Now that we have listened to the solemn voice of the Forum, let us climb the Palatine along the Clivus Palatinus, next to the Arch of Titus, or along the Clivus Victoriae passing under the imposing structures which hide the ruins of the Palazzo of Tiberius and the Lupercale (the cave where Romulus and Remus came from, according to tradition), the most dignified access to the hill on which primitive Rome rose and where the Caesars built their fabulous residences. But very few traces remain of the primitive Rome because little by little the emperors levelled and flattened everything, even modifying the vary topography of the hill, and with Republican freedom buried under their gigantic buildings every trace of the ancient city. And what remains of their marble palaces? Little or nothing. While the imposing ruins of the Forum bring to life all the grandeur of the moral and political centre of Rome at its height as well as the proud battles of the Roman people for the defence of their liberty, the few ruins left on the Palatine are not capable of giving us the slightest idea of the golden palaces of the Caesars where the destiny of Rome was forged, because very few parts have survived from these proud palaces which so often housed both terror and betrayal. Not much is left of the stones which only the slaves had trampled over. Slaves they were: even if they were really condottieri, poets, high dignitaries, they had sold themselves and were in the service of tyranny and despotism, in return for a favour from the monarchy which was so often cruel and dissolute. Of Augustus, Ludovico Ariosto had this to say:

Non fu sì santo nè benigno Augusto come la tuba di Virgilio suona.

To compensate, however, the rich vegetation of the Palatine (in which the gardens of Septimius Severus return to life) and its excellent position like a terrace suspended over Rome make the Palatine one of the most inspiring parks in existence.