PORTA TIBURTINA.

Resuming our ramblealong the Via Nomentana, after a short walk we reach the railway bridge, from which we obtain a beautiful view of the Campagna and the distant hills, whilst at our feet is the Anio, spanned by the

a Roman bridge, very picturesque, rebuilt,A.D.565, by Narses, the eunuch, and conqueror of Italy. Its present upper part is, however, medieval.Just beyond is the ridge of

where the plebeians retired when they made their secession,B.C.492, and where Menenius Agrippa addressed to them the famous fable of the "Belly and its Members" (Livy, ii. 32; Dionysius, vi. 86), so beautifully illustrated by S. Paul: "As the members of a natural body all tend to the mutual decency, service, and succour of the same body; so we should do one for another, to make up the mystical body of Christ" (see 1 Cor. xii.). "They erected an altar upon the summit of the hill, where they had encamped, which they named the altar of Jupiter Terribilis" (Dionysius, vi. 90). A second secession here took place after the death of Virginia,B.C.449 (Livy, iii. 52).

Beyond the osteria(inn),on the left, is the so-called

The shepherds have handed down this tradition, but we have no historic record of where she was buried. Dionysius (xi. 39) gives this account of her funeral:—

"The relatives of the virgin still increased the disaffection of the citizens by bringing her bier into the forum, by adorning her body with all possible magnificence, and carrying it through the most remarkable and most conspicuous streets of the city: for the matrons and virgins ran out of their houses lamenting her misfortune, and some threw flowers upon the bier, some their girdles or ribbons others their virgin toys, and others even cut off their curls and cast them upon it. And many of the men, either purchasing ornaments in the neighbouring shops, or receiving them by the favour of the owners, contributed to the pomp by presents proper to theoccasion: so that the funeral was celebrated through the whole city."

"And close around the body gathered a little trainOf them that were the nearest and dearest to the slain.They brought a bier, and hung it with many a cypress crown,And gently they uplifted her, and gently laid her down."—Macaulay.

"And close around the body gathered a little train

Of them that were the nearest and dearest to the slain.

They brought a bier, and hung it with many a cypress crown,

And gently they uplifted her, and gently laid her down."—Macaulay.

About three miles from the bridge are the

discovered in 1853. S. Alexander suffered under Trajan,A.D.117. In the fourth century a church was built over the oratory and catacomb. In 1867 Pius IX. laid the foundations of a church to be erected over these remains.To visit them a permit is necessary from the cardinal vicar, 70 Via della Scrofa.

(Porta S. Lorenzo.)

This gate was built by Augustus,B.C.3, over the line of the Pomœrium, being one of the arches of the Marcian Aqueduct,B.C.145. The Aquæ Tepula and Julia likewise passed over it. The inscriptions refer to Augustus, and to repairs by Vespasian, Caracalla, and Honorius, who added the picturesque brick towers in 402.

A new road has now been made to theCemetery,which is passed by the tramway to Tivoli. Three quarters of a mile on the road is the

founded in 308 by Constantine, in the place where was the cemetery of S. Cyriaca, which contained the body of S. Lorenzo. It was enlarged and restored at different periods. Finally, in 1864, Pius IX. caused the architect Vespignani to make great improvements, and it was then that the column of red granite with the statue of the martyr was placed in the adjacent square.

The poet Bishop Vida describes the martyrdom of S. Lawrence, and thus foretells his monument:—

"As circling years revolve, the day shall comeWhen Troy's great progeny, imperial Rome,To the blest youth, who, filled with holy pride,Tyrants, and flames, and bitter death defied,Shall build full many an altar, many a shrine,And grace his sepulchre with rites divine."

"As circling years revolve, the day shall come

When Troy's great progeny, imperial Rome,

To the blest youth, who, filled with holy pride,

Tyrants, and flames, and bitter death defied,

Shall build full many an altar, many a shrine,

And grace his sepulchre with rites divine."

