Res Gestae

But Constantine,[*](That is, Constantine the Great.) making little account of that, tore the huge mass from its foundations; and since he rightly thought that he was committing no

After these provisions, the aforesaid emperor departed this life and the urgency of the enterprise waned, but at last the obelisk was loaded on the ship, after long delay, and brought over the sea and up the channel of the Tiber, which seemed to fear that it could hardly forward over the difficulties of its outward course to the walls of its foster-child the gift which the almost unknown Nile had sent. But it was brought to the vicus Alexandri[*](The origin of the name is unknown; it was obviously on the Tiber, below Rome.) distant three miles from the city. There it was put on cradles[*](Chamulcus, which occurs only here, is the Greek χαμουλκός glossed by Latin traha (cf. Virg. Georg. i. 164). Here, a kind of sledge or platform without wheels, on which ships were launched or drawn up on the shore.) and carefully drawn through the Ostian Gate and by the Piscina Publica[*](One of the regions of the city, a part of the Aventine Hill.) and brought into the Circus Maximus.

After this there remained only the raising, which it was thought could be accomplished only with great difficulty, perhaps not at all. But it was done in the following manner: to tall beams which were brought and raised on end (so that you would see a very grove of derricks) were fastened long and heavy ropes in the likeness of a manifold web hiding the sky with their excessive numbers. To these was attached that veritable mountain engraved over with written characters, and it was gradually drawn up on high through the empty

And subsequent generations have brought over other obelisks, of which one was set up on the Vatican,[*](On the spina of the Circus Gai et Neronis; it is now in front of St. Peter’s; it is 25.36 m. high and without hieroglyphics.) another in the gardens of Sallust,[*](These now belonged to the imperial house; the obelisk is at present in the Piazza delta Trinità dei Monte; it is 13 m. high and has a copy, made in Rome, of the hieroglyphics on the obelisk set up by Augustus in the Circus Maximus.) and two at the mausoleum of Augustus.[*](These are before the church of Santa Maria Maggiore and on the Quirinal; the former is 14.40 m. high, the latter somewhat less; neither has hieroglyphics.)

Now the text of the characters cut upon the ancient obelisk which we see in the Circus[*](This obelisk, the greatest of them all (32. 50 m.), was set up at the Lateran by Fontana in 1588.) I add below in its Greek translation, following the work of Hermapion.[*](He seems to have lived in the time of Augustus.) The translation of the first line, beginning on the South side, reads as follows:

The Sun speaks to King Ramestes. I have granted to thee that thou shouldst with joy rule over the whole earth, thou