Page:The Journal of Classical and Sacred Philology, Volume 1, 1854.djvu/214

204 Journal of Ph ilolony. Constantine had dedicated the whole island to St Peter and St Paul, but there had been all along a great church to the memory of Hippolytus. The eighth century was the last bright day of Portus ; for two centuries before it had been only fading from history and crumbling in its place. The uncertain chro- nology of a few bishops is the only relic of those times, so much it suffered from the misrule of the Byzantine court after its re- conquest, and from the Saracen incursions. No vessels could enter its blocked-up harbour, and it fell to be a little guard- post against the marauders, and a convenient landing-place for them. But the eighth century rebuilt the church of St Hippo- lytus, and added the Great Tower that still is the chief feature in the view. The ninth replenished its streets with a population from Corsica ; and somewhat earlier than this, Leo III. made many offerings to the Church, among them two precious palls, one for the high altar, and one to cover the body of St Hippo- lytus* 1 . This is proof enough that after the relics of the Ager Veranus had been removed to France those of the Bp. of Portus were still believed to rest at Portus : whence indeed it is most unlikely that a loving flock in the early martyr-honouring ages should ever have removed them to Rome 42 . 41 Anastas. Biblioth. va.VU. Leon, m. "In the nth century Ostia and Portus 385 (Vol. 1. p. 288). "Fecit autem is- were miserable places, and had been so dem almificus Pontifex in beati Hip- for centuries." In the 15th century the polyti martyris in civitate Portuensi church was a ruin. Pius II. in 1461 vestes de stauraci duas, unam super cor- made a visitation of the town and island, pus ejus et aliam in altari majori." Dol- The ancient store- vaults, the dock-yards, linger who, I observe, cites this passage, the mooring-pillars were still to be seen mistranslates de stauraci " mit Kreuzen round a large muddy pool which was the durchwirkte:" it describes the quince only vestige of the harbour. All round colour. lay "gentilium templorum vestigia, et 43 It may be interesting to subjoin Christianorum ecclesiarum cadavira." a few memoranda from Nibby of the In the Island they could not turn a sod subsequent history of Portus. In the without finding marbles, statues, and I ith century the church was still stand- large columns. But the only building ing and flourishing : the diocese was yet erect was the Tower of St Hippoly- then accurately defined and contained tus. u Ecclesia jacet detecta ; parietes several churches. It was regarded as tantum extant, et turris campanaria, so strong and important a place that sine campanis, non ignobilis. In In- along with Ostia, St Angelo, and StPe- sula nullum aliud cminet sedificium." ter's it was reserved for the Pope's espe- Twenty years later (1483) Sistus IV. cial jurisdiction. So far then Bunsen is walked down from Ostia with some not quite accurate when he says (p. 229), Patres to the beach " Sumto prandw,"