Under the colonnade, supported by six Ionic columns, and adorned with frescoes, are two sarcophagi with bas-reliefs; also some curiousfrescoes relating to the soul of the Saxon count Henry. The interior is divided into three aisles by twenty-two columns, the greater part in Oriental granite. The paving recalls the style of the basilicæ of the primitive times. The great aisle was painted, by order of Pius IX., by Cesare Fracassini; in it are two pulpits of marble. A double staircase of marble conducts to that part of the Basilica Constantiniana which by Honorius III. was converted into the presbytery. It is decorated at the upper end by twelve columns of violet marble, which rise from the level of the primitive basilica beneath it. At the end is the ancient pontifical seat, adorned with mosaic and precious marbles. The papal altar is under a canopy in the Byzantine style. The pavement of the presbytery is worthy of attention. Descending to the confessional, which is under the high altar, we find the tomb of the martyred saints—Lawrence, Stephen, and Justin. Pius IX. is interred here. Returning to the church by the staircase on the left, we enter the sacristy, where is the altar of the Holy Sacrament, with a picture by E. Savonanzio, representing S. Cyriaca, who is having the martyrs buried. Close by is theRoman Cemetery, opened in 1834. The frescoes here are worth seeing, as well as the different monuments.

Mr. Forbes's steam-tramway excursion-lecture to Tivoli and Hadrian's Villa, every Thursday.

This road is the worst kept, the least interesting, and the most frequented out of Rome. The new tramway is now open, so it is more come-at-able than hitherto. Leaving the cemetery, we soon pass the Florence railway; then a bridge over the Ulmanus stream. The farm on the right, inside the gateway, is upon the site of the Villa of Regulus (Martial, i. 13). At the first mile was the monument of Pallas (Pliny younger, vii. 29; viii. 6). We soon cross the Anio by the modern bridge: the old one, Ponte Mammolo, can be seen to the right; it took its name from Mammæa, the mother of Alexander Severus, who repaired it. In these meadows Hannibal had his first camp (seepage 288). Beyond, we pass along the modern causeway over the meadows where his second camp was, by the Tutia, which stream we cross. We now pass some of the old pavement, and upon the leftCastel Arcione, a medieval castle belonging to a family of that name; destroyed by the S. P. Q. T., it having become a stronghold for brigands.

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PLAN OF TIVOLI.1Via della Sibilla2Ponte Gregoriano3Porta St. Angelo4Grand Falls5Glen & Falls6Temples of Vesta & Sibyl7Temple of Hercules8Cascade9Cascades10Villa S. AntonioView larger image.

PLAN OF TIVOLI.

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The calciferous lake of Tartarus formerly existed, just beyond, butis now dried up. Near by a sulphurous odour indicates the proximity of theAquæ Albulæ, baths often frequented in ancient times. A channel, constructed by Cardinal Este, draws off the water from these sulphurous lakes to the Tiber. The bath-house was erected in 1880, and the water is beneficial for skin diseases.

In the vicinity are the quarries of travertine—so called from the stone taking the ancient nameTiburtians—which have yielded the materials for building both ancient and modern Rome, the Colosseum, and S. Peter's.

Three miles from Tivoli we cross the picturesque

which spans the Anio. Near by is the solid and magnificent Tomb of the Plautii, similar to that of Cecilia Metella. The upper part has been repaired in medieval times, that it might serve as a fortress. Erected, 1B.C., by M. Plautius Silvanus for himself, Lartia his wife, and Urgularicus his child. The inscription tells us that one of his descendants served in Britain, and diedA.D.76.

A little beyond, a road turns off to the right, leading to Hadrian's Villa, which had better be visited in returning.

First visit the glen at Tivoli, then take the road round to see the small falls passing over the Ponte dell' Acquoria. Turn to the right. This brings us into the main road below the town. A short distance down we turn off to Hadrian's Villa; or, instead of turning to the right after passing the bridge, the road to the left leads past the Tempio della Tosse up to the Villa d'Este.

Donkey for excursion to the Falls, one and a half lira; guide(not necessary),one franc.

TheAlbergo Reginais the best in the town; everything clean, good cookery, and comfortable apartments for those spending a few days upon the spot. TheSibillanot so clean or comfortable, but a fair lunch can be provided in the Temple of Vesta attached to the inn.Pension at both houses.

near the entrance of the town from Rome, first turning left. It is ornamented with fountains, ilexes, cypresses, formal plantations and clipped hedges—all very stiff amidst so much natural beauty. The casino is decorated with frescoes by F. Zucchero and Muziano.

The villa has been neglected and deserted by its present proprietor,Cardinal Baroli, and is fast going to ruin and decay: this rather adds to its picturesque and haunted appearance. If Scott or Dickens had only made it the scene of one of their tales, it might have become historical.

If your time be limited, omit this villa.

