Chapter III: Part 3

The house is decorated in the first style, that is to say its decoration consists of an imitation of marble slabs. It is a curious fact that the walls are covered with sheets of lead beneath the stucco to keep all dampness from it. Paintings are not to be found here; on the other hand the house was rich in valuable finely executed mosaics, among which is to be specially mentioned the greatest of all mosaics, Alexander’s Battle. It was in the chamber opening upon the peristyle, the red columns of which are visible in the illustration beyond the tablinum. The columns seen behind belong to a second peristyle embracing the whole breadth of the house, which has taken the place of what must be supposed to have been originally a garden.

The Casa dei Capitelli Colorati, also called Casa d’ Arianna, is placed obliquely with regard to the Casa del Fauno. We pass from the Street of Nola first into the garden, which is surrounded by a colonnade (figs. 111 and 112); next comes the peristyle with the sittingrooms. The house has received its name from the fact that in the last period of Pompeii the capitals of the Ionic columns dating from the Samnite period were newly covered with stucco and painted.

One more house in the Street of Nola deserves special attention, the Casa del Centenario, so entitled because it was excavated on the occasion of the celebration of the eighteenhundredth year after the overwhelming of Pompeii (fig. 113). Here also are two _atria_ with a large peristyle behind, which had a low railing between the columns as may be seen by the incisions in them. The claim of this house to rank among the most important properties in Pompeii is established by the discovery of many paintings and statuettes of bronze and marble, as well as of ample baths, for warming which the heat from an oven was employed, besides a Shrine of Lares of some importance, in which was a small portable altar. Here too was discovered the picture given on an earlier page, which represents Bacchus entirely made up of grape clusters, in close proximity to a mountain, in which may be recognised the present Monte di Somma before the eruption of Vesuvius.

To the north of the Casa del Centenario lies the Casa delle Nozze d’ Argento, also called Casa dell’ Imperatore di Germania, because the house was excavated in 1893 on the occasion of the Silver Wedding of the King and Queen of Italy in the presence of the Emperor of Germany (fig. 114). The Atrium is _Tetrastylum_, that is the roof beams rest on four columns which are excellently preserved; behind comes the tablinum with a mosaic pavement, and thence one reaches a peristyle which is in an equally good state of preservation.

Here too let there be described a house in the Street of Stabiae, the little garden of which adorned with statuettes has been mentioned above (fig. 76). The house has received its name from a painting representing a letter with the address of Marcus Lucretius, _M. Lucretio flam. Martis decurioni Pompei_; on the left of this is represented a _diptychon_, a doubled wax tablet with the style for writing, on the right, beneath, an inkpot with pen. The house of Lucretius had many well preserved paintings of the last period of the city. Together with this letter the wax tablets may also be mentioned which have been found in the house of Caecilius Jucundus. Figure 115 represents such a tablet.

From another point of view the house depicted above (fig. 116) is noteworthy. As said above on p. 6 the citywall is on the west and southwest sides for the most part broken down and its place taken by houses. Since these houses thus overlapped the wall and descended to the level of the plain below, they gained at the back an additional story on this lower level; and the top of this story formed a terrace from which a marvellous view over plain and sea could be enjoyed. And so many more houses in Pompeii might be examined in detail, were it not that the very abundance warns us to observe due moderation.--We must not however leave Pompeii without taking sufficient notice of one more house, a house that on account of the good condition in which it has risen out of the ashes from Vesuvius, and on account of its great number of paintings, and the decoration of its peristyle will leave a lasting impression on every beholder. This is the house of the Vettii only recently excavated, in which everything that could be left has been left in its original position, in order to produce the most complete idea of a Pompeian house.

The new house lies to the east of the so-called Casa del Labirinto, and is entered from the east side, the Vicolo which represents the continuation of the Vicolo degli scienziati. We first enter the vestibulum (fig. 118 at _a_). To pass hence into the ostium proper persons either availed themselves of the wide opening principal door, or were admitted through a smaller sidedoor on the right. Thence they stepped into the Atrium (_c_), in the centre of which is placed the impluvium with a wastepipe passing into the street; right and left are seen large slabs of stone with remains of the iron chests let into them, the strongboxes of the master of the house. Right and left of the ostium two small chambers open on the atrium, so also on the west of the two strongboxes are situated the two alae and a chamber by each strongbox, one of these chambers, however, has in later times been cut off from the atrium by a low wall, and turned into a kind of storeroom. But here ends the symmetrical arrangement of the atrium; while on the left an apartment opens widely on the atrium as a winter triclinium, on the other side appears the entrance to a second atrium provided with its own impluvium, and at the back with the shrine of the Lares. On this small atrium open several rooms intended for the slaves, and therefore left without ornament; there too lies the kitchen with wide hearth of masonry, on and near which have been found a large number (fig. 117) of utensils serving for boiling and grilling &c. The little room, that could be entered only from the kitchen, evidently the cook’s room, is now kept under lock and key, on account of the somewhat objectionable paintings with which this household dignitary had had his apartment adorned.

On the other side of the atrium also follow rooms for the household; there, close to a staircase by which the upper story was reached, a passage leads to two chambers of uncertain destination. Noteworthy is a fountain beside the staircase, by means of which the water could be drawn directly for the upper story.

