LAKE THRASYMENE AND CORTONA
The most interesting part of the journey to Cortona is the view of
Lake Thrasymene, with its reedy shores and islands, near the
picturesque little town of Passignano.
[Illustration: OLIVE BRANCH.]
As one leaves the station below Cortona, and mounts the hill to the
grandly placed town, Thrasymene comes in sight again, and adds much to
the beauty of the landscape. It is almost worth while to go to Cortona
for the sake of the drive up from the station, and the exquisite view
from the city walls, ponderous marvels of stone-work. But Cortona is
not a desirable place to sleep in. The inn, when we stayed there, was
not at all comfortable, and although the town is placed at such a
height, the moss growing outside the houses tells how damp is the
atmosphere.
If Perugia had seemed ancient, Cortona appeared antediluvian.
According to the old historians, Perugia sent soldiers to fight
against Troy, but Cortona boasts of having given birth to Dardanus,
the founder of Assisi.
It was late afternoon when we reached the top of the hill, and when we
took our way from the inn through the hilly, twisting streets to the
Porta Colonia, the sun had already set, although the sky still glowed.
Lake Thrasymene looked pale and weird against the olive landscape.
Before us was a deep valley backed by a warm, purple mountain ridge;
behind us was the stupendous Etruscan wall. We followed the course of
this down the steep descent, for Cortona is built on the side of a
rocky hill which yet towers above it. The blocks of travertine in
the wall are even larger than those at Perugia. Nestling between them,
we found a wealth of ferns; ceterach and several delicate aspleniums
growing freely among these grim records of past ages.
[Illustration: OLIVE-TREES, LAKE THRASYMENE.]
Suddenly, while we were stooping to look closely at the ferns in the
fading light, there came to us, as if from the clouds, a full-voiced
chant; deep organ notes swelled above the sweet tones of treble
voices.
We looked up and saw that a convent is built above the walls. We stood
for some time on this side of the hill listening to the aerial music.
Behind us was the deep purple of the valley,--the vast plain below was
changing into a brown olive, a wild, desolate-looking expanse; but
there was overhead a peculiar clearness of atmosphere.
The young moon hung high above the convent towers; its light helped us
to find our way over the rough ground, till at last we reached one of
the city gates, and went back through the dark streets to our inn.
There was not a deserted or sleepy look about the place. People were
gossiping and trafficking in the streets, and there were plenty of
customers in the shop we went into.
Our bedroom at the inn looked alarmingly dismal; large and lofty, it
contained an enormous four-poster with a heavy, dark green canopy and
curtains. Everything looked and smelt damp; but when we asked to have
the bed aired, our host said, "Such a thing is impossible at this time
of year."
Next morning we found a busy market on the hilly Piazza. The town hall
is here, and some women spreading out orange and scarlet handkerchiefs
in the loggia above gave colour to the scene; but the people looked
somewhat squalid and dirty after our bright Perugians; moreover,
Cortona folk are indifferent and sometimes uncourteous to strangers.
[Illustration: PALAZZO COMUNALE, CORTONA.]
We turned into a side street to see a fine palazzo; then, crossing
the market-place, went on to the Palazzo Pretoria. The walls of this
building, both in the street and those round the inner quadrangle, are
curiously decorated with small shields bearing the arms of ancient
magistrates; they reminded us of the Bargello walls in Florence.
We went upstairs, and were told that the custode of the museum was not
in, but if we waited he would be sure to come soon. We had, however,
to send more than one messenger in search of him before he appeared.
There are many Etruscan and some Roman antiquities in this museum, but
its chief treasure is the famous candelabrum. This holds sixteen
lamps; between each lamp is a head of Bacchus, while eight satyrs and
eight sirens, placed alternately, form a marvellously rich border.
Within this circle is represented a fight with wild animals, then
waves and fish, with a Medusa's head as centre. The colour of the
candelabrum, an exquisite mingling of blue and bronze, is beautiful.
Near it is a painting on stone--a female--said to be very ancient.
[Illustration: BRONZE CANDELABRUM.]
After the museum we went into the cathedral; the pictures painted by
Luca Signorelli for his native town are here. Luca was born at
Cortona, and was a pupil of Piero della Francesca. Near the choir is a
beautifully carved marble tomb, in which the people believe the Consul
Flaminius was buried after the battle of Thrasymene.
