DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61893#0412
331-
CLASSICAL TOUR
Ch. XL
of sheep was dispersed through the grove, nib-
bling the grass over the graves; the tombs
rose around in various forms of sepulchral stones,
urns, and sarcophagi, some standing in good
repair, others fallen and mouldering half buried
in the high grass that waved over them; the
monument of Cestius stood on the back «round
o
in perspective, and formed the principal feature
of the picture ; and a painter seated on a tomb-
stone, was employed in taking a view of the
scene. None but foreigners excluded by their
religion from the cemeteries of the country,
are deposited here, and of these foreigners seve-
ral were English. The far greater part had
been cut off in their prime, by unexpected
disease or by fatal accident. What a scene for
a traveller far remote from home and liable to
similar disasters 1
Turning from these fields of death, these
“ lugentes campi,” and repassing the Aventine
hill, we came to the baths of Antoninus Cara-
calla, that occupy part of its declivity and a
considerable portion of the plain between it,
Mons Coeliolus and Mons Ccelius. No monu-
ment of ancient architecture is calculated to
inspire such an exalted idea of Roman magni-
ficence, as the ruins of their thermae or baths.
Many remain in a greater or less degree of
CLASSICAL TOUR
Ch. XL
of sheep was dispersed through the grove, nib-
bling the grass over the graves; the tombs
rose around in various forms of sepulchral stones,
urns, and sarcophagi, some standing in good
repair, others fallen and mouldering half buried
in the high grass that waved over them; the
monument of Cestius stood on the back «round
o
in perspective, and formed the principal feature
of the picture ; and a painter seated on a tomb-
stone, was employed in taking a view of the
scene. None but foreigners excluded by their
religion from the cemeteries of the country,
are deposited here, and of these foreigners seve-
ral were English. The far greater part had
been cut off in their prime, by unexpected
disease or by fatal accident. What a scene for
a traveller far remote from home and liable to
similar disasters 1
Turning from these fields of death, these
“ lugentes campi,” and repassing the Aventine
hill, we came to the baths of Antoninus Cara-
calla, that occupy part of its declivity and a
considerable portion of the plain between it,
Mons Coeliolus and Mons Ccelius. No monu-
ment of ancient architecture is calculated to
inspire such an exalted idea of Roman magni-
ficence, as the ruins of their thermae or baths.
Many remain in a greater or less degree of