unding the great Roman forum, with all their pomp of golden shields,
and monuments of mighty deeds performed in the earliest ages; but it was
far too low to intercept the view of the grand Capitol, and the Tarpeian
Rock.

The gilded gates of bronze and the gold-plated roof of the vast national
temple--gold-plated at the enormous cost of twenty-one thousand talents,
the rich spoil of Carthage--the shrine of Jupiter Capitoline, and Juno, and
Minerva, sent back the sun-beams in lines too dazzling to be borne by any
human eye; and all the pomp of statues grouped on the marble terraces, and
guarding the ascent of the celebrated hundred steps, glittered like forms
of indurated snow.

Such was the wondrous spectacle, more like a fairy show than a real scene
of earthly splendour, to look on which Arvina paused for one moment with
exulting gladness, before descending toward the mansion of the consul. Nor
was that mighty panorama wanting in moving crowds, and figures suitable to
the romantic glory of its scenery.

Here, through the larger streets, vast herds of cattle were driven in by
mounted herdsmen, lowing and trampling toward the forum; here a concourse
of men, clad in the graceful toga, the clients of some noble house, were
hastening along to salute their patron at his morning levee; there again,
danced and sang, with saffron colored veils and flowery garlands, a band
of virgins passing in sacred pomp toward some favourite shrine; there in
sad order swept along, with mourners and musicians, with women wildly
shrieking and tearing their long hair, and players and buffoons, and
liberated slaves wearing the cap of freedom, a funeral procession, bearing
the body of some _young_ victim, as indicated by the morning hour, to the
funereal pile beyond the city walls; and far off, filing in, with the
spear heads and eagles of a cohort glittering above the dust wreaths, by
the Flaminian way, the train of some ambassador or envoy, sent by
submissive monarchs or dependent states, to sue the favour and protection
of the great Roman people.

The blended sounds swept up, in a confused sonorous murmur, like the sea;
the shrill cry of the water-carriers, and the wild chant of the choral
songs, and the keen clangour of the distant trumpets ringing above the
din, until the ears of the youth, as well as his eyes, were filled with
present proofs of his native city's grandeur; and his whole soul was
lapped in the proud conscious joy, arising f