Ешь, молись, люби

Chapter 25

           ItrytolookatthePantheoneverychanceIget,sinceIamhereinRomeafterall,andanoldproverbsaysthatanyonewhogoestoRomewithoutseeingthePantheon"goesandcomesbackanass."

           OnmywaybackhomeItakealittledetourandstopattheaddressinRomeIfindmoststrangelyaffecting-theAugusteum.Thisbig,round,ruinedpileofbrickstartedlifeasagloriousmausoleum,builtbyOctavianAugustustohousehisremainsandtheremainsofhisfamilyforallofeternity.ItmusthavebeenimpossiblefortheemperortohaveimaginedatthetimethatRomewouldeverbeanythingbutamightyAugustus-worshippingempire.Howcouldhepossiblyhaveforeseenthecollapseoftherealm?Orknownthat,withalltheaqueductsdestroyedbybarbariansandwiththegreatroadsleftinruin,thecitywouldemptyofcitizens,anditwouldtakealmosttwentycenturiesbeforeRomeeverrecoveredthepopulationshehadboastedduringherheightofglory?

           Augustus’smausoleumfelltoruinsandthievesduringtheDarkAges.Somebodystoletheemperor’sashes-notellingwho.Bythetwelfthcentury,though,themonumenthadbeenrenovatedintoafortressforthepowerfulColonnafamily,toprotectthemfromassaultsbyvariouswarringprinces.ThentheAugusteumwastransformedsomehowintoavineyard,thenaRenaissancegarden,thenabullring(we’reintheeighteenthcenturynow),thenafireworksdepository,thenaconcerthall.Inthe1930s,Mussoliniseizedthepropertyandrestoreditdowntoitsclassicalfoundations,sothatitcouldsomedaybethefinalrestingplaceforhisremains.

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