We had not time to visit the baptistery opposite, which also contains
pictures by Luca and by Fra Angelico. We were anxious to see the view
from the church of Santa Margherita, above the town. Her statue stands
just outside the cathedral; a little dog crouches at her feet.
Margherita was not a native of Cortona; she lived for pleasure only;
on her repentance she entered a Franciscan convent here, and passed a
life of charity and holy penitence for her sins. Her conversion is
said to have taken place on the sudden death of one of her lovers.
As he left her house, accompanied by his little dog, he was
assassinated. The little dog came back to Margherita's house, and by
its cries attracted her notice; it then pulled at her gown, till it
induced her to follow to where her lover lay dead. For this reason
Santa Margherita is always represented with a little dog beside her.
We went along the road past the platform, where there is a fine view
over the Chiana valley, and turned in to old San Domenico to see the
pictures. The campanile of this church is a picturesque feature of
Cortona. We could only see two of the pictures, neither of them very
remarkable. Another was being restored, the custode said. The walk
from this point up to Santa Margherita was delightful. The sunshine
was brilliant, and the air had a delicious touch of autumn crispness.
The way beside the wall is steep, but there are constant views over
the country, and gradually, as we mounted, Lake Thrasymene revealed
itself in pale blue-green loveliness; a projecting hill, however,
partly blocks the view, and only allows about half of the lake's grand
expanse to be seen. The yellow turf was gay with wild flowers, some of
them rare specimens. When we at last reached the church, we were
rewarded for our climb.
Santa Margherita was designed and probably built by Niccolo and
Giovanni Pisano, but it has been very much restored; the view from
its platform is magnificent. In front is a screen of tall cypresses,
between which the purple hills show exquisitely. The spacious church
originally designed by Niccolo Pisano has been re-modelled, but there
is a beautiful monument to Santa Margherita by Giovanni Pisano. Santa
Margherita's tomb reminded us of Pope Benedict's at Perugia. The saint
lies sleeping with her little dog at her feet; in a bas-relief she
yields her soul to angels, who bear it to Heaven.
The Fortezza behind the church is said to command a still finer view,
but we were quite satisfied to sit on the flowery turf enjoying the
surpassing loveliness below us. Hills and valleys, far-reaching
plains, the still lake, and the sky overhead, seemed to vie with one
another in beauty, yet to blend into such perfect harmony that the
sensation of gazing was one of complete repose.
Down a long, long flight of irregular steps we found our way to the
quaint little church of St. Nicholas. While we sat gazing we had
watched a woman go down these steps, so we felt sure they would lead
us somewhere; they took us to the queerest little up-and-down village
imaginable, a village of mendicants; every one begged of us, the
children being very pertinacious.
One bright-eyed monkey of a boy, with bare brown legs and feet, and a
red cap stuck over one eye, followed us down the broken way, dancing
and chattering as he came. All at once he stopped and pointed to three
younger children, sitting in a mud pool outside a cottage door, even
more ragged and dirty, but quite as bright-looking as he was.
I asked him if he had a father or a mother, but he shook his head.
"Oimè, Signora!--io son padre di famiglia," he said, with a merry
laugh, and he pointed again to the black-eyed urchins.
We joined in his laugh; his face and his tiny outstretched hand were
irresistible. He shouted for joy when we dropped a coin into it; after
this, at the end of every turning we passed, there was our
bright-eyed, dirty little beggar, with outstretched brown hand and the
sauciest of smiles. When we shook our heads at him he capered away,
the soles of his slender brown feet almost as high as his head.
The little church of San Nicola is hidden away among the houses, with
a quaint little grassed cloister court in front of it, and a row of
ancient cypresses. On one side is a little cloister walk; a
vine-covered pergola supported itself by filling up the small space
inclosed. In the church is an altar picture, painted on both sides,
this is said to be one of the last works of Luca Signorelli. The
fresco, said also to be his, has been much restored. This little
church belonged to a confraternity, and the seats still remain along
the sides of the front court in which the Brethren have sat in
council, or from which they have enjoyed the view over the wall that
borders this quiet cloister.
