DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.33567#0221
ii7
OYg'/YA'.
St. Peter's with palm leaves on Palm Sunday, as an acknowledgment of his services on that memorable
occasion. It seems that there is now a family of that name in Bordighera, possessing that privilege,
but, iconoclastic as it may appear, the story of the origin of the grant will not hold water. If the
ropes were stretching it was because the elastic limit of the hemp had been exceeded by too severe
a strain ; wetting the rope would have had the effect of contracting the fibre and, therefore, of
increasing the strain. Moreover, the whole weight of the monolith was never allowed to come entirely
upon the tackles, except in lowering. Fontana, in speaking of the wedges used in lifting it, carefully
explained that their object was mainly to prevent the Needle resting unsupported in air/ In describing
the preparations for lowering he also weighed upon the similar use of the movable strut, which was
again called into requisition in raising the obelisk.
If the anecdote has any foundation in fact, it could only be that the power applied was insuf-
ficient, and that the contraction of the ropes by moisture supplied the deficiency. But this theory is
also open to serious objections. When a rope is subjected to a strain such as was sustained by these,
the fibres are so compressed and the surface of the rope so hard, that it would be impossible for any
moisture to penetrate into it for a long time, especially if new rope as this was. Also, if, unfortu-
nately, the moisture had penetrated into any or all of the forty tackles used, an irregularity of contraction
would have been produced that in all probability would have led to their successive rupture.
Honor to whom honor is due. There is no valid reason for imputing threatened failure to
Fontana, averted only by the timely inspiration of a practical sailor. After computing the weight to
be lifted, and supervising personally the making of the rope, he tested the power of every apparatus
by actual trial, and, from that, in support of what theory had pointed out, decided upon the number
of motors necessary. His subsequent account of it also seems to be so explicit and so frank, that we
cannot believe he would have omitted mentioning any such incident. Rewards, pecuniary and honorary,
were lavished upon him. The pope made him a Knight of the Golden Spur, and gave him a pension
of 2,000 gold reversible to his heirs, besides an immediate present of 5,000 more ; also all the
wood and other material left from the operations, the value of which was estimated at 20,000
The cost of the removal and erection is stated by Carolo Fontana to have been 36,975
equivalent to about 44,000 dollars/
On the apex of the obelisk was placed a bronze cross seven feet four inches high, which was
removed in 1740, when some relics of our Saviour were deposited in a cavity made for the purpose.
Bronze lions, gilded, were also placed under the corners and apparently sustain the weight, for they
conceal the crabs which really do that duty.
Inscriptions on this obelisk and pedestal are numerous. On the east and west sides of the shaft
itself, is still visible in duplicate the original dedication to Augustus and Tiberius, as follows : " Divo.
CAES. Divi. IvLii. F. AvGVSTO. Ti. CAES. Divi. AvG. F. AvGvs. SACRVM." There are also brief modern
inscriptions on all faces of the pedestal. On the south side is a simple record of the removal: " Sixtus
V. Pont. Max. obeliscum Vaticanum diu gentium impio cultu dedicatum ad Apostolorum limina operoso
labore transtulit. Anno MDLXXXVi." On the north side the consecration of the obelisk to the holy cross
is commemorated: " Sixtus V. Pont. Max. cruci invictae obeliscum Vaticanum ab impia superstitione
expiatum justius et felicius consecravit. Anno MDLXXXVi. Pont. II." On the east side is the pious
apostrophe : " Christus vincit. Christus regnat. Christus imperat. Christus ab omni malo plebem suam
defendat." On the west side is to be seen the somewhat vainglorious passage: "Ecce Crux Domini
fugite partes adversse vicit Leo de Tribu Juda."
* " Accio che mai non stesse la Guglia in aria sopra le corde."
" The papal gold of the 16th century did not vary in weight materially from fifty grains. A silver -sw<%7 or more
correctly of Paul V, 1620, recently tested through the kind offices of a friend in the U. S. Mint, Philadelphia,
weighed 482 grains, 913 fine; its original weight, according to Mr. J. Ross Snowden, was 491.89 grains, which would put
its value at about $1.20 United States money.
