After passing three hours in
this wing of the building, I went over across the courtyard to the other
wing. Under the portico of this wing the following are the most remarkable
among the statues: a Roman triumphans, two Phrygian kings in black
marble. In one of the rooms above stairs is a very remarkable piece of
antiquity, viz., the bronze wolf giving suck to Romulus and Remus, which
was found in the temple of Romulus and which was struck by lightning during
the consulate of Julius: the marks made by the lightning are quite
distinct. There is in this wing a small but excellent collection of
paintings, and a great variety of statues, busts, sarcophagi, candelabra,
and antiquities of all sorts.
The front part, or corps de logis of the Capitol is called Il Palazzo
del Senato conservatore, and is the residence of the Senator Romano who
is chosen by the Pope. By the bye, I understand this dignity is generally
given to a foreigner, the Pontiffs being, rather jealous of the Roman
nobility.
This wing of the Capitol employed me two hours; but I must visit this
Museum as well as that of the Vatican often again; for it would require
months and years to examine them duly.