Out of the atrium in front of which in this instance no tablinum is placed, we at once pass into the peristyle, the principal apartment of the house, the portico of which is supported by seven columns on the longer sides and four on the shorter; by this the garden is enclosed. On the southeast, in the first place two rooms open on the peristyle, and on the north two others, of which one, the large Oecus, is a principal apartment of the building, further on the east is a triclinium. From the peristyle a small suite of rooms is also accessible, which, not without plausibility, have been designated women’s apartments; here again a small garden is found. Let this suffice for the orientation of the discovered chambers. How then as to their decoration?

The possessor of the property has evidently set no store by the decoration of the pavement, for the better class of mosaic has nowhere been employed, but the floor consists almost exclusively of stucco in which small bits of marble have been inserted. All the more richly are the walls ornamented.

Just as we go in (to say nothing of smaller pictures) there is seen on the pilaster at the entrance to the atrium a Priapus. Pictures of this kind were usually placed just at the entrance of a building in order to avert disaster and the evil eye. The walls of the atrium, owing to the numerous openings leading from it to the surrounding rooms, are almost entirely broken up into mere pilasters, which however display a style of painting systematically arranged. Above an imitation of marble reaching to no great height, rises the yellow plinth, in which are inserted pictures on a red ground; there we see boys bringing dishes with fruits, others playing with parrots or guinea fowl, carrying glass jugs and dishes; another raises the cover of a vessel to spy curiously into its contents, again another tastes the contents of the vessel entrusted to his care, others seem equipped for a festival, they are clad in gala fashion and decked out with garlands, they hold garlands too in their hands. Above this plinth there next comes a small field of black, displaying Cupids in their merry pranks as imitators of human pursuits. Here one has harnessed a ram to a chariot, another has his carriage drawn by two dolphins (fig. 120). A sacrifice to Fortune too is offered by the little rogues with all earnestness; again a duel between two hero Loves is depicted with every truth of detail; bestriding goats and armed with shield and lance they charge each other, but while one at full gallop couches his lance against his adversary, the latter, causing his steed to swerve, seems to avoid the blow; two other Loves attend the duel on foot. Another picture must certainly contain the continuation of this warfare; one has fallen with his steed, and in this helpless condition is sorely maltreated not only by his original opponent, but also by his seconds, while his own second has made off. Again a race is represented, but as fiery coursers dolphins are harnessed to the chariots. A highly droll effect is produced by a Cupid mounted on a crab (fig. 119) and another on a locust, who urges his steed on with whip and rein. Then the Cupids are busy hunting butterflies, in short every pursuit of adult and child is imitated by them in their bright busy way, but with all the seriousness that the situation demands. Above the moulding adorned with masks and lionheads by which the upper part of the wall is divided from the lower, there follow now in an upward direction red (partly burnt black) stripes, with columns and candelabra (fig. 121). The vases out of which these grow are apparently richly adorned with reliefs. Behind them are introduced balustrades, to which steps lead up; above they support large hoops, on which figures are seated. A somewhat larger wall surface is preserved only behind the strongbox on the right, here is seen above the plinth a hunting scene on a larger scale. Hounds are pursuing a wild boar and a bear, others have pulled down a stag; then comes a stripe with two Psyches, who bring fruits in baskets and empty them into other baskets.

The little room by the ostium displays in its plinth again an imitation of marble, above this the wall is painted yellow with white panels framed with green, in the middle of each of which is introduced a picture. On the wall lying to the left of the entrance is the abandonment of Ariadne on Naxos. The fair one deserted by Theseus at the bidding of the gods is, as it seems, just awaked from slumber. Astonished and terrified at being forsaken she lays her left hand on her chin, while an Eros in order to bring her to understand her position points to the ship of Theseus speeding away with sail full set. The second picture is unfortunately destroyed, the slab of stucco bearing it was in antiquity fastened on the wall with a series of nails. The picture on the third wall represents the well-known adventure of Hero and Leander (fig. 122). Besides these more important pictures there are birds pecking fruit; above these comes a zone of water with fish and other marine fauna, crowned by architecture represented in perspective, on detached portions of which hanging baskets and drinkinghorns are introduced, and also wild beasts chasing one another. The room was once vaulted.

A richer decoration is to be seen in the paintings of the next room towards the south, a triclinium: here the plinth is yellow and ornamented with garlands, arabesques, hanging masks _etc._; above come white panels, between which rises architecture with seated and recumbent sphinxes. Of larger pictures only two are preserved; of the other two one was destroyed, probably before the eruption of Vesuvius, while the other fell a sacrifice to the diggers for treasure who after the destruction of Pompeii lawfully or unlawfully explored the abandoned houses, and for this purpose knocked holes through the walls. On the side opposite the entrance the wrestling match between Eros and Pan is represented, on the entrance side, Cyparissus and his hind (fig. 123). Above these panels decorated with pictures comes a cornice plastically constructed, higher still than this rise fresh architectural forms comprising in their midst a broad exedra, with the fore-part of a building approached by three steps. The central panels are devoted to the representation of Jupiter and his mortal favourites, there is seen on the right of the entrance Jupiter in youthful form seated on his throne, while the other walls show Leda, Danaë, and a third lady. But also the side panels, the out buildings made accessible by stairs, are decorated with figures mostly taken from the Bacchic cycle.

On the other side of the ostium the picture of the Lares (fig. 124) demands a brief notice. In the little temple supported by two Corinthian columns and crowned by a pediment stands the Genius holding patera and incense box. To right and left of him are painted the two Lares, who symmetrically carry in one hand a bucket in the other a drinkinghorn. Beneath them is observed the serpent that in many a curve approaches the altar richly furnished with offerings. The remaining apartments, with the exception of the cook’s bedroom, are without painting.