OYg'/YA'.
St. Peter's with palm leaves on Palm Sunday, as an acknowledgment of his services on that memorable
occasion. It seems that there is now a family of that name in Bordighera, possessing that privilege,
but, iconoclastic as it may appear, the story of the origin of the grant will not hold water. If the
ropes were stretching it was because the elastic limit of the hemp had been exceeded by too severe
a strain ; wetting the rope would have had the effect of contracting the fibre and, therefore, of
increasing the strain. Moreover, the whole weight of the monolith was never allowed to come entirely
upon the tackles, except in lowering. Fontana, in speaking of the wedges used in lifting it, carefully
explained that their object was mainly to prevent the Needle resting unsupported in air/ In describing
the preparations for lowering he also weighed upon the similar use of the movable strut, which was
again called into requisition in raising the obelisk.
If the anecdote has any foundation in fact, it could only be that the power applied was insuf-
ficient, and that the contraction of the ropes by moisture supplied the deficiency. But this theory is
also open to serious objections. When a rope is subjected to a strain such as was sustained by these,
the fibres are so compressed and the surface of the rope so hard, that it would be impossible for any
moisture to penetrate into it for a long time, especially if new rope as this was. Also, if, unfortu-
nately, the moisture had penetrated into any or all of the forty tackles used, an irregularity of contraction
would have been produced that in all probability would have led to their successive rupture.
Honor to whom honor is due. There is no valid reason for imputing threatened failure to
Fontana, averted only by the timely inspiration of a practical sailor. After computing the weight to
be lifted, and supervising personally the making of the rope, he tested the power of every apparatus
by actual trial, and, from that, in support of what theory had pointed out, decided upon the number
of motors necessary. His subsequent account of it also seems to be so explicit and so frank, that we
cannot believe he would have omitted mentioning any such incident. Rewards, pecuniary and honorary,
were lavished upon him. The pope made him a Knight of the Golden Spur, and gave him a pension
of 2,000 gold reversible to his heirs, besides an immediate present of 5,000 more ; also all the
wood and other material left from the operations, the value of which was estimated at 20,000
The cost of the removal and erection is stated by Carolo Fontana to have been 36,975
equivalent to about 44,000 dollars/
On the apex of the obelisk was placed a bronze cross seven feet four inches high, which was
removed in 1740, when some relics of our Saviour were deposited in a cavity made for the purpose.
Bronze lions, gilded, were also placed under the corners and apparently sustain the weight, for they
conceal the crabs which really do that duty.
Inscriptions on this obelisk and pedestal are numerous. On the east and west sides of the shaft
itself, is still visible in duplicate the original dedication to Augustus and Tiberius, as follows : " Divo.
CAES. Divi. IvLii. F. AvGVSTO. Ti. CAES. Divi. AvG. F. AvGvs. SACRVM." There are also brief modern
inscriptions on all faces of the pedestal. On the south side is a simple record of the removal: " Sixtus
V. Pont. Max. obeliscum Vaticanum diu gentium impio cultu dedicatum ad Apostolorum limina operoso
labore transtulit. Anno MDLXXXVi." On the north side the consecration of the obelisk to the holy cross
is commemorated: " Sixtus V. Pont. Max. cruci invictae obeliscum Vaticanum ab impia superstitione
expiatum justius et felicius consecravit. Anno MDLXXXVi. Pont. II." On the east side is the pious
apostrophe : " Christus vincit. Christus regnat. Christus imperat. Christus ab omni malo plebem suam
defendat." On the west side is to be seen the somewhat vainglorious passage: "Ecce Crux Domini
fugite partes adversse vicit Leo de Tribu Juda."
* " Accio che mai non stesse la Guglia in aria sopra le corde."
" The papal gold of the 16th century did not vary in weight materially from fifty grains. A silver -sw<%7 or more
correctly of Paul V, 1620, recently tested through the kind offices of a friend in the U. S. Mint, Philadelphia,
weighed 482 grains, 913 fine; its original weight, according to Mr. J. Ross Snowden, was 491.89 grains, which would put
its value at about $1.20 United States money.