construction proves the very high antiquity of the chamber.

This cell played the same part in Roman history which the Tower of
London has done in our own. Here, by the orders of Cicero, were
strangled Lentulus, Cethegus, and one or two more of the accomplices
of Catiline, in his famous conspiracy. Here was murdered, under
circumstances of great baseness, Vercingetorix, the young and gallant
chief of the Gauls, whose bravery called forth the highest qualities
of Julius Caesar's military genius, and who, when success abandoned his
arms, boldly gave himself up as an offering to appease the anger of
the Romans. Here perished Sejanus, the minister and son-in-law of
Tiberius, who was detected in a conspiracy against the emperor, and
richly deserved his fate on account of his cruelty and treachery.
Here also was put to death Simon Bar-Gioras, the governor of the
revolted Jews during the last dreadful siege of Jerusalem, who was
taken prisoner, and after gracing the triumph of the emperor Titus at
Rome, shared the fate which usually happened to captives after such an
exhibition.

From the Tullianum or Prison of St. Peter, we were led through a
tortuous subterranean passage of Etruscan character, a hundred yards
long, cut out of the rock. It was so low that we had to stoop all the
way, and in some places almost to creep, and so narrow that a very
stout person would have some difficulty in forcing himself through.
The floor was here and there wet with the overflowing of neighbouring
drains, which exhaled a noisome smell; and we had to pick our steps
carefully through thick greasy mud, which on the slopes was very
slippery and disagreeable. We followed each other in Indian file,
stooping low, each with a wax taper burning dimly in the damp
atmosphere, and presenting a most picturesque appearance. This passage
was discovered only a few years ago. Numerous passages of a similar
nature are said to penetrate the volcanic rock on which the Capitol
stands, in every direction, like the galleries of an ant's nest. Some
of these have been exposed, and others walled up. They connect the
Prison with the _Cloaca_, and doubtless furnished means by which the
bodies of criminals who had been executed might be secretly disposed
of. The passage in question brought us to four other chambers, each
darker and more dismal than the other, and partially filled with heaps
of rubbish and masses of stone that had fallen from their roofs and
sides. At t