the complete writings-2-第34节

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long　ago　torn　off）　in　which　are　literally　the　ashes　of　the　empress。　　She　was　immured　in　it　as　a　mummy；　in　a　sitting　position；　clothed　in　imperial　robes；　and　there　the　ghastly　corpse　sat　in　a　cypress…wood　chair；　to　be　looked　at　by　anybody　who　chose　to　peep　through　the　aperture；　for　more　than　eleven　hundred　years；　till　one　day；　in　1577；　some　children　introduced　a　lighted　candle；　perhaps　out　of　compassion　for　her　who　sat　so　long　in　darkness；　when　her　clothes　caught　fire；　and　she　was　burned　up；a　warning　to　all　children　not　to　play　with　a　dead　and　dry　empress。　　In　this　resting…place　are　also　the　tombs　of　Honorius　II。；　her　brother；　of　Constantius　III。；　her　second　husband；　and　of　Honoria；　her　daughter。

There　are　no　other　undisturbed　tombs　of　the　Caesars　in　existence。　Hers　is　almost　the　last；　and　the　very　small　last；　of　a　great　succession。　　What　thoughts　of　a　great　empire　in　ruins　do　not　force　themselves　on　one　in　the　confined　walls　of　this　little　chamber！　What　a　woman　was　she　whose　ashes　lie　there！　　She　saw　and　aided　the　ruin　of　the　empire；　but　it　may　be　said　of　her；　that　her　vices　were　greater　than　her　misfortunes。　　And　what　a　story　is　her　life！　　Born　to　the　purple；　educated　in　the　palace　at　Constantinople；　accomplished　but　not　handsome；　at　the　age　of　twenty　she　was　in　Rome　when　Alaric　besieged　it。　　Carried　off　captive　by　the　Goths；　she　became　the　not　unwilling　object　of　the　passion　of　King　Adolphus；　who　at　length　married　her　at　Narbonne。　　At　the　nuptials　the　king；　in　a　Roman　habit；　occupied　a　seat　lower　than　hers；　while　she　sat　on　a　throne　habited　as　a　Roman　empress；　and　received　homage。　　Fifty　handsome　youths　bore　to　her　in　each　hand　a　dish　of　gold；　one　filled　with　coin；　and　the　other　with　precious　stones；a　small　part　only；　these　hundred　vessels　of　treasure；　of　the　spoils　the　Goths　brought　from　her　country。　　When　Adolphus；　who　never　abated　his　fondness　for　his　Roman　bride；　was　assassinated　at　Barcelona；　she　was　treated　like　a　slave　by　his　assassins；　and　driven　twelve　miles　on　foot　before　the　horse　of　his　murderer。　　Ransomed　at　length　for　six　hundred　thousand　measures　of　wheat　by　her　brother　Honorius；　who　handed　her　over　struggling　to　Constantius；　one　of　his　generals。　　But；　once　married；　her　reluctance　ceased；　and　she　set　herself　to　advance　the　interests　of　herself　and　husband；　ruling　him　as　she　had　done　the　first　one。　　Her　purpose　was　accomplished　when　he　was　declared　joint　emperor　with　Honorius。　　He　died　shortly　after；　and　scandalous　stories　of　her　intimacy　with　her　brother　caused　her　removal　to　Constantinople；　but　she　came　back　again；　and　reigned　long　as　the　regent　of　her　son；　Valentinian　III。；　a　feeble　youth；　who　never　grew　to　have　either　passions　or　talents；　and　was　very　likely；　as　was　said；　enervated　by　his　mother　in　dissolute　indulgence；　so　that　she　might　be　supreme。　　But　she　died　at　Rome　in　450；　much　praised　for　her　orthodoxy　and　her　devotion　to　the　Trinity。　　And　there　was　her　daughter；　Honoria；　who　ran　off　with　a　chamberlain；　and　afterward　offered　to　throw　herself　into　the　arms　of　Attila　who　wouldn't　take　her　as　a　gift　at　first；　but　afterward　demanded　her；　and　fought　to　win　her　and　her　supposed　inheritance。　But　they　were　a　bad　lot　altogether；　and　it　is　no　credit　to　a　Christian　of　the　nineteenth　century　to　stay　in　this　tomb　so　long。

