按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
crosses； and the four rivers of Paradise flowing down in stony streams from stony sources； and monograms； and pious rebuses。 At the entrance of the crypt is an open stone book； called the Breviary of Gregory the Great。 Detached from the church is the Bell Tower； a circular campanile of a sort peculiar to Ravenna； which adds to the picturesqueness of the pile； and suggests the notion that it is a mast unshipped from its vessel； the church； which consequently stands there water…logged； with no power to catch any wind； of doctrine or other； and move。 I forgot to say that the basilica was launched in the year 534。
A little weary with the good but damp old Christians； we ordered our driver to continue across the marsh to the Pineta； whose dark fringe bounded all our horizon toward the Adriatic。 It is the largest unbroken forest in Italy； and by all odds the most poetic in itself and its associations。 It is twenty…five miles long； and from one to three in breadth； a free growth of stately pines； whose boughs are full of music and sweet odors；a succession of lovely glades and avenues； with miles and miles of drives over the springy turf。 At the point where we entered is a farmhouse。 Laborers had been gathering the cones； which were heaped up in immense windrows； hundreds of feet in length。 Boys and men were busy pounding out the seeds from the cones。 The latter are used for fuel； and the former are pressed for their oil。 They are also eaten： we have often had them served at hotel tables； and found them rather tasteless； but not unpleasant。 The turf； as we drove into the recesses of the forest； was thickly covered with wild flowers； of many colors and delicate forms； but we liked best the violets； for they reminded us of home； though the driver seemed to think them less valuable than the seeds of the pine…cones。 A lovely day and history and romance united to fascinate us with the place。 We were driving over the spot where； eighteen centuries ago； the Roman fleet used to ride at anchor。 Here； it is certain； the gloomy spirit of Dante found congenial place for meditation； and the gay Boccaccio material for fiction。 Here for hours； day after day； Byron used to gallop his horse； giving vent to that restless impatience which could not all escape from his fiery pen； hearing those voices of a past and dead Italy which he； more truthfully and pathetically than any other poet； has put into living verse。 The driver pointed out what is called Byron's Path； where he was wont to ride。 Everybody here； indeed； knows of Byron； and I think his memory is more secure than any saint of them all in their stone boxes； partly because his poetry has celebrated the region； perhaps rather from the perpetuated tradition of his generosity。 No foreigner was ever so popular as he while he lived at Ravenna。 At least； the people say so now； since they find it so profitable to keep his memory alive and to point out his haunts。 The Italians） to be sure； know how to make capital out of poets and heroes； and are quick to learn the curiosity of foreigners； and to gratify it for a compensation。 But the evident esteem in which Byron's memory is held in the Armenian monastery of St。 Lazzaro； at Venice； must be otherwise accounted for。 The monks keep his library…room and table as they were when he wrote there； and like to show his portrait； and tell of his quick mastery of the difficult Armenian tongue。 We have a notable example of a Person who became a monk when he was sick； but Byron accomplished too much work during the few months he was on the Island of St。 Lazzaro； both in original composition and in translating English into Armenian； for one physically ruined and broken。
DANTE AND BYRON
The pilgrim to Ravenna； who has any idea of what is due to the genius of Dante； will be disappointed when he approaches his tomb。 Its situation is in a not very conspicuous corner； at the foot of a narrow street； bearing the poet's name； and beside the Church of San Francisco； which is interesting as containing the tombs of the Polenta family； whose hospitality to the wandering exile has rescued their names from oblivion。 Opposite the tomb is the shabby old brick house of the Polentas； where Dante passed many years of his life。 It is tenanted now by all sorts of people； and a dirty carriage…shop in the courtyard kills the poetry of it。 Dante died in 1321； and was at first buried in the neighboring church； but this tomb； since twice renewed； was erected； and his body removed here； in 1482。 It is a square stuccoed structure； stained light green； and covered by a dome；a tasteless monument； embellished with stucco medallions； inside； of the poet； of Virgil； of Brunetto Latini； the poet's master； and of his patron； Guido da Polenta。 On the sarcophagus is the epitaph； composed in Latin by Dante himself； who seems to have thought； with Shakespeare； that for a poet to make his own epitaph was the safest thing to do。 Notwithstanding the mean appearance of this sepulcher； there is none in all the soil of Italy that the traveler from America will visit with deeper interest。 Near by is the house where Byron first resided in Ravenna； as a tablet records。
