Chapters 3 and 4 Summary

In Chapter Three, the citizens of Florence incorrectly believe their city is founded by Julius Caesar and filled with ancient Roman ruins. Many of these so-called Roman remains date much later; Lucius Cornelius Sulla established the city twenty years before Caesar's rule during the heyday of the Roman Republic.

When Filippo travels to Rome, he finds a city that was once the home of a million people dwindled, due to the Black Death of 1348, down to 20,000. The number of residents has only risen slightly by the time Filippo arrives. The once "Eternal City" is now a very dangerous and lawless place. The only industry is that of pious Christians on pilgrimages to see the bones of saints. To these travelers, the ancient ruins are signs of the devil and idolatry. Some of ancient Rome does survive, such as the Via Appia...