Near　this　mausoleum　is　the　magnificent　Basilica　of　St。　Vitale；　built　in　the　reign　of　Justinian；　and　consecrated　in　547；　I　was　interested　to　see　it　because　it　was　erected　in　confessed　imitation　of　St。　Sophia　at　Constantinople；　is　in　the　octagonal　form；　and　has　all　the　accessories　of　Eastern　splendor；　according　to　the　architectural　authorities。　　Its　effect　is　really　rich　and　splendid；　and　it　rather　dazzled　us　with　its　maze　of　pillars；　its　upper　and　lower　columns；　its　galleries；　complicated　capitals；　arches　on　arches；　and　Byzantine　intricacies。　　To　the　student　of　the　very　early　ecclesiastical　art；　it　must　be　an　object　of　more　interest　than　even　of　wonder。　　But　what　I　cared　most　to　see　were　the　mosaics　in　the　choir；　executed　in　the　time　of　Justinian；　and　as　fresh　and　beautiful　as　on　the　day　they　were　made。　　The　mosaics　and　the　exquisite　arabesques　on　the　roof　of　the　choir；　taken　together；　are　certainly　unequaled　by　any　other　early　church　decoration　I　have　seen；　and　they　are　as　interesting　as　they　are　beautiful。　　Any　description　of　them　is　impossible；　but　mention　may　be　made　of　two　characteristic　groups；　remarkable　for　execution；　and　having　yet　a　deeper　interest。

In　one　compartment　of　the　tribune　is　the　figure　of　the　Emperor　Justinian；　holding　a　vase　with　consecrated　offerings；　and　surrounded　by　courtiers　and　soldiers。　　Opposite　is　the　figure　of　the　Empress　Theodora；　holding　a　similar　vase；　and　attended　by　ladies　of　her　court。　　There　is　a　refinement　and　an　elegance　about　the　empress；　a　grace　and　sweet　dignity；　that　is　fascinating。　　This　is　royalty；　stately　and　cold　perhaps：　even　the　mouth　may　be　a　little　cruel；　I　begin　to　perceive；　as　I　think　of　her；　but　she　wears　the　purple　by　divine　right。　　I　have　not　seen　on　any　walls　any　figure　walking　out　of　history　so　captivating　as　this　lady；　who　would　seem　to　have　been　worthy　of　apotheosis　in　a　Christian　edifice。　　Can　there　be　any　doubt　that　this　lovely　woman　was　orthodox？　　She；　also；　has　a　story；　which　you　doubtless　have　been　recalling　as　you　read。　　Is　it　worth　while　to　repeat　even　its　outlines？　　This　charming　regal　woman　was　the　daughter　of　the　keeper　of　the　bears　in　the　circus　at　Constantinople；　and　she　early　went　upon　the　stage　as　a　pantomimist　and　buffoon。　　She　was　beautiful；　with　regular　features；　a　little　pale；　but　with　a　tinge　of　natural　color；　vivacious　eyes；　and　an　easy　motion　that　displayed　to　advantage　the　graces　of　her　small　but　elegant　figure。　　I　can　see　all　that　in　the　mosaic。　　But　she　sold　her　charms　to　whoever　cared　to　buy　them　in　Constantinople；　she　led　a　life　of　dissipation　that　cannot　be　even　hinted　at　in　these　days；　she　went　off　to　Egypt　as　the　concubine　of　a　general；　was　deserted；　and　destitute　even　to　misery　in　Cairo；　wandered　about　a　vagabond　in　many　Eastern　cities；　and　won　the　reputation　everywhere　of　the　most　beautiful　courtesan　of　her　time；　reappeared　in　Constantinople；　and；　having；　it　is　said；　a　vision　of　her　future；　suddenly　took　to　a　pretension　of　virtue　and　plain　sewing；　contrived　to　gain　the　notice　of　Justinian；　to　inflame　his　passions　as　she　did　those　of　all　the　world　besides；　to　captivate　him　into　first　an　alliance；　and　at　length　a　marriage。　　The　emperor　raised　her　to　an　equal　seat　with　himself　on　his　throne；　and　she　was　worshiped　as　empress　in　that　city　where　she　had　been　admired　as　harlot。　　And　on　the　throne　she　was　a　wise　woman；　courageous　and　chaste；　and　had　her　palaces　on　the　Bosphorus；　and　took　good　care　of　her　beauty；　and　indulged　in　the　pleasures　of　a　good　table；　had　ministers　who　kissed　her　feet；　a　crowd　of　women　and　eunuchs　in　her　secret　chambers；　whose　passions　she　indulged；　was　avaricious　and　sometimes　cruel；　and　founded　a　convent　for　the　irreclaimably　bad　of　her　own　sex；　some　of　whom　liked　it；　and　some　of　whom　threw　themselves　into　the　sea　in　despair；　and　when　she　died　was　an　irreparable　loss　to　her　emperor。　So　that　it　seems　to　me　it　is　a　pity　that　the　historian　should　say　that　she　was　devout；　but　a　little　heretic。