The two cubicles lying west of the strongboxes have only unimportant decorations; both alae display a black plinth enlivened by green shrubs, and have above yellow panels with red borders, and having in the centre small representations of still life; of these a cockfight executed in a most lively style merits special attention. Beside a herm stands a table with a large vessel; there stand two cocks, preparing themselves for the fight; a third, the defeated one, lies under the table, while the fourth, the conqueror, proudly marches off to the right, with a twig of palm in his beak.

The peristyle has a black plinth decorated alternately with green plants and vases (the pyramids of ivy there represented are now imitated in nature in the garden of the peristyle). Above come alternately large black panels framed in red, and fantastic pieces of architecture on a white ground, which are bounded beneath by a yellow slab with green or dark red border. The figure compositions introduced in the centres of the panels consist for the most part of still life, to which fish, fowls _etc._ contribute material, though there is no lack of more important figures. To these belongs above all that of a thick-set man who sits beside a chest filled with books. Scientific efforts are suggested also by the figure of a Urania, who represented as though in the act of imparting information, points with her staff to the celestial globe lying before her (fig. 142); otherwise the decoration of the hall is supplied by Satyrs and Bacchanals and the winged female figures so frequently employed in Pompeii, together with the attributes of various deities.

Much more important however than these wall-paintings of the portico are the sculptures which have been preserved in the enclosed garden (fig. 125). In all four corners, and further at the second and third columns of the narrower sides and the fourth and fifth of the long sides there were once statuettes, twelve therefore in all, of which nine are still preserved in their original position (fig. 126), while two were removed to other parts of the building for repair. All these statuettes, of which two are of bronze, the rest of marble, served for fountains. The water either came directly out of them, or branch pipes of the aqueduct were so laid on to them that it seemed as though the water came from them; between them are placed several troughs and receptacles of marble, which by their graceful shapes and beautiful ornaments make a pleasing impression. The conduit too, save for slight damage, was in such good repair that it has been found possible to renew the play of the waters by means of a reservoir placed on the roof. Marble tables between the columns and within the garden that is still quite clearly marked out in beds, as well as two ivy-encircled marble pedestals on each of which rests a double bust (fig. 127) contribute in no slight measure to make the whole peristyle most charming, and indeed a spot as yet unique in Pompeii.

A series of apartments too open on the peristyle, and in the first place a triclinium. On a low foundation of imitation marble rises the dark red plinth, over which again mounts a fanciful style of architecture, leaving space in the centre for a sort of canopy. The smaller pictures executed soberly in monochrome fall into the background behind the large ones occupying the centre of the wall. Of these large pictures the first is Hercules strangling the serpents (fig. 128). The child Hercules has seized both the serpents sent by Juno, and is throttling them, while his mother flies in terror, and Amphitryo, his earthly father, is in the act of hastening to the rescue. Yet the sight which presents itself to him checks any further action, he sees that the child needs no help against the wretched snakes: astonished and thoughtful he lays his right hand on his chin, and he has every reason to be full of thoughts, for he could not have expected such bravery from his own son. Jupiter in the meantime has despatched his eagle to receive information as to his hero son. The subject of the second picture is the punishment of Pentheus. The third picture also is taken from a Theban myth, it represents the punishment of Dirce, and corresponds to the well-known group of the so-called Farnese Bull.

In like manner the corresponding room to the north of the _Ala dextra_, which also opens its whole width on the peristyle, displays rich ornament on the walls. In the plinth there is again an imitation of marble, above in the middle is a red panel with a large square picture, next is on each side a blue panel with the usual fantastic architecture; then comes on both the longer sides a white panel. In the centre of each of the three wallsurfaces a painting of larger size is placed: first Daedalus and Pasiphae (fig. 129). The ingenious craftsman has prepared the wooden cow as commissioned by the spouse of Minos, and now the queen comes into the master’s studio to inspect his work. The second picture treats of the punishment of Ixion. Mercury has delivered over the miscreant to punishment, and Vulcan is just fastening him to the wheel; vainly the mother or wife of Ixion implores Mercury to have mercy; for even if he on his own account were inclined to grant her prayer, yet this would be prevented by the presence of Juno, who in queenly state has appeared with Iris to take note of the due exaction of punishment (fig. 130).

While the connecting idea of both these pictures, viz unlawful love and its punishment, is clear enough, the third picture, the finding of Ariadne by Bacchus and his following, falls somewhat outside this range of thought. I believe however that critics have gone too far in their efforts to discover a harmonious unity of idea for the paintings of a room. That the owner of the house might often demand of the artist to see that a single harmonious train of thought was carried throughout a room, is of course easily understood, but on the other hand it is again quite clear that in the often great number of rooms to be decorated the whole mythology was more or less drawn upon, and that frequently the number of subjects at command, and therefore chance, determined the choice of the pictures. So we cannot be surprised if we see the Deliverance of Ariadne placed with pictures treating of the punishment of unlawful love. Ariadne in her grief at being deserted by Theseus, whose ship is still seen in the distance, has sunk into a slumber that frees her from care: then Bacchus with his followers approaches, who will raise Ariadne to be his bride.

