is on the site of a temple to Ceres and Proserpine. "Spurius Cassius
consecrated the Temple of Ceres, Bacchus, and Proserpine, which stands
at the end of the great circus, and is built over the starting-places,
and which Aulus Postumius, the dictator, had vowed when upon the point
of engaging the Latins," A.U.C. 258 (Dionysius, vi. 94). "It was
restored by Augustus, and consecrated by Tiberius" (Tacitus, "Annals,"
ii. 49). The temple fronted north, and in the left-hand aisle of the
church are three of the columns of the portico _in situ_; three of the
side columns are in the portico of the church, and three others in the
sacristy, where there is part of a mosaic from old S. Peter's, A.D.
705.
In the portico is a large mask of stone called the Bocca della Verità
(Mouth of Truth). A suspected person, on making an affirmation, was
required to put his hand in the mouth of this mask, in the belief that
if he told an untruth the mouth would close upon his hand. Several
columns of the old temple are immured in the walls, and the aisles are
formed by twenty ancient marble columns; the pavement is of beautiful
_opus Alexandrinum_. _Behind_ the altar is a fine bishop's chair, and
a Greek picture of the Virgin and Child, also some old frescoing
behind a panel on the left. _Opposite_ the church is a beautiful
fountain of Tritons supporting a basin.
_Resuming our ramble down the_ VIA MARMORATA, _turn left coming out of
the church, passing under_ an archway, the remains of the Porta
Trigemina in the Servian Wall. _The road runs for a short distance by
the Tiber, on the opposite side of which is the_ RIPA GRANDE, _or
quay. Taking the road to the right, past a stone-yard, Marmorata, by
the river, brings us to_