The people here preserve all the memorials of Byron； and； I should judge； hold his memory in something like affection。 The Palace Guiccioli； in which he subsequently resided； is in another part of the town。 He spent over two years in Ravenna； and said he preferred it to any place in Italy。 Why I cannot see； unless it was remote from the route of travel； and the desolation of it was congenial to him。 Doubtless he loved these wide； marshy expanses on the Adriatic； and especially the great forest of pines on its shore； but Byron was apt to be governed in his choice of a residence by the woman with whom he was intimate。 The palace was certainly pleasanter than his gloomy house in the Strada di Porta Sisi； and the society of the Countess Guiccioli was rather a stimulus than otherwise to his literary activity。 At her suggestion he wrote the 〃Prophecy of Dante；〃 and the translation of 〃Francesca da Rimini〃 was 〃executed at Ravenna； where； five centuries before； and in the very house in which the unfortunate lady was born； Dante's poem had been composed。〃 Some of his finest poems were also produced here； poems for which Venice is as grateful as Ravenna。 Here he wrote 〃Marino Faliero；〃 〃The Two Foscari；〃 〃Morganti Maggiore；〃 〃Sardanapalus；〃 〃The Blues；〃 〃The fifth canto of Don Juan；〃 〃 Cain；〃 〃Heaven and Earth；〃 and 〃The Vision of Judgment。〃 I looked in at the court of the palace；a pleasant； quiet place；where he used to work； and tried to guess which were the windows of his apartments。 The sun was shining brightly； and a bird was singing in the court； but there was no other sign of life； nor anything to remind one of the profligate genius who was so long a guest here。
RESTING…PLACE OF CAESARSPICTURE OF A BEAUTIFUL HERETIC
Very different from the tomb of Dante； and different in the associations it awakes； is the Rotunda or Mausoleum of Theodoric the Goth； outside the Porta Serrata； whose daughter； Amalasuntha； as it is supposed； about the year 530； erected this imposing structure as a certain place 〃to keep his memory whole and mummy hid〃 for ever。 But the Goth had not lain in it long before Arianism went out of fashion quite； and the zealous Roman Catholics despoiled his costly sleeping…place； and scattered his ashes abroad。 I do not know that any dead person has lived in it since。 The tomb is still a very solid affair；a rotunda built of solid blocks of limestone； and resting on a ten…sided base； each side having a recess surmounted by an arch。 The upper story is also decagonal； and is reached by a flight of modern stone steps。 The roof is composed of a single block of Istrian limestone； scooped out like a shallow bowl inside； and； being the biggest roof…stone I ever saw； I will give you the dimensions。 It is thirty…six feet in diameter； hollowed out to the depth of ten feet； four feet thick at the center； and two feet nine inches at the edges； and is estimated to weigh two hundred tons。 Amalasuntha must have had help in getting it up there。 The lower story is partly under water。 The green grass of the inclosure in which it stands is damp enough for frogs。 An old woman opened the iron gate to let us in。 Whether she was any relation of the ancient proprietor； I did not inquire； but she had so much trouble in； turning the key in the rusty lock； and letting us in； that I presume we were the only visitors she has had for some centuries。
Old women abound in Ravenna； at least； she was not young who showed us the mausoleum of Galla Placidia。 Placidia was also prudent and foreseeing； and built this once magnificent sepulcher for her own occupation。 It is in the form of a Latin cross； forty…six feet in length by about forty in width。 The floor is paved with rich marbles； the cupola is covered with mosaics of the time of the empress； and in the arch over the door is a fine representation of the Good Shepherd。 Behind the altar is the massive sarcophagus of marble （its cover of silver plates was long ago torn off） in which are literally the ashes of the empress。 She was immured in it as a mumm