GROTTO OF THE SIBYL, TIVOLI.View larger image.

was delightfully situated on the Sabine Hills. The modern town, of 7000 inhabitants, has few attractions except its charming situation and past recollections. It bore the name of Tibur in antiquity, and during the Augustan age the Roman nobles founded splendid villas there, among which were those of Augustus himself, Mæcenas, and the Emperor Hadrian. The beauties of Tivoli and the surrounding country were recorded in undying verse by Horace, whose Sabine farm was not far distant, and who seems to have delighted to dwell in retirement in the neighbourhood rather than in noisy, bustling Rome. The old town held in high reverence Hercules, the Sibyl, and Vesta, and the remains of temples dedicated to the latter are still visible immediately above the cascades on the edge of the present city limits. It is generally in Vesta's temple that tourists to the locality spread out and partake of the provisions brought with them from Rome; this is only advisable in warm weather. This circular Temple of Vesta is surrounded by an open corridor of Corinthian columns, ten of which still remain. It was destroyedby Lord Bristol, who wanted to carry it off to his estate in Norfolk.

TEMPLE OF VESTA AND GROTTO OF NEPTUNE.View larger image.

The terrace of the temple commands a good view of the falls, which are formed by the waters of the Anio. A swift torrent, proceeding from the mountain heights, and leaping down a precipice at the village, constitutes the celebrated cascades of Tivoli, one of which is three hundred and forty feet in height. Visitors are conducted to various spots (on donkeys or on foot) whence they may be able to catch the finest glimpses of the rising spray, and also in order to visit the grottoes of Neptune and the Sibyl. The path is often precipitous, rough, and narrow, but the sight well repays the trouble of parading over so much ground. Le Cascatelle, or small falls, are formed by a branch of the Anio. The tunnels throughMonte Catillowere cut in 1834, to divert the river, as when it followed the old course the town was frequently flooded; in fact, the inundation of 1826 rendered these new channels necessary. This flood exposed the remains of two ancient bridges and several tombs—the one higher up the river,Pons Valerius, and the other near the mouth of the tunnels,Pons Vopisci, after the owner of the adjoining ancient villa. TheVilla of MæcenasandTemple of Herculesare now occupied by iron-works; in the garden are remains of a Doric portico. Below the iron-works is the so-calledTempio della Tosse, a circular building like the Pantheon, probably the tomb of the Turcia family.

Having seen the glen at Tivoli, take a donkey round the bank of the glen over the Ponte Acquoria to the Villa of Hadrian. Man and donkey, 4 lire.

(Entrance, one lira)

stands on the slope of the heights of Tivoli, from which it is only thirty minutes' walk. It once covered an area of several square miles; and its magnificent grounds, unequalled in the Roman Empire, were laid out by Hadrian in order to assemble within them models of everything that had struck him during his travels, and accordingly they were filled with the finest statuary, palaces, temples, theatres, circuses, and academies. Some of the finest antique statues were found here under the popes. All this sumptuousness was destroyed in the sixth century by the Goths. Extensive ruins still exist. It is thus described by Pope Pius II.:—

"About the third of a mile from the city of Tivoli, the Emperor Hadrian built a very splendid villa, like a great village. The lofty and vast roofs of the temples still remain; the columns of theperistyles and sublime porticoes may yet be gazed at with admiration. There are still the remains of the piscinas and baths, where a canal derived from the Anio once cooled the summer heats.

"Age deforms all things: the ivy now drapes those walls once covered with painted hangings and cloths woven with gold; thorns and brambles have grown where purple-clothed tribunes sat; and snakes inhabit the chambers of queens. Thus perishable is the nature of all things mortal."

PLAN OF HADRIAN'S VILLA AT TIVOLI.View larger image.

VILLA OF HADRIAN.View larger image.

Enteringthrough an avenue of cypresses, we arrive at theOdeum, the skeleton of which only remains; this was for musical performances.Following the path beyond the modern Casino, to the left, by theNymphæum, then along the brink of the valley, we mount up to some chambers, formerly a reservoir from which the water poured in a cascade to the stream Peneas below.From the edgeof this ruin we look down upon a valley, made in imitation of theVale of Tempe. A stream runs through it, named, after the river in Thessaly,Peneas.On the oppositeslope of the valley was theLatin Theatre. We now enter theImperial Palace, with the ruins of the Temples of Diana and Venus adjoining;passing through which, at the farthest extremity, is theTemple of Castor and Pollux.Near thisare some subterranean passages, called theTartarus.Beyondwere theElysian Fields. Elysium, or the Elysian Fields, was the region where the souls of the dead were supposed to go to if they had been good. There, happiness was complete, and the pleasures were innocent and refined; the air was serene and temperate, the bowers ever green, and the meadows watered with perennial streams, and the birds continually warbled in the groves.

