treafure, and which afford the mott 
{avisfa@kory proof of the high quality of 
the lady to whom they belongea, are two 
large apples of filver, and tour fmatler 
figures of the fame metal, which feem to 
have been ornaments appurtenant to a 
curule chair, or, at leait, to what the an- 
cients called a geflatoa (1 €. a porter’s 
chair). Whe apples are feparate, and of 
a ipherical form; they are alfo cham- 
fered or fluted, and appear to have been 
defiyned for the purpvle of ornamenting 
and terminating the back of the chair. 
The Papal chairs, as we find them re- 
prefented in ancient drawings, carry the 
: 2 stat 
fame fort of ornaments, having been un-_ 
doubdtedly ‘borrowed from the ancient 
coflumes and the ufe of them having 
been perpetuared at Rome. 
‘Vhe four fmaller figares are remark- 
able enough; each being {upported by a 
cube in the fhape of dice (tor gaming) 
hollow ia the infide, and. only covered on 
three of its fides. The void or empty fide 
ferved to introduce one of the ends of the 
fiaves of the poriative chair. To cach 
cabe appertains a {mall chain, taftened 
by one endto the upper fide. At the 
other end of the chain is fufpended’a 
needle or bodkin. Between the upper 
and lower fides of the cube are two cor- 
refponding holes, into which were to en- 
ter the chain and the bodkin, which 
thus traverfed the end of the ftaff, and 
there fixed the cube, and the figure which 
is fupported by the cube. 
On the anterior fide of each of the 
cubes, near the edge or border, is a fmall 
hinge, to which is attached a moveable. 
plate of filver, which was intended to 
cover the bodkin when the ftaff was on 
the porter’s fhoulder. 
The {mall figures fupported by each 
cube confilt of mafiy filver; all their dra- 
bey their crnaments, and chevelure (or 
i 
eads of hair) being gilt. hey are feat- 
Defeription of the Lailet of a Roman Lady. 
“507 
ed at the extremity of the cube, although 
without either bafe or pedeftal. Behind 
their legs appears a large fiiver leaf de- 
fcending lower than their feet, and which 
terminates in, a little ball. Thefe four 
figures reprefent the four metropolitan 
cities of the empire. Rome is exhibited | 
with a cafque on her head, a lance in one 
hand, and a bucklerin the other. Con- 
ftantinople has alfo a caf{queon her head, 
and holds in her left hand a cornucopia, 
and in her right a patera. (This is the 
ordinary coftume of the city of Conften- 
tinople inthe Latin medallions.) The 
third figure, which reprefents the city of 
Antioch, has at her feet a naked demi- 
figure, fuppofed to be the river Orontes. 
Antioch does not wear a cafque; but in 
licu thereof is crowned with circlets of 
towers. The city Alexandria is crowned in 
the fame manner; fixe holds in each hand 
(and thus fhe is always reprefented ia 
the Igyptian medals) fruits and ears. of 
corn; while a rofrum, of. prow ofa 
vellel is placed at her feet. Thefe fta- 
tues are well executed, and in an.excel- 
lent ftate of prefervation. The figure of 
the city Conftantinople proves that they 
have not been made prior to the year of 
our era; while on the other hand, the 
goodnefs of the defign proves that they 
mut not be attributed to an epoch much 
later. 
It is well known that perfons of confi- 
deration-in the Roman:empire, thofe 
efpecially avho were invefted with the 
confular dignity, or any other diftin- 
euifhed charge to which the Fafces were 
atrached, were earried in curule-chairs, 
mounted he fhoulders. of porters. 
There is no neceffity, therefore, for at- 
tributing the ornaipents here deferibed, 
to any of the Imperial family, as it ap- 
pears,ifrom feveral ancient monuments, 
that the Afterian family enjoyed the 
honour of the Fafces from the beyinning 
of the fourth century®, although none of 
them rofe to the confylar dignity till 
494; and.as the wives of great- perfon- 
ages ever enjoyed the privilege of the 
curule chair, in common, with their 
hufbands+t. 
With refpeé to the fvmbolical figures 
of the principal cities of the empire, we 
find them frequently making a part of 
4 
i 
COTE EGE Se BC GINS SEO aS a 
* Sée Yul. Il, p. 21, of the Pio-Clementine 
Mufeum. 
+ Que longorum wvehitur cervice \ Syrorum, 
uv. Sat. vi. v. 355 and allo: Sat v/a. 
Catullus complains of not having the privilege 
of being carried in a chair on the backs of por- 
fers; “Epi. x. | 
. | the 