* * * * *
As we drove rapidly downhill to the station, we looked at the country
through a silver veil, for the olive-trees are larger here than at
Perugia, and they literally cover the first part of the steep
descent,--so steep that the road has to descend by terraces zig-zagged
along the side of the hill.
We had told our red-haired, blue-eyed driver to take us to the
Etruscan grotto, and he presently stopped at a rough break, with large
stones placed so as to form irregular steps.
The man was in fear lest the horse should run away, and was greatly
excited. He went on chattering patois to that effect; but though I
told him I was quite able to climb up by myself, he would stand at the
top of the steps hauling me up with one hand and flourishing his whip
with the other, as if he were performing a circus feat.
We left him there, and presently entered a solemn grassed avenue of
gigantic cypresses, their pale grey stems gleaming in the sunlight.
This avenue slopes upward, and at the end the ruined grotto shows
between the lines of tall dark trees; it is very curious, circular in
form, with neatly finished compartments in it for the urns. These have
all been taken away; only part of the circular top of the sepulchre
remains, lying near the ruined stone; but even in its fractured state
it is very impressive; alone on the hillside, screened from the
immense prospect before it by a surrounding of olive-trees. As we
drove down to the railway, far below us, it seemed to us it had been
quite worth while to stay at Cortona for the sake of this wonderful
drive down the steep hillside; but the town is probably safer from
damp in August than we found it in October.
INDEX
Alunno, Niccolo, 75.
Statue of, 81.
Angelus, the, 136.
Apennines, 7.
Assisi, way to, 165.
Albergo Subasio, 176.
Carceri, le, 224.
Chiara Scifi, or S. Clare, conversion of, 244.
Churches--
S. Chiara, 249.
S. Damiano, 214-216, 252, 283.
S. Francesco, campanile, 180.
Lower church, 179.
Cloister garden, 201.
Upper church, 202.
S. Giorgio, 233.
S. Maria degli Angeli, 172, 260.
Rose garden, 262.
S. Maria Maggiore, 234.
Nuova, 233.
S. Paolo, 233.
Cathedral of S. Rufino, 232.
Fra Egidio, 240.
Elia, 194.
Leone, 168.
Masseo, 273.
S. Francis, birth and parentage, 206;
dream of, 208;
visits lazar house, 210;
breaks with his friends, 211;
his father's anger, 213;
goes to S. Damiano, 214;
conversion of, 215;
markets at Foligno, 215;
renounces the world, 221;
converts Bernard and others, 237;
goes to Rome, 241;
gains Pope's sanction to Order of Brothers Minor, 242;
lives at Rivo Torto, 242;
preaches in S. Rufino, 245;
founds second Order the Poor Clares, 248;
visits the Soldan, 266;
his last visit to La Vernia, 280;
vision of the Stigmata, 282;
visits S. Chiara, 283;
composes Canticle of the Sun, 284;
visits Bishop Guido, 289;
returns to the Portioncula, 291;
Madonna Jacoba di Settesoli visits him, 291;
he dies, 292.
Brother Juniper, 268, 276, 279.
Palazzo Sbaraglini, 239. Scifi, 244.
Piazza S. Maria Maggiore, 221.
Porta Cappucini, 224. Nuova, 214.
La Portioncula, 235, 243, 247, 260, 265, 268.
Rocca di Assisi, 255.
Roman Assisi, 232.
Temple of Minerva, 231.
Tomb of S. Francis, 193.
Baglione, Astorre, 48, 49, 52, 53.
Atalanta, 47, 58, 59, 62.
Gianpaolo, 56-58, 60, 61, 63, 65.
Grifonetto, 50-53, 55, 59, 61, 62.
Simonetto, 48.
Baglioni, the, 45-47.
Bergamo, Damiano and Stefano da, intarsia by, 126.
S. Bernardino of Siena, 33, 37.
Bevignate, Fra, 33.
Bonfigli, Benedetto, 5, 73.
Cacciolfo, 87.
Cimabue, 190.
Frescoes by, 202.
Cortona, 299.
Candelabrum, 307.
Cathedral, 308.
Church of S. Domenico, 310.
S. Margherita, 310.
S. Nicholas, 313.
Etruscan grotto, 315.
Palazzo Pretoria, 307.
