The Mysterious Story Behind the Mouth of Truth

Something about the fascinating story of Napoleon Bonaparte tells us that somewhere, somehow, we'll be able to search for love and adventure through the great unknown. Perhaps, this is one of the reasons many of us choose to cross the borders and understand things on our own; for no book, magazine or even artful sketches can replace the stories we'll weave into our personal tale.

How would you like to take the journey and hunt for the truth? Although there are thousands of parks, museums, bistros, and art galleries in Italy, I wish to bare the myth behind La Bocca della Verita or The Mouth of Truth found in the Church of Santa Maria. The Mouth of Truth is a miniature of Triton's face. Back in the Middle Ages, they assumed that whoever submits to the mouth of the river god will soon be condemned. By putting your hand inside the large fissure, the marble disk will then decide if you're guilty or not. Once you lie, your hand will suddenly be excised.

Today, the face of Triton or La Bocca della Verita is placed inside the church in Cosmedin. Though the myth can no longer be proven in time, this remnant of a once magnificent story continues to enthrall travelers around the world. In the end, we'll be dedicated to search for the truth or to cover it with lies. Years may pass but the exceptional tale of The Mouth will never die.