APPENDIX Inscriptions in Piazza di Spagna on the Spanish Steps
Reading edition
I
D. O. M. MAGNIFICAM HANC SPECTATOR QVAM MIRARIS SCALAM VT COMMODAM AC ORNAMENTVM NON EXIGVVM REGIO COENOBIO IPSIQ. VRBI ALLATVRAM ANIMO CONCEPIT LEGATAQ. SVPREMIS IN TABVLIS PECVNIA VNDE SVMPTVS SVPPEDITARENTVR CONSTRVI MANDAVIT NOBILIS GALLVS STEPHANVS GVEFFIER QVI REGIO IN MINISTERIO DIV PLVRES APVD PONTIFICES ALIOSQVE SVBLIMES PRINCIPES EGREGIE VERSATVS ROMAE VIVERE DESIIT XXX. Ivnii mdclxi. OPVS AVTEM VARIO RERVM INTERVENTV PRIMVM SVB CLEMENTE XI CVM MVLTI PROPONERENTVR MODVLI ET FORMAE IN DELIBERATIONE POSITVM DEINDE SVB INNOCENTIO XIII. STABILITVM ET R. P. BERTRANDI MONSINAT TOLOSATIS ORD. MINIMORVM S. FRANCISCI DE PAVLA CORRECTORIS GENLIS FIDEI CVRAEQ. COMMISSVM AC INCHOATVM TANDEM BENEDICTO XIII FELICITER SEDENTE CONFECTVM ABSOLVTVMQVE EST ANNO JVBILEI MDCCXXV
II
D. O. M. SEDENTE BENEDICTO XIII PONT. MAX. LUDOVICO XV IN GALLIIS REGNANTE EIVSQ. APVD SANCTAM SEDEM NEGOTIIS PRÆPOSITO MELCHIORE S. R. ECCLESIÆ CARDINALI DE POLIGNAC ARCHIEPISCOPO AVSCITANO AD SACRÆ ÆDIS ALMÆQVE VRBIS ORNAMENTVM AC CIVIVM COMMODVM MARMOREA SCALA DIGNO TANTIS AVSPICIIS OPERE ABSOLVTA ANNO DOMINI MDCCXXV
Translation of Above
I
O spectator, this magnificent stairway which you gaze at in wonder, that it might afford convenience and no small ornament to the city, the noble Frenchman Etienne Guéffier conceived in his mind, and, money having been left in his will whence to defray expenses, ordered it to be built. He conducted himself with distinction in the service of the King at the courts of several pontiffs and other sublime princes, and died in Rome the thirtieth of June, 1661.
The work, however, was interrupted by a variety of things, and first in the reign of Clement XI there were placed before a council many plans and designs. It was decided upon under Clement XI, and, being intrusted to the faithful care of the Reverend Father Bertrand Monsinat of Toulouse, corrector generalis of the lesser order of St. Francis de Paul, was begun, and finally, Benedict XIII blessedly seated upon the papal chair, was brought to an end in the year of jubilee, 1725.
II
Benedict XIII sitting in the papal chair as Pontifex Maximus; Louis XV reigning in France; Melchior de Polignac, Cardinal of the Holy Roman Church, and Archbishop of Aquitaine, being his minister at the sacred see; these marble steps, in a manner worthy of such auspices, for the ornamentation of the sacred temple (the church above) and the beloved city, and for the convenience of the citizens, were completed in the year of our Lord, 1725.