DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.57734#0082
Here then sat the aged emperor surrounded by
his guests, “took his last draught of life-courage”, gazed
down upon the little “Island of Sloth” and on the torch-lit
tomb of Masgabas.
As already mentioned, there is no accessible island
near Capri other than the Monacone. One has, there-
fore, no alternative and must, necessarily, take it for
granted that the description given by Augustus referred
to this and to no other island.
Schoen er, who differs from this assumption, says:
Whoever has seen the treeless and shadowless rocky
cliff of about one hundred metres in circumference
can only laugh at the assumption that pampered and
pleasure-loving courtiers should have retired here for
the purpose of indulging in the dolce far niente.
As an answer suited thereto it may be retorted
that, just as the pampered sensualists of the present
day sprawl about in seaside bathing-places on shadeless
downs, on jetties running out into the sea, or on piers
carried out far into the waters, taking in the refreshing
air and finding their dolce far niente in watching the
rolling waves, so, too, could the courtiers of Augustus
lead a life of day-dream-idleness on this islet. Then,
as now, pampered people, and those whose nervous
system is upset, either by overwork — or as the result
of doing nothing — will in such wise have sought strength
in the agreable enjoyment of the sea-air, and Augustus,
who noticed from his palace this colony of idlers,
might well have called this islet the Apragopolis, the
“Island of Sloth” in one of his jocular moods.
Let us imagine how the pampered and pleasure-
loving courtiers rested here under tents, or lay about
on carpets and cushions, protected by their slaves with
shades, while the gigantic boulders of the Faraglioni
cast long shadows over the sea, the foaming waves
beat wildly up against the cliffs and, from above, the
glorious Palace of Augustus looked down upon them 1
Would not this suffice to afford pleasure even to the
his guests, “took his last draught of life-courage”, gazed
down upon the little “Island of Sloth” and on the torch-lit
tomb of Masgabas.
As already mentioned, there is no accessible island
near Capri other than the Monacone. One has, there-
fore, no alternative and must, necessarily, take it for
granted that the description given by Augustus referred
to this and to no other island.
Schoen er, who differs from this assumption, says:
Whoever has seen the treeless and shadowless rocky
cliff of about one hundred metres in circumference
can only laugh at the assumption that pampered and
pleasure-loving courtiers should have retired here for
the purpose of indulging in the dolce far niente.
As an answer suited thereto it may be retorted
that, just as the pampered sensualists of the present
day sprawl about in seaside bathing-places on shadeless
downs, on jetties running out into the sea, or on piers
carried out far into the waters, taking in the refreshing
air and finding their dolce far niente in watching the
rolling waves, so, too, could the courtiers of Augustus
lead a life of day-dream-idleness on this islet. Then,
as now, pampered people, and those whose nervous
system is upset, either by overwork — or as the result
of doing nothing — will in such wise have sought strength
in the agreable enjoyment of the sea-air, and Augustus,
who noticed from his palace this colony of idlers,
might well have called this islet the Apragopolis, the
“Island of Sloth” in one of his jocular moods.
Let us imagine how the pampered and pleasure-
loving courtiers rested here under tents, or lay about
on carpets and cushions, protected by their slaves with
shades, while the gigantic boulders of the Faraglioni
cast long shadows over the sea, the foaming waves
beat wildly up against the cliffs and, from above, the
glorious Palace of Augustus looked down upon them 1
Would not this suffice to afford pleasure even to the