Identifier: italyfromalpstom00stie (find matches)
Title: Italy from the Alps to Mount Etna
Year: 1877 (1870s)
Authors: Stieler, Karl, 1842-1885 Cavagna Sangiuliani di Gualdana, Antonio, conte, 1843-1913, former owner. IU-R Paulus, Eduard, 1837-1907 Kaden, Woldemar, 1838-1907 Trollope, Frances Eleanor, d. 1913 Trollope, Thomas Adolphus, 1810-1892
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Publisher: London : Chapman and Hall
Contributing Library: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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faring folks landed here from far and near to bring theirofferings and gifts from foreign lands to the sacred shrine of Mars. The sailorsencamped under the consecrated trees, enjoying their friendly shade, and listening to theoracles of the tapping woodpecker, that promised them a prosperous voyage home. Allthat is past and gone, buried beneath the white sea-sand ; and no ship anchors morebefore the shadeless and inhospitable coast. Yonder, far out at sea, the lateen sails of theNeapolitan fishermen glide past, but there is nothing to tempt them to a shore which has THE NORTHERN WANDERER IN THE ROMAN CAMPAGNA. 287 not even a stream of fresh water to offer them. In the early days of Spring the sacredwoodpecker may still be heard tapping at the stems of the pine trees, but the childlikemouth of antiquity, which knew the language of the birds, is shut for ever, and we cannotunderstand the woodland oracle. Before the time of the Roman Emperors the locality had already become more deserted
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THE SHEPHERDS RETURN HOME. and uncultivated, and all efforts to put new life into this decaying nature were unavailing.It was attempted by means of canals—those arteries of life to the soil—by makingroads, and granting special privileges—all in vain ! As early as in Neros time Lavinium,the last remnant of the Latin Confederation, was so ruined, and had such a bad reputation,that every Roman shrunk from making even the briefest sojourn there. And the senatorof those days who was compelled to pass a night in Lavinium in order to attend theyearly religious ceremony held there, no doubt cursed from the bottom of his heartNuma, who had founded these rites. Many Roman villas were still standing along thecoast as far as Ostia; but they quickly fell into decay. Pliny gives a charming sketch ofhis Villa Laurentina by the sea. I can reach the site of it in a quarter of an hourfrom my castle in the wilderness. The sea is still the same, its shining shores stretch outon the blue horizon to

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