Tartarus was the region of punishment in the nether world of the ancients.On the farther sideof Tartarus is theRoman Theatre;beyondwas theLyceum.Returning, we come upon theAcademy. The Academy at Athens was an open meadow, given to the city by Academus, from whom it took its name. It was afterwards formed into a grove. It was the resort of Plato, and hence his disciples took the name ofacademicphilosophers.

Beyond is theSerapeonofCanopus, with theSacrariumofJupiter Serapisat the end, built in imitation of the canal connecting Alexandria with Canopus, a city of Lower Egypt, twelve miles east of Alexandria, at the west or Canopic mouth of the Nile.

On the rightare some remains of theHippodrome;and towards theentrance of the Serapeon, theBaths.From here we reachtheStadium, where the foot races were held.We now come upona lofty wall ofopus reticulatum, nearly six hundred feet long. This was one of the walls of thePoecile Stoa, in imitation of the grand portico at Athens of that name, famed for its fresco-paintings of the battle of Marathon by Polygnotus, and as the seat of the school of Zeno the philosopher, who took the name Stoic from frequenting this portico. This portico was built on an artificial platform, and the wall can be traced all round;underneathare theHundred Chambersof theGuards.From our rightof the wall, we enter thePrytaneum, in imitation of the council hall of that name at Athens, where the fifty deputies of the republic lived and held office, each five weeks in turn.Through this we reachtheAquarium, a circular edifice with an octagonal platform in the centre, with openings for fountains and statues; to the left of this were theGreekandLatin Libraries.

Having now rambled over the extent of this famous villa, and picked up a memento of our visit, we may truly exclaim—"Sic transit gloria mundi."

The tramway back to Rome is taken from the end of the road leading from the villa.

(Porta Maggiore.)

Here the Via Prænestina diverged from the Labicana; and Claudius, who was obliged to convey two new streams—the Aqua Claudia and the Anio Novus—over these roads, erected for this purpose a massive gateway, which spanned both roads at once with a double arch. This is the splendid monument afterwards taken into the Aurelian Wall, in the time of Honorius and Arcadius, and converted,by the erection of a mound in front, into a kind of bulwark. It now forms one of the city gates, under the name of the Porta Maggiore.

In each of the three piers supporting the attics with the channels concealed in the interior is a small gateway, over which a window, with a gable roof resting on rustic pillars, is introduced. By this arrangement, not only is a saving of materials effected, but the six construction arches thus acquired impart a greater degree of stability to the structure.

PORTA MAGGIORE.View larger image.

The first inscription on the aqueduct of Claudius mentions the streams conveyed into the city by the emperor upon these arches. From it we learn that the water in the channel which bore his name was taken from two sources,—the Cæruleus and the Curtius, forty-five miles off; and that the Anio Novus, which flows above the Aqua Claudia, was brought hither from a distance of sixty-two miles. The second inscription relates to the restorations of Vespasian; the third to those of Titus.

This gateway is the earliest specimen of the rustic style. It wasnamed, by those going out, by which arch they passed through on their way either to Labicum or to Præneste. Coming in, they called it by the hill to which they were going. "After I had said that he entered by the Cœlimontane Gate, like a man of mettle he offered to lay a wager with me that he entered at the Esquiline Gate" (Cicerov.Piso).

Directly in front of the middle pier of the Porta Maggiore lies a monument, discovered in the year 1838, on the removal of the mound referred to. It is

The man who erected his own monument on this spot was a baker, who seems to have made a considerable fortune as a purveyor. According to the good old custom, he was not ashamed of his calling, but built a species of trophy for himself out of the utensils of the trade by means of which he had attained to wealth and respectability. The hollow drums of pillars, for instance, let into the superstructure, which rests upon double columns, seem to represent vessels for measuring fruit; and the inscription found beside them agrees with this opinion, as it states that the mortal remains of Atistia, the wife of Eurysaces, were deposited in a bread-basket. In fact, everything was represented that appertained to a baker's trade.

This is rendered the more interesting from the circumstance of several of these representations seeming to belong to the present time—people in this sphere in Italy usually adhering to the customs transmitted to them by their forefathers.