The side panels of this room also are adorned with paintings, which though of smaller proportions are nevertheless well worth our notice. These are oblong pictures of ships. Two to four strongly manned vessels are represented, which rowed at full speed hasten against one another, and by clever turnings seek to escape the enemy’s onset, the dangerous blow with the ship’s beak. On the shorter sides the corresponding positions are occupied by subjects of still life (birds with fruit, and so on). Above these come flying figures arranged in pairs, swinging garlands over their heads: they are probably intended for the Four Seasons; above comes again architecture with figures.

The most splendid room however and the most interesting in the house is, next to the garden of the peristyle, the large Oecus, which is connected by a wide doorway with the portico, and by a small door with another chamber devoid of ornament. The groundcolour of the whole room is in the lower portion red and black, the plinth is sober black and adorned with floral arabesques, above, however, the walls are red, with black stripes. Beneath each vertical black stripe a picture is introduced on the plinth, generally Amazons in warlike guise, buckler and battleaxe in hand, but also Satyrs, Maenads, persons offering sacrifice, _etc._ Over these figures comes a small oblong picture, usually Psyches gathering flowers (fig. 131), here and there, however, mythological scenes also are inserted. Three of these are preserved, first Orestes and Pylades in Tauris. To the left sits Orestes, near him is Pylades, towards them Iphigenia advances with the image of Diana, on the right king Thoas is seated on a throne. The second picture represents the triumph of Apollo over the serpent Pytho. The god has killed the snake which guarded the sanctuary at Delphi; proud of his victory he seized the lyre to sound the first paean in praise of the omnipotence of the gods, and to his own especial glory; in his honour the goddess of the place brings a bull, who is to fall as a sacrifice. The third relates presumably to the sacrifice of Iphigenia in Aulis. Before an altar, on which fire is burning, stands a woman with bowl and chalice, from which she seems to besprinkle a hind standing in front of her. From the right of the altar a wide-striding warrior hastens up with drawn sword; a female figure wearing a wreath hurries away to the left, evidently terrified at the warrior’s action. The rendering varies from others relating to the same myth, yet scarcely any other interpretation is left. That Iphigenia is not herself introduced, but only the hind, may be pronounced remarkable, though why should not the painter have hit upon this means of representing the sudden change, especially if the other pictures in the room (cf. no. 1 of this series, Orestes and Pylades in Tauris) made the relations clear?

The horizontal black bands beneath the red panels are occupied by Erotes and Psyches, who with a naturally bright earnestness and conscientiousness imitate the employments of daily life, chiefly the exercise of certain trades, so that these bands may be reckoned among the most interesting of Pompeii’s pictures. Here we have in the first place the representation of a game, Erotes are busied in throwing balls at a board. Further the manufacture and sale of garlands. Here flowers are brought to the city by the gardener and his son, there others are busy with the preparation of garlands, while on the left haggling is going on about the finished garlands. Then follows the production of oil, and the ointments prepared therefrom. A race too is introduced (fig. 133); four Erotes distinguished by the four colours of the Circus drive chariots harnessed with gazelles. On this follows the representation of the goldsmith’s art, further that of the fuller’s work, so important for ancient cities: two Erotes tread in a vat the clothes to be cleaned, after this comes the removing of stains and the brushing, or the raising the nap of the clothes, still further on the clothes that have been cleaned are submitted to a thorough inspection by Psyches. The following picture, the festival of Vesta, representing the so-called _Vestalia_ is pretty well ruined, Erotes and Psyches are reclining on the ground at a merry feast, and even the much tormented donkeys have for once some rest. The next picture too is not well preserved; on the left the vintage is represented, on the right the wine-press. On the vintage follows the triumph of Bacchus, who is of course represented by an Eros. The close of this series, so damaged unfortunately in several of its scenes, is formed by the tavern with the sale of wine (fig. 132). On the left stand a number of amphoras just as they are still often found in Pompeii leaning on the wall in a somewhat slanting position, in front of them stands mine host in an easy posture, while he offers to his customer, who carries a little stick, a bowl of wine to taste; two other Erotes are busy in drawing wine for another sample from an amphora in a horizontal position.

In the centre of the red panels flying couples are depicted, derived from mythology; we note, however, the want of freedom in choice which the requirement as to pictures has imposed on the artist; here, as in the War against the Giants at Pergamon, the whole force, so to speak, has been mobilised. The figures preserved are those of Poseidon with an inamorata, of Apollo with Daphne, of Bacchus with Ariadne, and of Perseus with Andromeda.

In the centre of each wall there was also a large picture, these however have not survived. On the other hand the upper part of the wall above the red panels framed in black is still partly preserved; we see here again new structures rising, which were peopled by numerous figures, chiefly derived from the entourage of Bacchus.

Now it remains to describe the small space set apart for the ladies. Here too the walls are adorned with paintings which attract less attention only because the abundance of treasures offered to our gaze in the Casa dei Vettii leaves scarcely time or inclination for the smaller works of art. The first room has a black plinth, with green shrubs and flowers as ornament, over this red panels separated by white stripes; in the centre of each panel is a fabulous creature. Here a Pegasus grazing beside a wall and the attributes of Athena is most deserving of notice. The second room has black walls with white bands, which as it were open up a view into the open air with trees &c. In the centre of each wall there was originally a large picture, now however only two are left; first the Discovery of Achilles in Scyros, where Ulysses and Diomedes by a stratagem detect Achilles disguised in woman’s clothing among the daughters of Lycomedes, and induce him to take part in the expedition against Troy (fig. 134). The second picture represents Hercules and Auge.