Dante's mention of Assisi and of S. Francis, 175.
Ducci, Agostino, 105.
Foligno, 81.
Cathedral, 82.
S. Maria infra Portas, 83.
S. Niccolo, 83.
Palazzo Deli, 83.
Tribunale del Commune, 82.
Forte Braccio, 39, 43, 44.
Fra Angelico, 75, 112.
Giotto, 188.
Frescoes by, 188, 192, 195, 205.
Guidalotti, Abbot of S. Pietro de' Casinensi, 42.
Keys of Assisi and Siena, 34.
Lorenzetti, Pietro, of Siena, 191.
Lorenzo, Fiorenzo di, 73, 74, 233.
S. Margherita, 309.
Martini, or Memmi, Simone, of Siena, 192.
Matarazzo, 46, 54, 64.
Michelotti, Biordo, 42, 43.
Montefalco, 83.
Nelli, Ottaviano, frescoes by, 82.
Perugia, 1.
Belle arti Albergo, 10.
Bellucci, Signor, 17.
S. Bernardino of Siena, 111-118.
Oratory of, 97, 105, 111.
Betti, Signor, 15, 16.
Brufani hotel, 10.
Cappella del Cambio, 72.
Charms, 17-20.
Churches--
S. Agata, 101.
S. Angelo, 158.
S. Bernardino, 105.
S. Domenico, 23.
S. Ercolano, 14, 133.
S. Lorenzo, 35.
Madonna di Luce, 102.
S. Maria Assunta, 134.
S. Maria Nuova, 40.
S. Pietro de' Casinensi, 119.
S. Severo, 38.
Corso, 32.
Cupa, La, 138.
Daybreak at, 11.
El gran tradimento, 54-57.
Etruscan wall, 15.
Fontana Borghese, 79.
Fonte Maggiore, 33.
Griffin, 34.
Market, 24.
Monte Luce, 134.
Mosaic pavement, 148.
Palazzo Antinori, 151.
Baglione, 14.
Canonica, 33.
del Capitano del Popolo, 27.
Pubblico, or Comunale, 32, 34, 35.
Passeggiata Pubblica, 119.
Perugino, 4, 5, 73.
House of, 101.
Piazza del Duomo, 32, 35, 41.
dei Gigli, 38.
Grimani, 16.
Monte Sole, 38.
del Papa, 36.
Sopra Mura, 24.
Vittor Emanuele, 14.
Pinacoteca, 69, 75.
Pope Benedict XI., statue of, 24.
Boniface, 123.
Julius III., statue of, 36.
Paul III., 13, 66.
Porta Augusta, 151, 152.
Buligaia, 156.
Costanzo, 119, 129.
Eburnea, 142.
Marzia, 13, 15.
S. Pietro, 129.
S. Angelo, 158.
Susanna, 13.
Sala del Cambio, 69, 70.
Tombs of the Volumnii, 130.
Via Appia, 143.
Women, 28, 29, 30.
Piccinino, Nicola, 44.
Piero della Francesca, 69, 73.
Pinturicchio, 87-89.
Pisano, Giovanni, 33, 34, 184.
Pisano, Nicolo, 33.
Ponte San Giovanni, 80.
Sunsets, 128.
Veduta, La, 119.
Raffaelle, 3, 4.
Rocca di Vicenza, 87.
Rossi, 34.
Sabatier, Monsieur Paul, 171, 206.
Sanzio, Giovanni, 3.
Savonarola, 37.
Spello, 84.
Amphitheatre, 91.
Capuchin Convent, 91.
Churches--
Santa Maria Maggiore, 87.
Capella del Sacramento, 87.
Frescoes in, 87.
San Andrea, 89.
Porta Augusta, 92.
Porta Veneris of Hispellum, 84.
Spoleto, 43, 200, 209.
Subasio, Monte, 7, 80, 81.
Tasso, Domenico del, intarsia by, 70.
Thrasymene, Lake of, 300.
Trevi, 87.
Ugolino, Bishop of Ostia, 265.
Vannucci, Cristoforo, 4.
Vannucci, Pietro, 4, 70.
La Vernia, 224.
S. Vincent Ferrier, 113.
Witches, belief, in, 20.
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MORRISON & GIBB LIMITED
Edinburgh