A　HIGH　DAY　IN　ROME



PALM　SUNDAY　IN　ST。　PETER'S

The　splendid　and　tiresome　ceremonies　of　Holy　Week　set　in；　also　the　rain；　which　held　up　for　two　days。　　Rome　without　the　sun；　and　with　rain　and　the　bone…penetrating　damp　cold　of　the　season；　is　a　wretched　place。　　Squalor　and　ruins　and　cheap　splendor　need　the　sun；　the　galleries　need　it；　the　black　old　masters　in　the　dark　corners　of　the　gaudy　churches　need　it；　I　think　scarcely　anything　of　a　cardinal's　big；　blazing　footman；　unless　the　sun　shines　on　him；　and　radiates　from　his　broad　back　and　his　splendid　calves；　the　models；　who　get　up　in　theatrical　costumes；　and　get　put　into　pictures；　and　pass　the　world　over　for　Roman　peasants　（and　beautiful　many　of　them　are）；　can't　sit　on　the　Spanish　Stairs　in　indolent　pose　when　it　rains；　the　streets　are　slimy　and　horrible；　the　carriages　try　to　run　over　you；　and　stand　a　very　good　chance　of　succeeding；　where　there　are　no　sidewalks；　and　you　are　limping　along　on　the　slippery　round　cobble…stones；　you　can't　get　into　the　country；　which　is　the　best　part　of　Rome：　but　when　the　sun　shines　all　this　is　changed；　the　dear　old　dirty　town　exercises；　its　fascinations　on　you　then；　and　you　speedily　forget　your　recent　misery。

Holy　Week　is　a　vexation　to　most　people。　　All　the　world　crowds　here　to　see　its　exhibitions　and　theatrical　shows；　and　works　hard　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　them；　and　is　tired　out；　if　not　disgusted；　at　the　end。　　The　things　to　see　and　hear　are　Palm　Sunday　in　St。　Peter's；　singing　of　the　Miserere　by　the　pope's　choir　on　Wednesday；　Thursday；　and　Friday　in　the　Sistine　Chapel；　washing　of　the　pilgrims'　feet　in　a　chapel　of　St。　Peter's；　and　serving　the　apostles　at　table　by　the　pope　on　Thursday；　with　a　papal　benediction　from　the　balcony　afterwards；　Easter　Sunday；　with　the　illumination　of　St。　Peter's　in　the　evening；　and　fireworks　（this　year　in　front　of　St。　Peter's　in　Montorio）　Monday　evening。　Raised　seats　are　built　up　about　the　high　altar　under　the　dome　in　St。　Peter's；　which　will　accommodate　a　thousand；　and　perhaps　more；　ladies；　a