the finest piece of bronze work of ancient times. It now stands upon
the Square of the Capitol, where it was erected by Michael Angelo in
1538. Before that, it stood at the Lateran, where it had been placed
in 1187, having been taken from near the Column of Phocas in the
Forum. It belongs to the canons of the Lateran, who receive yearly, in
the shape of a bouquet of flowers, a peppercorn rent for it from the
mayor of Rome. It is said that Michael Angelo on passing by used to
say, "Gee up, _cammina_;" and that the horse had only to plant the
raised hoof upon the ground to complete the illusion that it was a
living creature.
In front of us is the mayor's residence; on the left the Museum of the
Capitol; and on the right the halls of the town council. These
buildings were erected by Michael Angelo in 1544-1550. The residence
for the senator was first erected on the top of the ruins of the
Tabularium in 1389-1394 by Pope Boniface IX., but this gave place to
the present edifice.
The ascent from the Arch of Severus to the Square of the Capitol was
anciently the Pass of the Two Groves. At the top of the pass was the
Gate of Janus, the gate of the citadel, betrayed by Tarpeia. The
ascent from the Forum, on our right, was the Clivus Capitolinus, a
continuation of the Via Sacra. It is only at its termination that the
present road is on the site of the ancient slope, where some of the
pavement may still be seen. The gate which here gave access to the arx
was called the Gate of Saturn.
_On the right_ of the old museum some steps lead up to