THE TOMBS OF THE VOLUMNII
[Illustration: GIRL'S HEAD.]
A few days later, as we went along a lane, with grassy flower-pied
banks, and with purple hills as background to the sunlit glory which
surrounded us, we recognised the delightful landscape so frequently
used by Perugino. The way was rather long, but there was more in it to
interest than to tire us. We at last arrived at the dark descent
beside the road, which forms the entrance to the sepulchre of the
Volumnii. Many years ago there was supposed to be a necropolis
existing in this hill, and on excavation several small cells were
discovered. In more recent years an ox was seen suddenly to stumble
on the hill above, and to be unable to rise. Going to help it, beneath
the hole into which the creature had thrust its foot a subterranean
arch was revealed, and subsequent excavation brought to light the
wonderful, long-closed tombs of the Etruscan Volumnii.
We went down some rugged steps to the mouth of the gloomy cavern, and
found ourselves in a dark passage-way, with stone benches on either
side. The weird, mysterious atmosphere of the Etruscan vault is
indescribable. Several chambers or cells, in this underground house of
the departed, branch out on either side of the dark vaulted passage,
but we saw them in such semi-darkness, that by the light of a single
torch it was very difficult to make out details. As we went along the
dark vault, our guide raised his torch on high. In a moment we seemed
to be in an enchanted cavern, where the silent inhabitants were
guarded by strange forms; gorgon heads, owls, and serpents stared at
us from roof and walls. We could fancy that, as we passed by, the
snake heads seemed to dart from the walls, to bristle and hiss; and
the grand Medusa-faces overhead looked down on us full of dire
warning, when at the end of the passage we entered the tomb of the
Etruscan family. Here are the Volumnii sitting in a group, realistic
terra-cotta figures guarding their urns, just as they have been
guarding them for perhaps two thousand years.
Aruns Volumni, the father, reclines on his sarcophagus, which is
guarded by two furies; on his left his daughter sits on her urn, and
on his right is his son. Their faces look dull and uninteresting, but
they seem aware of their own importance. The fourth figure of the
group, seated next the son of Aruns, is Veilia, his fair young wife.
She has an exquisite face, and one is not surprised to learn that she
died young; she must have felt isolated among such unsympathetic
family surroundings. Her face and those of the majestic solemn-eyed
Medusas are the most interesting treasures of the tomb. All the faces
and figures of the Volumnii are intensely life-like; Aruns himself has
a purse-proud expression.
Coming out into welcome fresh air and daylight, we saw that the
entrance to the tomb was fringed by a profusion of maidenhair fern,
growing between the blocks of travertine. A weird-faced child, with
dark eyes shining through a tangle of dusky hair, showed a brilliant
gleam of white teeth as she offered us tufts of this fern ruthlessly
torn out by its roots. She seemed the uncanny guardian of the place.
* * * * *
Another walk with an outlook less splendid than that of the Veduta and
others, yet with a special charm of its own, was a great favourite
with us. To reach it one has to go past the interesting old church of
San Ercolano, instead of turning up beside it, till some iron gates
are arrived at; outside these, the way was blocked on the right, so we
turned leftwards, and followed the course of the picturesque old wall;
ancient houses rise above it, and the wall itself is crowned with
flowers in pots and stone vases. Here and there we saw vine-wreathed
loggias; then, at the far end of a sudden turn, there came into view
Monte Luce, with its old church and convent, and grand blue hills
rising beyond. I believe the church is really called Santa Maria
Assunta; it is the bourne of a yearly pilgrimage at the time of the
great cattle fair, which takes place on the green down across the
road.
We passed through the open convent gate into a quaint and peaceful
scene, a small grassed quadrangle closed in by a wall and the
sacristan's house; facing us was the west front of the church, with a
large window under its low gable. The church wall itself is checkered
with squares of red and white stone. The two green doors, under a
double arch, were almost as vivid in colour as the lizards basking
between the stones. On the right was a low and singularly massive
campanile; its huge blue and white clock-face giving a peculiar
quaintness to the place. There is a projecting side chapel below, with
slit-like windows; beyond this is a cloister walk, its low tiled roof
supported by solid white-washed piers. This cloister goes on to the
angle where the convent buildings adjoin the church, and extends from
this angle along the southern and eastern sides of the little green
square to the entrance gates; on one side is an upper storey, reached
by a flight of bricked steps.
A woman, sad and quiet-looking, but with a sweet expression on her
olive-hued face, showed us the church, and the little choir of the
Sisters behind the high altar. She told us how the nuns from the
suppressed and desecrated convent of Santa Giuliana "had been driven
to take refuge in this blessed house of Santa Maria Assunta." She
added with a deep sigh, "Who knows what will happen next?"
It seemed sad that such a peaceful home as this should be threatened.
A few steps beyond this church brought us to a low wall; here we sat
and enjoyed the distant view framed in by tall trees. It differs from
any other point in Perugia, in having a more varied foreground. This
is broken up by green hills, with bright-looking country houses
nestling among gardens and orchards, and surrounded by dark trees;
behind are the ever-beautiful Apennines; between, in mid distance, is
that mingling of colour created by the luxuriant vegetation of this
fertile valley. It was varied on this evening by cloud-shadows cast on
its mellowed sunny glow.
While we sit enjoying all this beauty, the Angelus sounds in sweet
harmony with the scene; three, four, five, then one long drawn-out
solemn note.
From the frequent campaniles the bells call one to another, and give
deep-toned musical response across the green hollows that vandyke
themselves up the walled hillside into the town; the brilliant sunset
showing in bold relief the salient balconies of a Palazzo not far
away.
We came back into the city by another gate, and lost our way. Finally,
however, we turned up a very steep street, and then down flights of
steps by the church of San Fiorenzo. There is here a curious old wall
with a garden above it; a workman told us it was the curate's garden.
In the lingering gleams of sunlight, oleander blossoms overhead were
glowing masses of colour against the grey stone wall.