The architecture of humanism; a study in the history of taste

144

THE

ARCHITECTURE OF

HUMANISM

length a trumpet

gave the signal.

The very first

turntookexcellent

effect; the obelisk was heaved

from the

base on which it had

rested for fifteen

hundred

years

;

at the twelfth, it was

raised

two

palms and a quarter, and

remained steady

;

the

master

sawthehugemass,weighing,with

itscasings,

abovea

millionofRomanpounds,inhispower. It

wascarefullynotedthatthistook

placeonthe

30th

April

1586,

about the twentieth hour (about three

in the afternoon).

Asignalwas firedfromFortSt.

Angelo,all thebellsinthe cityrang,andthework-

men carried their master in triumph around the

inclosure,with

incessantshoutsandacclamations.

'

Sevendaysafterwardsthe obeliskwasletdown

inthesameskilfulmanner,uponrollers,onwhichit

wasthen

conveyed to itsnew destination.

It was

nottillaftertheterminationofthehotmonthsthat

theyventuredtoproceedtoitsre-erection.

'

ThePopechose

forthisundertaking

the lothof

September,aWednesday,whichhehadalwaysfound

tobea

fortunate

day,

andthe

last

before

thefeast

of

theElevationofthe

Cross,

towhich theobeliskwas

to be dedicated. On this occasion, as before, the

workmenbeganbyrecommending

themselvestoGod

;

they

fellontheirknees

assoonastheyenteredthe

inclosure. Fontana had not omitted

to

profit

by

thesuggestionscontainedin

adescriptionbyAmmi-

anusMarcellinusofthe

lastraisingofanobelisk,and