| The allegory on the reverse of this medal seems to imply, by the foot
of Fortune resting on the sea, that she has conducted him through the passages
of the dreary deep; and, by her right foot being placed on the level of
the rocky shore whereon she sits, that by her assistance, he was relanded
in safety (at Frejus) on his return. Her right hand being placed on the
mountain top, we presume to think alludes to his good fortune in being enabled,
by her assistance, to pass with his army the almost insurmountable obstacle,
the great St. Gothard, whereby he atchieved that ever renowned battle, Maringo.
The exergue denotes the place of his departure (Nice) on his going to Rome,
for the purpose of taking possession of that city and the ecclesiastical
states; or the whole of the reverse may probably allude to his route over
dreary mountains and rapid rivers during this peregrination. We merely hazard
the above conjectures from the great difficulty we have met with throughout,
in attempting to elucidate the precise meaning of the artist. |
