d you read about, uncle George," said Rollo, "while I was
counting the plants?"

"I read," said Mr. George, "that the Coliseum was begun about A. D. 72,
by one of the Roman emperors."

"Then it is almost eighteen hundred years old," said Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George; "and when it was first opened after it was
finished, they had a sort of inauguration of it, with great
celebrations, that continued one hundred days."

"That is over three months," said Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George; "it was a very long celebration. During this
time about five thousand wild beasts were killed in the combats in the
arena."

"This very arena right before us?" said Rollo.

"Yes," said Mr. George.

On hearing this, Rollo looked upon the arena with renewed interest and
pleasure. He endeavored to picture to himself the lions, and tigers, and
leopards, and other ferocious wild beasts, growling, snarling, and
tumbling over each other there, in the desperate combats which they
waged among themselves, or with the men sent in to fight with them.

"It continued to be used for such fights," added Mr. George, "for four
hundred years; and during this time a great many Christians were sent in
to be devoured by wild beasts, for the entertainment of the populace.

"After a while," continued Mr. George, "the Roman empire became
Christian; and then the government put a stop to all these savage
games."

"And what did they do with the Coliseum then?" asked Rollo.

"They did not know what to do with it for a time," said Mr. George; "but
at last, when wars broke out, and Rome was besieged, they tried to turn
it into a fortress."

"I should think it would make an excellent fortress," said Rollo, "only
there are no port-holes for the cannon."

"Ah! but they had no cannon in those days," said Mr. George. "They had
only bows and arrows, spears, javelins, and such sort of weapons, so
that they did not require any port-holes. The men could shoot their
weapons from the top of the wall."

In further conversation on the subject of the Coliseum, Mr. George
explained to Rollo how, in process of time, Rome was taken by the
barbarians, and a great portion of the Coliseum was destroyed; and then,
afterwards, when peace was restored, how the government, instead of
repairing the building, pulled it to pieces still more, in order to get
marble, and hewn stone, and sculptured columns, to build palaces with;
and how, at a later period, there was a plan formed f