The inscription on the architrave, stating this monument to be that of M. Virgilius Eurysaces, purveyor of bread, is repeated three times. A relief of the baker and his wife, also the remains of the Gate of Honorius, are to be seen on the right of the road.

To the north of the tomb three old aqueducts, Marcia, Tepula, and Julia, can be seen passing through the walls of Rome.

is an interesting excursion.Leaving Rome by the Porta Maggiore, we take the road on the right,Via Labicana,as we can return by the other,Via Gabina, orPrænestina. For the first mile the road runs parallel with the Claudian Aqueduct; then, bending to the left, there are some very picturesque remains of theAqua Hadriana,A.D.120, restored by Alexander Severus,A.D.225, as recorded by Spartianus. At the second mile isTor Pignattara, the so-called

This ascription is altogether a mistake. Helena was buried in the city of New Rome (Constantinople), and not outside ancient Rome. "Her remains were conveyed to New Rome, and deposited in the imperial sepulchres" (Socrates, E. H., i. 17). The sarcophagus found here is more likely, from its reliefs, to have been that of a soldier than a woman. The sarcophagus, of red porphyry, is now in the Hall of the Greek Cross in the Vatican. The remains of the tomb consist of a circular hall with eight circular recesses. A church, dedicated to SS. Peter and Marcellinus, stands within it, beneath which are the catacombs of these saints. At the sixth mile isTorre Nuova, surrounded by pine and mulberry trees. At the Osteria di Finacchio (ninth mile) a by-road leads to the Osteria dell'Osa, on the Via Gabina (two miles).Visitors leave their carriage here, and order it to go two miles further on, to(opposite)Castiglione, on the Via Prænestina, where they meet it after visiting

founded by the kings of Alba, and taken by the Romans, under Tarquin, through the artifice of his son Sextus. It was deserted in the time of the republic, but recovered under the empire, to fall once more before the time of Constantine. At the end of the ridge are remains of the Roman Municipium and Temple of Juno of the time of Hadrian. The buildings ofCastiglioneoccupy the site of the ancient city. The principal ruin is theTemple of Juno Gabina. Virgil tells us "it was situated amidst rugged rocks, on the banks of the cold Anienes." The cella is composed of blocks of stone four feet by two feet; the interior is 50 feet long; the pavement is of white mosaic.Close by arethe ruins of theTheatre, and some Ionic columns. Considerable remains of the ancient walls can be traced. The fresh, green basin below the ridge was once a lake, and was drained about twenty-five years since by Prince Borghese. It is curious that there is no mention of the lake by classical authors. It is first mentioned in reference to the martyrdom of S. Primitivus, who was beheaded at Gabii, and whose head was thrown into the lake. This was in the fifth century. Perhaps the lake did not exist in Tarquin's time, and was formed by some freak of nature after the desertion of the city.

Returning to Rome by the Via Gabina, after passing the stream Osa, about two miles, we come to a fine Roman viaduct,Ponte di Nona, consisting of seven lofty arches, built of rectangular blocks oflapis gabinusof the time of the kings. At the eighth mile is the medievalTor Tre Teste, so called from the three heads built in its walls. Here Camillus overtook the Gauls (Livy, v. 49).About two and a half miles from Rome, at theTor dei Schiavi, are extensive ruins of theVilla of the Gordian Emperors, consisting of a large reservoir, the circular hall of the baths, and a circular temple, 43 feet in diameter, called Apollo. The inside is relieved by alternate round and square niches; the crypt beneath is supported by one pier.Between this andTor dei Schiavi, three rooms at the base of a circular edifice have been opened; the floors are composed of black and white mosaic.

On the right, about a mile further on, is the circular tomb, 50 yards in diameter, ofQuintus Atta, the comic poet (B.C.55); the interior is in the form of a Greek cross.

(Mr. Forbes's carriage excursion-lecture at frequent intervals.)

This road was made in the time of the Antonines, to relieve the traffic on the Via Appia, and was called simply a New Way. Several tombs of the time of the Antonines line it, but none of earlier date. At the right of the gate is the ancient Porta Asinara, the best preserved of the brick gates. At the second mile the road is crossed by theVia Latina,turning up which, on the left, we can visit

One, discovered in 1859, is covered with beautiful paintings and stucco reliefs—eight landscapes, with groups of men and animals, with small arabesque borders, beautifully finished. The reliefs on the vault represent the Trojan War, and figures of Hercules, Chitaredes, Jupiter, with the eagle and centaurs hunting lions, &c.

