CRAIG CIGNARELLI CAUGHT SOME SIGHTS BESIDES TENNIS IN ROME MASTERS

Written by: Staff on 16th May 2015

CRAIG CIGNARELLI CAUGHT SOME SIGHTS BESIDES TENNIS IN ROME MASTERS |

Photo by AJA

Pantheon Etymology: Greek Pan “everything” and Teon “divine”

(def)

1. temple,

2. a group of important people

3. memorial to past heroes

The Ancient Romans constructed the Pantheon as a dedication to divinity of the past, present, and future. Today, about one kilometer from the Vatican, the 2000 year-old temple still stands, its diametrically perfect roof hole, the Greek inspired colonnades, the Latin inscription on the front crediting Marcus Agrippa for the build.

The edifice itself is astounding. The massive area beneath the open dome inspires reverence in ways that make America’s churches feel like something from a Barbie collection. The artwork makes you question your eyesight and you leave feeling as if you’ve been part of something greater than yourself.

Photo by AJA

Inside the Pantheon, one can see Raphael’s tomb – together with Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael formed the trinity of the period’s great masters.

Can you see where I’m going with this?

I like parallels. I enjoy the moments in life when we can cross-pollinate ancient history with modern times, when our todays feel like a simple extension of yesterdays, when the universe winks at me as if to say, “Hahaha, you see what I did there? Gotcha!”

After a brief night’s sleep, I am back at Foro Italico. Inside the open–roofed stadium, people are mourning Rafael. They are admiring artwork on Court Centrale as the great masters called Djokovic and Federer wield their brushes to paint upon the clay. They are experiencing transcendence, as though they’ve been part of something holier than themselves.

The semifinals are over now. Tomorrow, Federer and Djokovic will play for the championship and lay claim to their place in the pantheon of tennis greats. For me, it is time for a plate of Fettucine Bolognese and a swirling glass of red with good legs.

And so, I hear my footsteps land upon Rome’s cobblestone streets, as I pause to sniff ubiquitous fresh bread and garlic scents, as I shuffle to the ever-present accordion notes that echo throughout the city, the Pantheon looms large in the streetlights’ shadows. It is there, evoking history with its presence, just like our tennis heroes.

Topics: Craig Cignarelli, Rome, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

May 16, 2015 at 4:06 pm

-@CraigCignarelli CAUGHT SOME SIGHTS BESIDES #TENNIS IN #RomeMasters- http://t.co/kPdP1gzqXJ #Rome #Pantheon #TennisNews #italianopen