"Ciascuno di
essi (says Cancellieri) recava in mano una di queste palme di color
d'oro altissime e cadenti come tante vaghissime piume. Sei zitelle
sostenevano de'galanti panieri di freschissimi fiori pendenti dal
loro collo, con nastri bianchi e gialli, relativi allo stendardo
Pontificio. Quindi tutti si schierarono in buon ordine sulle due ale
delta strada, e mentre le ragazze versavano graziosamente a mani piene
da' loro canestrelli la verzura ed i fiori, quella selva ondeggiante
di palme, tributate al trionfo del S. Padre dal candore e dall'
innocenza, sorprese con la novita di uno spettacolo, che non pote a
meno d'intenerire, e di muovere tutti gli astanti".
If we now look back for a moment to the triumphs of the pagan
emperors, well may we bless God for the change which the religion of
Christ has wrought in this city. After they had let loose war, and
famine, and pestilence, to prey upon hapless nations, they ascended
the Capitol to offer incense with polluted hands to their profane
gods; and meantime the groans of the dying and unpitied princes, whom
they had reserved to decorate their triumph, ascended from the scala
Gemonia to call down the vengeance of heaven upon their oppressors.
But while the pacific and holy vicar of Christ returns in triumph to
his capital, the lips of babes and sucklings sing his praises, as they
did those of his Divine Master, and he implores heaven to shower down
benedictions on his enemies as well as his beloved children.
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