III—THE BUILDINGS OF ROME
The picture of the Coliseum at Rome brings with it the wonderful story of the imperial city at the height of its splendor, and also in its decay. Have meetings on Rome under Vespasian and Titus, who together built the Coliseum. It was completed in 80 a. d., ten years after the destruction of Jerusalem.
One paper may describe its architecture, its arches, its massive stone walls, its successive tiers of seats, its divisions for the people and the court, its interesting exits. It covered five acres of land and seated eighty-six thousand people; compare with the great stadium at Harvard to-day.
Follow with papers on the Roman games; at the dedication of the Coliseum these lasted a hundred days. Have one also on the gladiatorial fights and one on the Christian massacres, many of which took place here. Read from "Ben Hur" (Harper), the Chariot Race. Show, if possible, Gabriel Max's picture, "The Last Token." Then take the gradual destruction of the building by Goths and Vandals, and by the people of Rome themselves. Read from Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" his description of the building and the events which took place there; and also from the Coliseum, by Dickens, in "Historic Buildings."
Other buildings which may also be studied are the Pantheon, the Arch of Titus, Pompey's Theater, and the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus, all in the early history of Italy. Clubs may follow the meetings on these buildings with two others on the more modern but no less remarkable St. Peter's, at Rome, that colossal edifice in the transept of which it is said that a cathedral could stand. Read from the description in "Wonders of Architecture."
IV—CASTLES AND CATHEDRALS IN GERMANY
Among the many great architectural remains in Germany perhaps the most interesting is the Castle of Heidelberg, standing on a hill three hundred feet above the town. It was begun toward the close of the thirteenth century, and is divided into two palaces and a hall, all of different periods. The extraordinary thing about it is the fact that nearly every style of architecture has been employed in its construction and adornment, yet it remains a thing of beauty. In the Palace of Frederick IV there are chiseled sculptures of five emperors, two kings and nine palatines; in the Palace of Otho Heinrichs there is a lovely Italian façade, with Greek demi-gods and nymphs, Hebrew heroes, and Roman Cæsars. There are four granite columns given by the Pope to Charlemagne, which were transferred from palace to palace before they were finally brought here. One writer has said that there is renown for ten artists in this castle, all of them unknown.
Study the history of Germany in connection with this building, the different palatine emperors who lived here, the wars in which it played a part, and the great events of which it was the scene. Read the description by Victor Hugo in "Turrets, Towers and Temples."
Clubs should also take up the Cathedral of Cologne, the Castle of the Wartburg, the Dragonfels, and the church at Aix-la-Chapelle.