Next to these large wall-pictures, medallions with flying female forms are placed on the side panels. It may be stated in passing that throughout the whole mansion the medallions always prove to have been separately inserted: clearly these pieces were produced by the artists on slabs of stucco and kept in stock, so that during the preparation of a wall they had simply to be let into it. Hence we cannot be surprised if the medallions sometimes betray a style more or less at variance with the other decorations of the wall.

Such are the paintings of the house known as _Domus Vettiorum_, a house that in the number of pictures which are placed in it, and in the beauty and grace of its peristyle, excels without doubt all other houses as yet excavated. Of course we have not always to do with masters of the first rank; should we ask as to the origin of the pictures and how they had come to a little provincial town like Pompeii, several hands that had been employed upon them might easily be distinguished. Taken as a whole however the wall decorations are unique; nay with regard to individual representations, above all in the case of the frieze of Cupids in the Oecus, one can pronounce only a favourable judgement, especially when one sees how lightly and naturally, and yet with what a sure hand, and how characteristically, the pictures have been conceived and executed. If ordinary decorative painters produced such wall decoration for a small provincial town, what triumph of art must have graced the mansions of the leading men in the great cities! We have indeed a specimen of these in what is called the House of Livia on the Palatine, and in the _Domus Transtiberina_, the remains of which are exhibited in the Baths of Diocletian; these, however, are but insignificant fragments as compared with the vast mass of that which has been irretrievably lost.

Now that we have thus examined a house in its entirety we might take our departure. Yet hold! Pompeii is indeed, as said above, in contrast to Naples, the city of the Dead, yet in Pompeii there is still one spot that in a greater degree may be designated the place of the Dead, this is the Street of Tombs in front of the Gate of Herculaneum. Almost all roads that led out of ancient cities were lined by the monuments of the dead; so too at Pompeii, where on all the roads leading out of the city, e. g. on that to Scafati, numerous burial places have been discovered, but not one of these roads can compete with the place of sepulture that lies in front of the Gate of Herculaneum. This then deserves a more thorough investigation.

This is not the proper place to describe the methods of burial prevailing among the Romans; it is sufficient here to state that in the most ancient times the dead were laid to rest in sarcophagi; examples of such a method of interment, which at Rome in particular gentes, or clans, was observed uninterruptedly to the latest period, e. g. among the Cornelii, are found also in Pompeii, but seem to go back to the Oscan epoch. In those times the bodies were laid in coffinlike chests of limestone, which were made up of square blocks or smaller stones, and covered with earth, after all sorts of little vases, chiefly of Nolan manufacture, had been put in with them. Examples of such a method of burial are exhibited in the small Museum at the Porta della Marina. Later, however, when Pompeii was added to the Roman Empire, cremation generally took the place of interment. For this purpose in a space specially set apart called _Ustrinum_, the funeral pile was erected, to which the form of an altar was regularly given, the height and decoration of which were naturally decided according to the rank and wealth of the deceased. Such _ustrina_ were of course assigned by the city, frequently however, where space permitted and police regulations did not hinder, there were private grounds of this kind at the hereditary burying places of distinguished families. At Pompeii too such an _ustrinum_ has been supposed to exist before the Gate of Herculaneum, but wrongly, for the insufficient distance from the city would alone have absolutely prohibited the burning of corpses there. The bier with the corpse was placed on the pyre and covered with sweet smelling unguents, incense, costly stuffs &c. and then kindled by a relative or friend with averted face. When the funeral pile was burned to the ground the ashes had to be extinguished with water or wine, the bones that were left collected, and then, after the customary lustral sacrifice had been offered, the funeral feast had to be held at the grave. The place required for such a feast, the _triclinium funebre_, is still remaining at Pompeii. Some days later the bones, which in the meantime had been dried in the sun, were sprinkled with milk and wine, and, after the addition of fragrant materials, placed in a sepulchral urn, that was afterwards conveyed to the tomb. The sepulchral urns were generally hermetically sealed, but often provided with holes at the top, so that on appointed days the usual libations to the dead could be poured right on to the cremated remains, in order to ensure to the deceased person the enjoyment of the sacrifices offered to him. Nay pipes have (in the case of some of the graves situated on the road leading to Scafati) been fixed in such a way as to render it possible to convey directly to him such libations also as were dedicated to the dead man outside the tomb.

Apart from some few graves dating back to Oscan times, the monuments in front of the Gate of Herculaneum belong entirely to the Roman period (fig. 135). Immediately to the left, behind the Gate, is seen a vaulted niche, in which then was originally placed a statue, that of course of the person buried there, with an altar before it for the sacrifices; according to the inscription the grave belongs to the Augustalis M. Cerrinius Restitutus, for whose burial the Decurions presented the ground. The _Augustales_ formed a _collegium_ consisting of freedmen dedicated to the cult of the emperors. This is the niche to which is attached the well-known legend of the sentry fabled to have remained at his post during the eruption of Vesuvius, and thereby met his death: in reality there is no question of a sentrybox nor of a sentry, for, according to the reports of the excavations, no skeleton at all was found at this point. Passing on from the grave of M. Cerrinius we come on the left to a semicircular bench which according to the inscription was erected by decree of the Decurions in honour of Aulus Veius, who had held the highest magistracies of the city. Probably his remains were interred behind the bench. His statue will have stood on the pedestal in the centre of the seat; it may be inferred from the dignities named in the inscription as enjoyed by him that he lived not later than Augustus.