Near by, discovered at the same time, is

founded aboutA.D.450 by Demetria, a member of the Anician family. It was rebuilt by Leo III.,A.D.800. A bell tower was erected by Lupus Grigarius about thirty years afterwards. The ground plan can be easily made out, as also the remains of the altar and baptistery. In front of the tribune is a vault, entered by stairs, similar to those in most of the Roman Catholic basilicæ, where the martyrs were buried.The basilica stands amidst the ruins of a large Roman villa of the Servilii and Asinii, discovered by Signor Fortunati.

Returning to the main road, we soon pass the Tor Fiscali, a medieval tower, and then the Osteria Tovolato; then we get some fine views of the ruined aqueducts.

CLAUDIAN AQUEDUCT.View larger image.

Sixteen aqueducts supplied the city with water and irrigated the Campagna. The principal streams were theAqua Appia,B.C.312;Anio Vetus,B.C.272;Marcia,B.C.145,—on the top of its arches, near Rome, were carried theAquæ TepulaandJulia;Virgo,B.C.21;Claudia, withAnio Novusabove,A.D.38–52. The Romans, finding the water from the Tiber and the wells sunk in the city unwholesome, built these aqueducts, to bring the water from the hills that surround the Campagna; but their situation and purpose rendered them exposed to attack during war, which partly accounts for their destruction. Four of them still supply the city with water:—TheAqua Marcia, which has its source near Subiaco. From Tivoli it passes through pipes to Rome, which it enters at the Porta Pia. It was brought in by a company, and opened by Pius IX. on the 10th of September 1870. TheAqua Virgo, built by Agrippa,B.C.21, has its source near the eighth milestone on the Via Collatina, restored by Nicholas V. It supplies the Trevi Fountain. TheAqua Alseatina, built by Augustus,A.D.10, onthe other side of the Tiber, has its source thirty-five miles from Rome, at the Lago Baccano. It was restored by Paul V., and supplies the Pauline Fountain.Acqua Felice, made by Sixtus V.,A.D.1587. Its source is near La Colonna, formerly the source of Hadrian's Aqueduct. It runs parallel with the Claudian and the Marcian, near Rome, in some places being built out of their remains and on their piers. Pliny says: "If any one will diligently estimate the abundance of water supplied to the public baths, fountains, fish-ponds, artificial lakes, and galley-fights, to pleasure-gardens, and to almost every private house in Rome, and then consider the difficulties that were to be surmounted, and the distance from which these streams were brought, he will confess that nothing so wonderful as these aqueducts can be found in the whole world."

We now pass, on the left, a tomb of the Antonines; then an osteria, on the site of the Temple of Fortuna Muliebris, where Coriolanus was over-persuaded by his wife and mother. On our right is a ruined aqueduct, which supplied the Villa of the Quintilii, whose picturesque ruins we have previously passed.

We now soon reach the ascent to Albano, and strike the old Appian Way at Frattocchie, where Clodius was murdered by Milo. (See CiceroproMilo.) At the twelfth mile,on the right, are the ruins of Bovillæ. Several unknown tombs line the road. At the intersection of the Via Appia with the town limits stands an ancient tomb, formerly considered to be that of the Horatii and Curiatii, those champions of their age. Now it is more correctly held to be

For we know from Plutarch that his ashes were carried to Cornelia, who buried them in his land near Alba, though Lucan (viii. 835) complains that he had no tomb—

"And thou, O Rome, by whose forgetful handAltars and temples, reared to tyrants, stand,Canst thou neglect to call thy hero home,And leave his ghost in banishment to roam?"

"And thou, O Rome, by whose forgetful hand

Altars and temples, reared to tyrants, stand,

Canst thou neglect to call thy hero home,

And leave his ghost in banishment to roam?"

The town occupies the site of the ruins of the Villa of Pompey, and the Albanum of Domitian. The best view of the Mediterranean is to be had at

reached by rail in one hour from Rome. It is a favourite resort in summer, on account of its pure air, elevated position, and thedelightful rambles that can be made in its neighbourhood. In winter it is frequented by all the Forestieri, who are to be seen there daily in carriages and on donkeys, doing all the attractions of the locality. From this point the tour of the Alban Hills, taking in all places of interest, can be most conveniently made. The peasants' costumes are very attractive. The town itself is not a centre of interest; a few ruins are shown in some of its streets, but they are neither very visible nor authentic.

