HALL OF THE EMPERORS.
and their wives, whose ancient authentic busts are arranged round the room in chronological order:—
- 1. Julius Cæsar.
- 2. Augustus.
- 4. Tiberius.
- 6. Drusus, sen.
- 7. Drusus, jun.
- 8. Antonia.
- 9. Germanicus.
- 10. Agrippina, sen.
- 11. Caligula.
- 12. Claudius.
- 13. Messalina.
- 14. Agrippina, jun.
- 16. Nero.
- 17. Poppæa Sabina.
- 18. Galba.
- 19. Otho.
- 20. Vitellius.
- 21. Vespasian.
- 22. Titus.
- 23. Julia.
- 24. Domitian.
- 25. Domitia Longina.
- 27. Trajan.
- 28. Plotina.
- 31. Hadrian.
- 33. Julia Sabina.
- 35. Antoninus Pius.
- 36. Faustina, sen.
- 38. Marcus Aurelius.
- 39. Faustina, jun.
- 43. Commodus.
- 44. Crispina.
- 45. Pertinax.
- 46. Didius Julianus.
- 47. Manlia Scantilla.
- 50. Septimius Severus.
- 52. Julia Pia.
- 53. Caracalla.
- 54. Geta.
- 55. Macrinus.
- 57. Elagabalus.
- 60. Alexander Severus.
- 62. Maximinus.
- 64. Gordianus I.
- 65. Gordianus II.
- 66. Pupienus.
- 67. Balbinus.
- 68. Gordianus III.
- 69. Philip.
- 70. Decius.
- 72. Hostilianus.
- 73. Gallus.
- 76. Gallienus.
- 77. Salonina.
- 80. Diocletian.
- 81. Chlorus.
- 82. Julian, the philosopher.
- 83. Magnus Decentius.
There are several bas-reliefs round the room. Seated in the centre is Agrippina, "the glory of the Roman matrons;" daughter of M. V. Agrippa and Julia, daughter of Augustus; wife of Germanicus, and mother of Caligula. "It is a statue combining an expression of moral dignity and of intellectual force, with as much beauty and poetical grace as the genius of sculpture ever borrowed from breathing nature to work out its own miracles of art. This statue—a history and an epic in itself—represents a woman in the prime of life seated in a chair of state, and in the deep repose of meditative thought. The statue is lofty, her brow of high capacity, her mouth expressive of love and wit, and all her features are harmonized by that regularity which is ever denied to defective organizations. Over the whole of this simply-draped and noble figure there is an air of tranquil majesty, which, in its solemn influence, likens it to the statues of the gods" (Lady Morgan). It may have originally stood on the cinerary base in the courtyard of the Palazzo dei Conservatori.
UPPER CORRIDOR.
In our order of visiting the Museum the subjects in this Corridor commence at the highest number.
Vase of white marble, found near the tomb of Cecilia Metella; it is decorated with vine leaves and fruit. The pedestal is a very interesting Grecian marble well head; on it are the twelve principal deities. 29. Minerva. 28. Bust of Marcus Aurelius. 25. Jupiter standing on the altar of Cybele, dedicated in memory of Claudia drawing the galley up to Rome, which is shown in relief. Entrance to Cabinet of Venus. 20. Psyche. 46. Sarcophagus illustrating the birth of Bacchus. 47. Jupiter. 49. Juno. 30. Gladiator restored from a Discobolus. 52. Euterpe. 10. Cinerary urn. 54. Sarcophagus representing the Rape of Proserpine. 54a. Infant Hercules strangling a serpent. 56. Female statue. 8. Drunken Baccante. Entrance to Hall of Doves. 5. Cupid. 3. A lion. 63. Marcus Aurelius.
CABINET OF VENUS.
The celebrated Venus of the Capitol, found in a walled-up chamber on the Viminal, is rather the statue of a beautiful woman in full maturity than of Venus as a goddess. Cupid and Psyche, found on the Aventine—a beautiful little group. Leda and the Swan.