I was interested in looking at the busts of the Triumvirs, Antony,
Augustus, and Lepidus. The first two are men of intellect, evidently,
though they do not recommend themselves to one's affections by their
physiognomy; but Lepidus has the strangest, most commonplace countenance
that can be imagined,--small-featured, weak, such a face as you meet
anywhere in a man of no mark, but are amazed to find in one of the three
foremost men of the world. I suppose that it is these weak and shallow
men, when chance raises them above their proper sphere, who commit
enormous crimes without any such restraint as stronger men would feel,
and without any retribution in the depth of their conscience. These old
Roman busts, of which there are so many in the Vatican, have often a most
lifelike aspect, a striking individuality. One recognizes them as
faithful portraits, just as certainly as if the living originals were
standing beside them. The arrangement of the hair and beard too, in many
cases, is just what we see now, the fashions of two thousand years ago
having come round again.
Pages:
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206