it to be filled with stones, and sunk as a caisson in the
harbour of Ostia, which he was constructing at the time. On arriving
at Rome the obelisk was set up on the Spina of the Circus of Nero,
which is now occupied by the sacristy of St. Peter's Church. For
fifteen centuries the obelisk remained undisturbed on its site, the
only one in the city that escaped being overthrown. At last its
foundation giving way, so that it leaned dangerously towards the old
Basilica of St. Peter's, Sixtus V. formed the design of removing it to
where it now stands, a very short distance from the original spot. The
record of its re-erection, the first in papal Rome, by Fontana--a work
of extreme difficulty and imposing ceremonial magnificence, which was
richly rewarded by the grateful Pope--is exceedingly interesting. A
curious legend is usually related in connection with it. A papal edict
was proclaimed threatening death to any one who should utter a loud
word while the operation of lifting and settling the obelisk was going
on. As the "huge crystallisation of Egyptian sweat" rose on its basis
there was a sudden stoppage, the hempen cables refused to do their
work, and the hanging mass of stone threatened to fall and destroy
itself. Suddenly from out the breathless crowd rose a loud, clear
voice, "Wet the ropes." There was inspiration in the suggestion; the
architect acted upon it, and the obelisk at once took its stand on its
base, where it has firmly remained ever since. Not only was the sailor
Bresca pardoned for transgressing the papal command, but he was
rewarded, and the district of Bordighera, from which he came, received
the privilege of supplying the palm leaves for the use of Rome on
Palm Sunday--a privilege which it still possesses, and which forms the
principal trade of the place.

To me the most familiar and interesting of all the Roman obelisks is
that which stands in the centre of the Piazza del Popolo, the finest
and largest square in Rome. It is about eighty feet high, carved with
hieroglyphics, with four marble Egyptian lions, one at each corner of
the platform on which it stands, pouring from their mouths copious
streams of water into large basins, with a refreshing sound. Lions in
Egypt were regarded as symbols of the sun when passing through the
zodiacal sign of Leo, the time when the annual inundation of the Nile
occurred. They had thus a deep significance in connection with water.
The obelisk was originally erected