The popular Italian saying ‘in Bocca al Lupo’ is used instead of wishing good luck.
It means ‘into the mouth of the wolf’. And yet, in the middle of Rome there is more powerful mouth – ‘La Bocca della Verita’ The Mouth of the Truth.
This round marble medallion diameter of 175 cm is located near the entrance to the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, in the area of ancient port in Rome, thus there are the suggestions that the sculpture represents the river god or more probably the God Oceanus. It may be once used as a drain cover or the water fountain in the port. Another theory places the origins of the medallion in the temple called Jupiter Jurarius, then it will represent God Jupiter.
For us the name of the god is of second importance. What brings here the tourists from all over the world is the tradition, which says that only the truthful person could put their hand into the hole in the Mouth of the Truth and take it back unharmed.
If they say any lies while holding the hand inside the ‘La Bocca’ the angry god will close his mouth for good, crushing the hand of the liar.
The story of the liar detector has been used in the 1953 movie ‘Roman Holiday’, when Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck try to check if they can trust each other.
They passed the test, but if you have the thoughts about suspicious behaviour of the friend, maybe you should start your visit in Rome from the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
[image: courtesy of ashaf]
Guides: rome