The following grave belonged to M. Porcius, whose name is mentioned in connection with the smaller Theatre and the Amphitheatre; a son or other relative may of course have borne the same name. The third monument on the left hand side again takes the form of a semicircular seat, it marks the spot where the priestess Mamia was buried (behind the seat). We need not dwell on the pleasing thoughts aroused in the beholder when he recognises that the monument here assumes a form specially useful to the living, and affording rest to the wearied wanderer. Behind Mamia’s seat a large sepulchral building is preserved, in the chamber of which niches for the urns containing ashes are to be seen (fig. 137). As is proved by several inscriptions, the tomb belonged to the distinguished Pompeian family of the Istacidii. After this comes a now closed street, which according to an inscription seems to have led to the bathing establishment of M. Crassus Frugi. This included, as we know from other sources, a medicinal spring rising out of the sea. That the sea came up nearer Pompeii than is now the case has already been stated. Here the buryingplaces on the left cease for some distance, and there follows a villa site, now once more covered with ashes _etc._, in which, without sufficient ground, people have sought to recognise a villa of Cicero (who is known to have possessed a villa at Pompeii). Let us therefore retrace our steps to the Gate, to examine the graves placed on the righthandside.

Here first meets us a large altar-shaped grave without inscription in the chamber of which, when opened a few years ago, two clay vessels were found enclosed for better preservation in leaden covers, which contained the remains of bones covered with a cloth, together with a coin of the time of Augustus. Coins are frequently found placed with the remains. Although originally the idea of such parting gifts was that the property left was thereby purchased from the deceased, the earnest money as it were being handed to him to prevent his return, yet gradually the belief became universal that passage money was handed to the dead man for Charon, whose boat was to carry him to the Underworld. As long as the dead body was buried in the earth, it was the custom to lay the coin in the mouth; when burning came into vogue in place of burial, it was quite natural that the coin should still be added to the remains. The second tomb on the right was erected to the Aedile M. Terentius Felix Major, by his widow Flavia Sabina, after the city had granted not only the site, but also a contribution of 2000 sesterces (about 21 pounds). The remains of M. Terentius were discovered under the table on the left, in a glass vessel, doubly protected by being placed in a terracotta urn and wrapped in lead. Of the graves that follow, number 6 deserves special notice, the Grave of the Garlands, so called from the ornament affixed on one side. The structure is solid; nevertheless there will be found in all probability a sepulchral chamber underneath, but as yet no search for it has been made. The grave no. 8 is famous for the discovery of the blue glass vessel (fig. 138) now in Naples, representing the vintage in white relief on a blue ground. To the cheerful sound of flutes and the syrinx, a Genius carries grape clusters to a vessel, in which another treads them down, as he merrily swings the thyrsus, while on the other side the gathering of grapes and the enjoyment of wine are brought to view. Most charming however is the network of twining tendrils that form a web around the whole vase. Then comes a semicircular niche, as to which it is doubtful whether it has actually served for a funeral monument. It was certainly erected for this purpose, but since the space for the inscription in the pediment has remained unfilled, it seems as though the purpose for which it was originally intended had not been carried out.

At this point the graves come to an end on the right side also, and there appear two villas bordering on the road, which have profited by their favourable position through the construction of shops and taverns for those passing along the street. From the mosaic fountain there to be seen come the four pillars covered with mosaic, that have been taken to the Naples Museum; they supported a pavilion in front of the fountain. On the other hand the tombs soon begin again on the left (fig. 136); in the first place one which passes for an unfinished structure, because its upper portion is not completely preserved; here is a gravestone the peculiar shape of which is found outside Pompeii only at Sorrento, a stone formed in imitation of a bust, on the back of which plaits of hair hang down; on the smooth surface in front it bears the inscription.--_Junoni Tyches Juliae Augustae vener._ While the Genius is the protecting spirit of the man, the Juno takes this place in the case of women; the Tyche whose remains are buried here was probably a favourite slave of Julia Augusta, i. e. of Livia, but the meaning of _vener_ is at least doubtful (fig. 139).

One of the most important monuments is the next one, belonging to Umbricius Scaurus, erected by his father, when the Town Council had granted the site and 2000 sesterces. The chief interest of this monument consists in the stucco reliefs with which the front walls and the steps of the altar are adorned, and which represent scenes from the Amphitheatre, gladiatorial combats and wildbeast hunts. The deceased had once given these spectacles to his native city, so that the father could bethink himself of preserving the remembrance of this liberality by the ornamentation of the monument. Next comes the so-called Round Tomb, which in the interior has a peculiarly vaulted chamber with three niches, in the bottom of which the urns are fixed in masonry and closed with covers, just as in the Roman _columbaria_. Further on the grave of the Augustal, Calventius Quietus, demands our special notice, on whom on account, of his munificence the Town Council had conferred the honour of the _bisellium_, i. e. had given him the right to sit on a special seat in the Theatre among the Town Councillors. The _bisellium_ is depicted on the monument. Particularly striking, however, through its ornaments executed in relief, is the tomb of Naevoleia Tyche, which she, according to the inscription, erected to herself and C. Munatius Faustus, to whom also the Town Council had granted the honour of the _bisellium_ (fig. 140). Over the inscription is represented the portrait of the foundress, and underneath a sacrifice to the dead, while the flanks of the altar show on one side the _bisellium_ granted to Munatius, on the other side a ship, the sails of which are reefed. By this no doubt allusion is made to the end of life. In the gravechamber were found, with other more simple vases of terracotta, three vases of glass, which were enclosed in a lead wrapping, and in which the contents were preserved intact; they contained the burnt bones in a fluid made up of water, wine, and oil mixed together.

