Vulgar words in Roman Mosaics - Or, Studies in Rome and Its Neighbourhood (Page 1)

This book at a glance

ass x 2
bastard x 1
buffoon x 1
            

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~   ~   ~   Sentence 542   ~   ~   ~

One pigeon-hole is filled with the calcined bones of the court buffoon, a poor deaf and dumb slave who had wonderful powers of mimicry, and used to amuse his morose master by imitating the gesticulations of the advocates pleading in the Forum.

~   ~   ~   Sentence 2,114   ~   ~   ~

Another of these bastard obelisks occupies a commanding position at the top of the Spanish Stairs, in front of the Church of Trinita dei Monti.

~   ~   ~   Sentence 2,411   ~   ~   ~

Below the fresco which I have thus minutely described is another about the same size, representing a sphinx, with a nondescript animal, which may be either an ass or a young deer standing below it, and a panther or leopard sitting behind in a rampant attitude, with one paw on the haunch of the sphinx, and the other on the tail, and its face turned towards the spectator.

~   ~   ~   Sentence 2,539   ~   ~   ~

At Maryhill, in the neighbourhood of Glasgow, about a year ago, when an epidemic of measles and whooping-cough was prevalent, two mothers took advantage, for the carrying out of this superstition, of the presence in the village of an ass which drew the cart of a travelling rag-gatherer.

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