Rome. The magestic city of romance. I have been fascinated with Rome since I was a little girl and perhaps it was thanks to a little movie starring my favorite actress, Audrey Hepburn. When I first saw Roman Holiday, I fell in love with the city and I had never even been there. It’s beauty, it’s culture, it’s gorgeous piazzas - everything about the place drew me in.
In the movie, Audrey Hepburn plays Ann, the crown princess of an unspecified country. Unhappy with a life of schedules and public appearances, Ann decides to run off one evening into the busy streets of Rome. Along the way she meets American expatriate Joe, who happens to work for an American tabloid in Rome. Ann lies to him, claiming to be just a tourist in Rome for the day. Joe soon discovers her true identity and decides to show her the city, meanwhile keeping his new found knowledge of who she really is a secret.
One stop they make along the way is at the Bocca Della Verità (The Mouth of Truth). It is perhaps one of my favorite places in Rome and a sight not to be missed. La Bocca della Verità is an image, carved from Pavonazzetto marble, of a man-like face, located in the portico of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. It is believed that the sculpture dates back to the 1st century and that it was part of an ancient Roman fountain, portraying a pagan god. Its ancient history fascinates me, but even more so is the whimsical myth associated with it. It is said that the mouth acts like a lie detector. If you place your hand into the mouth and tell a lie, your hand will be bitten off. Now, I’ve honestly never tested this theory but I think it’s such a fun little piece of culture.
In Roman Holiday, the character Joe does exactly this and pretends to have his hand bitten off to frighten Ann. He of course, is just joking but the symbolism that they are both being dishonest with each other is grand.
If you are in Rome at all while on your Italian travels, you must stop by and see this magical little piece of history.
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