After this comes the _triclinium funebre_ mentioned before, a place in which the funeral feasts were usually held. The triclinium is in its general features not different from those occurring in private houses, one sees three couches of masonry (with the higher end inwards) round a table on which the food was placed. With this ends the series of tombs on the left hand.

On the righthand our special attention is claimed by the tomb with the marble door. The interior of the tomb was occupied by various urns of ashes, yet the exterior was still incomplete, the coating with squared stones originally contemplated is not entirely executed. Here a street turns off to the right, in which the Oscan graves previously mentioned were discovered. Of the tombs on the rising ground between the two streets that of M. Arrius Diomedes should be mentioned, which he erected to his former lady Arria, himself, and his family. Not as though this were distinguished above others, but because the Villa lying opposite the tombs has been designated as that of Diomedes. This Villa of Diomedes requires more careful consideration before we quit Pompeii (fig. 141).

By a slope rising from the Street of Tombs we reach the door, which, corresponding to the precepts of Vitruvius for villas, leads straight into the peristyle. Among the chambers accessible from this are first, on the side of the street, the bathrooms; here we distinguish the _piscina_, that is the basin for the cold bath; further the _tepidarium_, the air of which was warmed by an opening from the _caldarium_, and which, on the garden side, was closed by a window with four thick panes of glass; then the _caldarium_, the room for the sweating-bath, the floor and walls of which were arranged for conducting the heat in the way we have seen in the Public Baths. Warm air and hot water were supplied from the kitchen close at hand. Still more interesting is a sleeping-apartment, also reached from the peristyle, in front of which is a room for the _cubicularis_, the valet. The sleeping-apartment itself is built out into the garden in a semicircle, here are placed three large windows which supplied light and air, but could be quite closed by shutters according to requirement. That even there fresh air should not be wanting was provided for by a small quadrangular opening placed above. At the back is seen the alcove for the bed, which was cut off by a curtain; the rings for this were found when the excavation took place; close by we observe a hollow in the masonry, presumably a sort of wash-hand basin.

Below these parts of the establishment, and approached by stairs, and having a separate communication with the sloping street, lies, a series of domestic offices, slaves’ rooms _etc._, of which nothing need be said. Then we pass into the garden, a large pleasure-ground surrounded by a colonnade, and with a large basin and fountain in the centre, and an open portico supported by six columns. At the further end of the colonnade lay a small room, from which, as from the middle of the portico, a door led into the open air; here at the time of the excavation were found two skeletons, those as it is supposed of the master of the house and his servant; the former had a gold ring on his finger and a large key in his hand, and near him lay ten gold and eighty-eight silver coins. Both then had striven to reach the open air, but had perished in doing so. Still more terrible was the fate of his family and dependants; eighteen adults and two children had fled for refuge to the large room under the colonnade, marked as a wine-cellar by the numerous amphorae leaning against the walls, to which light and air were admitted from the courtyard through small windows; all perished miserably when the masses of pumice-stone had cut off their escape. The ashes pressing in had enveloped them and faithfully preserved their forms; unfortunately at the time when this villa was excavated the process of taking plaster-casts had not yet been invented, and so the moulds thus formed were destroyed; it has been possible to preserve only one portion, the impression of the neck, shoulders, and breast of a young girl, to judge by the impression faultlessly beautiful, and wearing a dress of the finest material. This mould is exhibited in the Museo Nazionale at Naples.

We now come to the end of our story. The romantic histories that have been recounted as to the destruction of Pompeii, the sentinel who refused to desert his post, and thus met his death, the closely embracing pair of youthful lovers overwhelmed in the street leading from the Theatre to the Forum, the men said to have been surprised by the eruption of Vesuvius in the midst of the funeral feast at the _Triclinium funebre_ in the Street of Tombs--all this and whatever else the ever active imagination has invented to depict the fate of the city with all possible horror, are thrown deep into the shade by the reality which the excavations reveal; we cannot depict to ourselves darkly enough the scenes enacted in Pompeii on the 24th of August in the year 79. And yet posterity has every reason to thank the chance that throughout so many centuries has preserved for us an ancient Roman city almost untouched. One cannot shut out from oneself the thought that the eruption of Vesuvius in its ultimate results has brought only a blessing, inasmuch as it has given us the opportunity of casting a glance across so many centuries, right into the actual condition and circumstances of an ancient city. There is indeed a whole series of cities of far greater size and importance which have existed uninterruptedly from the earliest times to the present day, but the constant changes necessitated by the requirements and habits of later generations have so altered their condition that the traces of antiquity can be followed out only with the greatest toil. At Pompeii the case is very different, there the ashes from Vesuvius have preserved the city as a whole, just as the Pompeians left it on the occasion of the eruption; there streets and squares, temples and houses speak a language which cannot fail to be understood by every one who has any power of grasping the conception of antiquity. How vastly our knowledge of the ancient world must be advanced by such immediate inspection of actual remains requires no further elucidation. Let then the saying be once more repeated “Vedi Napoli e Pompei”, and, with a slight alteration of the well-known saying as to Capri; “Non lasciar Napoli senza aver visto Pompei”.

INDEX

The asterisks before the numerals refer to the illustrations.
W. = Wall-painting.