In the ascent to the town from the station, on the right is a beautiful valley, once a lake, but now drained, called the Vale of Ariccia. It is not known when it was drained. It is thus alluded to by Ovid ("Fasti," iii. 263):—

"Deep in Ariccia's vale, and girt aroundWith shady trees, a sacred lake is found;Here Theseus' son in safe concealment lay,When hurried by the violent steeds away."

"Deep in Ariccia's vale, and girt around

With shady trees, a sacred lake is found;

Here Theseus' son in safe concealment lay,

When hurried by the violent steeds away."

Passing through the town, we come to the Viaduct of Pius IX. (1846–1863).

Just before reaching the viaduct, the old Appian Way branches off to the right, descending the side of the Vale of Ariccia. Several remains of tombs exist at this point, notably that of Aruns, the son of Porsena of Clusium.

This ruin agrees exactly with the lower part of the Tomb of Porsena at Clusium, described by Pliny (xxxvi. 19). He says: "But as the fabulousness of the story connected with it quite exceeds all bounds, I shall employ the words given by M. Varro himself in his account of it. 'Porsena was buried,' says he, 'beneath the city of Clusium, in the spot where he had constructed a square monument, built of squared stones. Each side of this monument was 300 feet long and 50 feet high, and beneath the base, which was also square, was an inextricable labyrinth.... Above this square building there stood five pyramids—one at each corner and one in the middle—75 feet broad at the base and 150 feet in height,'" &c.

The present ruin is 49 feet long on each side and 24 feet high, surmounted at the angles with four cones, and one larger, in the centre, 26 feet in diameter, in which the urn was found in the last century.

The ancient ascent to Ariccia was the Clivus Virbii, so called from Hippolytus, who, on being restored to life by Diana, took the name of Virbius.

"But Trivia kept in secret shades aloneHer care, Hippolytus, to fate unknown;And called him Virbius in the Egerian Grove,Where then he lived obscure, but safe from Jove."Virgil,Æneid, vii. 774.

"But Trivia kept in secret shades alone

Her care, Hippolytus, to fate unknown;

And called him Virbius in the Egerian Grove,

Where then he lived obscure, but safe from Jove."

Virgil,Æneid, vii. 774.

The ascent was a noted place for beggars, as recorded by Persius (Sat. vi. 55) and Juvenal (Sat. iv.).

The village is three-quarters of a mile west from Albano, surrounded by beautiful woods. At its entrance is the Palazzo Chigi, built by Bernini, in the midst of a fine park; fee, half-franc. The ancient town lay lower down the hill, where some of its remains can still be traced. Horace (Lib. i. Sat. 5) tells us that for slow travellers it was the first halting-place from Rome.

"Leaving imperial Rome, my course I steerTo poor Ariccia and its moderate cheer."Francis.

"Leaving imperial Rome, my course I steer

To poor Ariccia and its moderate cheer."

Francis.

In the vale, just under the town, was the

which Vitruvius (iv. 7) says was circular. The story of this temple is given by several classic writers. "Hippolytus came into Italy and dedicated the Temple of Aricina Diana. In this place, even at present, those who are victors in a single contest have the office of priest to the goddess given to them as a reward. This contest, however, is not offered to any free person, but only to slaves who have fled from their masters" (Pausanias, ii. 27). In 1791 a relief representing the scene was found at the circular ruin, and is now at Palma in Majorca. The temple was near a little stream from a source under the second viaduct, known as the

which supplies the lake. The nymph was overcome by the death of Numa, as Ovid tells us: "Other woes, however, did not avail to diminish Egeria's grief; and, lying down at the very foot of the mountain, she melted into tears, until the sister of Apollo (Diana), moved to compassion, made a cool fountain of her body, changed into perennial waters."

"His wife the town forsook,And in the woods that clothe Ariccia's vale lies hid."Met.xv. 487.

"His wife the town forsook,

And in the woods that clothe Ariccia's vale lies hid."

Met.xv. 487.

"There, at the mountain's base, all drowned in tears,She lay, till chaste Diana on her woeCompassion took: her altered form becameA limpid fount; her beauteous limbs dissolved,And in perennial waters melt away."Met.xv. 548.

"There, at the mountain's base, all drowned in tears,

She lay, till chaste Diana on her woe

Compassion took: her altered form became

A limpid fount; her beauteous limbs dissolved,

And in perennial waters melt away."

