THE SCENE OF TULLIA'S IMPIETY.

With our face towards the angle, it will be noticed that the Via S. Lucia divides the Esquiline Hill into two spurs: that on our left was called the Cispius, that on our right the Oppius. The Via Leonina Suburra, at our back, was the ancient Vicus Cyprius; the point of the angle being its summit; the Via S. Lucia was the Clivus Urbius. Up this latter street, on the right, an ascent, the ancient Clivus Pullius, leads to S. Martino a Monti. "Tarquinius Superbus lived on the Esquiline, above the Clivus Pullius, at the Fagutal Grove." "Servius Tullius lived above the Clivus Urbius" (Solinus, i. 25).

Having thus fixed the topography, we shall see how Livy's account of the murder and impiety (i. 48) agrees with it. "Servius Tullius had arrived at the top of the Vicus Cyprius, when he was overtaken and slain by some sent after him by Tarquinius. Tullia, in returning home from the Forum, had arrived at the top of the Vicus Cyprius, where the Temple of Diana lately stood. She was just turning to the right to ascend the Clivus Urbius, which led to the top of the Esquiline Hill, when the charioteer stopped and showed her her father's dead body lying across the street; but she bade him drive over the dead body, and arrived home bespattered with her father's blood. From this unnatural deed the name of the street was changed to Vicus Sceleratus, the wicked street." (See Dionysius iv. 39.)

From here follow the Via Urbana, turn to the right up the Via S. Maria Maggiore to the church, which we enter at the back, and pass through

THE CHURCH OF S. MARIA MAGGIORE.

In the foreground is an Egyptian obelisk 63 feet high. The church was founded A.D. 352. It is 120 yards long by 50 wide. Its columns are of the Ionic and Corinthian orders. The interior is of three aisles, and has thirty-six Ionian columns of white marble, from the Villa of Hadrian at Tivoli. The high altar is formed of a large urn of porphyry, covered by a slab of marble, which is supported by four angels in gilt bronze. The canopy, erected by Benedict XIV., is supported by four columns of porphyry, surrounded by gilt palms. The four angels in marble were sculptured by P. Bracci. Under the high altar is the beautiful Confession, done by Vespignani, by order of Pius IX., in 1863, in which is preserved the relic of the cradle of the Saviour, and the bodies of S. Matthew and other saints. Here the late Pope was to be buried; but he would not allow his successor to ask leave of the Italian government, burial inside the walls being prohibited, and in his will he directed that his body should be interred in S. Lorenzo outside the walls. The monument is by Jacometti.

The mosaic pictures over the arches on each side are of the fifth century—a long series of panels of Scripture subjects, the historical books of the Old Testament.

BASILICA OF S. MARIA MAGGIORE.
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