Bocca della Verità

Even though it is a little cheesy from the 1953 movie Roman Holiday with Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, we had to go and put our hands in the Bocca della Verità, or the "Mouth of Truth" in English.

As legend has it dating back tothe Middle Ages, the mouth will supposedly close and bite one's hand if a lie is told. Interestingly enough, when Brian made that face, a little old Italian woman told him that it was going to eat his hand off. In the rusty Italian that I have, I picked up quickly on the verb "mangiare" meaning to eat.

The image of the face itself is carved of marble and is located in the Basilica Santa Maria in Cosmedin (the last picture is a view of the church from across the street). It is believed to be from the 1st century AD, as perhaps an ancient fountain or a possible representation of a pagan god.