Met.xv. 548.

"O'er their rough bed hoarse-murmuring waters move;A pure but scanty draught is there supplied;Egeria's fount, whom all the muses love,Sage Numa's counsellor, his friend, and bride."Fasti, iii. 273.

"O'er their rough bed hoarse-murmuring waters move;

A pure but scanty draught is there supplied;

Egeria's fount, whom all the muses love,

Sage Numa's counsellor, his friend, and bride."

Fasti, iii. 273.

After two miles of a picturesque and shady road, crossing four viaducts, and commanding beautiful views, we arrive at

Its excellent wine is renowned, and this, together with its flowers and beautiful situation, are its sole attractions. The flower festival, held the eighth day after Corpus Christi, is fully described in "The Improvisatore."Up a pathby the side of the Palazzo Cesarini we obtain a fine view of the

which occupies an extinct crater. The lake is three miles in circumference, and 300 feet deep, and passes out by an artificialemissarium, made by Trajan. The water is calm and marvellously clear.

Trajan erected on this lake a floating palace, 500 feet in length, 270 feet in breadth, and 60 feet deep. It was of wood, joined with bronze nails, and lead plated outside; the inside was lined with marble, and the ceilings were of bronze. The water for use and ornament was supplied from the Fount Juturna by means of pipes. Signor Marchi, a Roman, in 1535 descended in a diving-bell and explored this curious palace, which had sunk beneath the waters. He left an account of his discoveries. (See Brotier's "Tacitus," Sup. Ap., and Notes on Trajan.) A large fragment of the wood-work is preserved in the Kircherian Museum.

On the opposite sideis the small medieval town of

picturesquely situated upon a hill above the lake. On the sides of the lake are the remains of villas built ofopus reticulatum; and in the sixteenth century some of the wood-work, tiles, &c., of Cæsar'sVilla—begun, but afterwards pulled down because it did not suit his taste—were found, and are preserved in the Library of the Vatican.

"Lo, Nemi! navelled in thy woody hillsSo far, that the uprooting wind which tearsThe oak from his foundations, and which spillsThe ocean o'er its boundary, and bearsIts foam against the skies, reluctant sparesThe oval mirror of thy glassy lake;And, calm as cherished hate, its surface wearsA deep, cold, settled aspect naught can shake,All coiled into itself and round, as sleeps the snake."—Byron.

"Lo, Nemi! navelled in thy woody hills

So far, that the uprooting wind which tears

The oak from his foundations, and which spills

The ocean o'er its boundary, and bears

Its foam against the skies, reluctant spares

The oval mirror of thy glassy lake;

And, calm as cherished hate, its surface wears

A deep, cold, settled aspect naught can shake,

All coiled into itself and round, as sleeps the snake."—Byron.

On the plateau at the east end of the lake, to our left of Nemi, his excellency Sir John Savile Lumley, the British ambassador, has recently made some most interesting excavations—uncovering the vast area of the Temple of Diana at Nemi, and at the same time discovering numerous objects of interest, which proved without doubt to whom the shrine was dedicated.

The front of the temple was formed with a portico of fluted columns, and its rear was towards the lake, so the temple faced east. The whole Artemisium shows traces of many restorations, not the least interesting being that made by Marcus Servilius Quartus, consulA.D.3, whose tomb is on the Via Appia (Tacitus, "A." ii. 48; iii. 22).

When Iphigenia, priestess of the Temple of Diana at Tauris in the Crimea, fled with her brother Orestes, they carried off the statue of Diana, to whom all strangers cast on the coast were sacrificed, and founded a temple near the Lake of Diana, now Nemi, on the Alban Hills (Ovid, "Ep." iii. 2; "Met." xv. 485). "The temple is in a grove, and before it is a lake of considerable size. The temple and water are surrounded by abrupt and lofty precipices, so that they seem to be situated in a deep and lofty ravine" (Strabo, v. 3, 12).

This issues from the hill under the village, and serves the mill on the border of the lake. "Tell me, nymph Juturna, thou that wast wont to minister to the grove and looking-glass of Diana" (Ovid, "F." iii. 260). "The springs by which the lake is filled are visible. One of them is denominated Juturna, after the name of a certain divinity" (Strabo v. 3, 12).

A ramble through the woods brings us to the adjoining lake at Palazzolo, which is generally seen in the distance from the opposite side of the lake.

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