Abbondanza, via dell’, *12, 37

Achilles at the Court of Lycomedes, W., 96, *99

Ala, 41

Alexander’s Battle, 43, *46

Alexandria, Tutelary Deity of, *70

Altar, Domestic, *45

---- of the temple of Vespasian, *26

Amor with Dolphin, *56

---- with Crab, W., *84

---- with Dolphins, W., *84

---- as Host, W., *97

Amphitheatre, *33, 34, 36, *42

---- Fight in between Pompeians & Nucerians, *36

Apodyterium, *36, 37

Apollo, *27, 28

---- and Pytho, W., 94

---- Temple of, 27, *28

Arca, 42, *43

Ariadne, Deliverance of, W., 92, 93

---- in Naxos, W., 87

Atrium, 40-42

---- Restoration of, *40, 41

---- in the House of Rufus, *58, 60

---- Tuscanicum, 41

Augustales, 100

Aulus Veius, 100

Bacchus, *91

---- and Ariadne, W., *91, 92

Bakery, *74, 76

Balcony, 43, *44

Basilica, 26, *28

Baths, 35-39

Bisellium, *59, 62

Bosco Reale, 68-74

Bowls, silver, 70, 71

Boy with duck, *110

Bread, *76

Bronze table, *64

Building, periods of, 47-49

Burning the Dead, 98, 99, 102

Calda, 64

Caldarium, *38, 106

Candelabra, 66, *67

---- Painted, W., 85

Casa d’Arianna, *79, 81

---- del Balcone pensile, *56

---- dei Capitelli Colorati, *79, 81

---- del Centenario, *79, 81, 82

---- del Imperatore di Germania, *79, 82

“_Cave Canem_”, *39, 40

Cerrinius Restitutus, 100

Chapel, Private, 42, *43

Comedy, Scene from, *32, 34

Compluvium, 41

Cookshop, *14, *15, 21

Cremation, 98, 99, 102

Cups, *62, *67, 70, *72

Cupid, *56, *84, 95, *97

Cyparissus, W., *87, 88

Daedalus & Pasiphaë, W., 92, *93

Dining-couch, *60, 62

Diomedes, 105

Dioscurides, *32

Dipinti, 19, 20

Dog, in Mosaic, *39

Doorknocker, *39, 40

Ephebus of Bronze, *51, 57

Erotes, *84, 85, 86, 95, *97

Eruption of Vesuvius, 3

Eumachia, 26, *27

Europa with the Bull, W., *52, 53

Excavations, *1, 8, 9

Faun, Dancing, *55, 56

Feast, *61, 62

Fontana, Domenico, 8

Food-warmer, *63, *66

Fortuna, Temple of, 29, *30

Fountain figures, 57

Fountains, *13, 21

Fountain with mosaic, *57

Forum Civile, *18, *19, 23

---- Scene in, *20, 23

---- Triangular, *16, *17, 22

Frigidarium, 37

Fullers at Work, W., *78

Fulling, 78

Fullonica, *77, 78

Furniture, 61-64

Garlands, 95, 103

Gates, 17

Gauging table, *29

Gladiators, 36, *41

---- Barracks of, *33, 36

---- Weapons of, *34, *41, *44

Glass vessel, Blue, *102, 103

Graffiti, *13, 19, 20

Graves, 98-105

“_Have_”, 40, 80

Herculaneum, Discovery of, 8

---- Gate of, *11, 17, 98

Hercules Strangling Serpents, W., 90, *92

Herms, 90, *91, *102, 103

Hero and Leander, W., *86, 87

House of the Faun, *77, 80

---- Lucretius, *54, 59

---- Pansa, *38, *73, 75

---- C. Rufus, *58, 60

---- the Tragic Poet, *75, 76-78

---- the Vettii, 83-97, *83, *90

Impluvium, 41

Inscriptions, *13, 19, 20

Interior of Grave, 101-5, *102, *103

Io, W., 26

Iphigenia, W., 49-52, *50, 94, 95

Isis, Temple of, 29-32, *30

Istacidii, 101

Ixion, W., 92, *94

Jucundus, Caecilius, *58, 60, 61

“Junoni Tyches”, *102, 103, 104

Jupiter, Bust of, *21, 25

---- Temple of, *22, *23, 25

Kitchen, with Hearth, *82, 84

Lamps, 66, *67

Lares, Shrine of, 88, *89

Lead plates, 81

Lecti, 62

Lighting of dwellingrooms, 65, 66

Loaves, *76

Loves, *84, 85, 86, 95, *97

Macellum, *24, 25, 26

Maenianum, 43, *44

Mamia, 101

Marble Table, *59, 62

Mars and Venus, W., *53, 54

Meals, *61, 61-63

Meatmarket, *24, 24-26

Medea, W., *51, 52

Mercury, Street of, *8, 11, 15

Mirror with Bust of Ariadne, *71, 72

Misenum, 4

Mosaics, *39, 40, 43-47, *47

Naevoleia Tyche, *103, 105

Narcissus, Statuette of, *55, 56

Nola, Street of, *9, 15

Oilshops, *16, 21

Omphalos, 27

Orestes and Pylades, 94

Oscilla, 60

Ostiarius, 40

Palaestra, 37

Panorama of Pompeii, *7

Pentheus, 91

Periods of Building, 47-49

Piscina, 106

Plasterer at Work, *49

Plastering, *49

Pliny the Younger, 4, 5

Pompeii, History of, 1-8

Porcius, 101

Porta della Marina, 1, 12

Priapus, 85

Private Houses, 39

Proculus and his Wife, W., *53, 53-55