Israel". 1 Macc. XIII. The entry of our divine Redeemer therefore was
one of triumph: but it was also the entry of a king into his capital:
for "many spread their garments in the way" (Mark XI, 8), as when
Jehu was elected king, (4 Kings IX, 13), the Israelites spread their
garments under his feet. Thus also Plutarch relates of Cato of Utica,
that the soldiers regretting the expiration of his authority with many
tears and embraces spread their garments, where he passed on foot.

Pope Julius II returning to Rome after the siege of Mirandola
distributed palms to the Roman court at S. Maria del Popolo; and
then rode in triumphal procession to the Vatican passing under seven
arches adorned with representations of his extraordinary and heroic
deeds[26].

[Sidenote: Sixtus V and Captain Bresca.]

When Sixtus V. undertook to erect in the Piazza di San Pietro the
ponderous egyptian obelisk[27], which formerly adorned Nero's circus
at the Vatican, he forbade on pain of death that any one should speak
lest the attention of the workmen should be taken off from their
arduous task. A naval officer of S. Remo, who happened to be present,
foreseeing that the ropes would take fire, cried out "_acqua alle
funi_". He was immediately arrested by the Swiss guards, as we see
him represented in the small fresco in the Vatican library, and was
conducted before the Pontiff. Sixtus shewed that his severity was
based on justice; for instead of punishing the transgressor of his
orders, he offered him the choice of his own reward. They who have
observed the great abundance of palms which grow in the neighbourhood
of S. Remo, on the coast between Nice and Genoa, will not be surprised
to hear, that the first wish of the gallant captain was to enjoy the