DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61387#0136
80
THE RUINS OF POMPEII.
apparently to keep fish, fruit, or other articles cool in the water, which, from
its continual motion, was always fresh. In front of the piscina is seen
another round marble table.
Over the roof of the portico, supported by the pillars, ran a gallery, with
another set of columns, ascended by a staircase near the tablinum. This
gallery gave access to the apartments on the upper floor. The peristyle is
simply decorated. The lower third of the columns, having the channelling
only marked with lines, is painted red, while the upper and channelled part
is white. The walls are black, and adorned with small pictures of eatables,
separated by ornaments. The border at the bottom is painted with water-
plants and water fowl. On the wall on the right was a graffito, to the follow-
ing effect: “July 7th, lard 2001b, garlic 250 bundles;” meaning probably
that these things were either bought or sold on that day.
Two of the rooms on the further side of the peristyle, and at the extre-
mity of the house, are visible in the view. The smaller one on the right
appears to be a bed-chamber. The floor is of opus Signinum; the walls,
painted mostly red and yellow, besides the architectural ornaments so com-
monly met with, have pictures of Nereids riding through the waves on sea-
monsters. The picture facing the entrance, so far as can be made out,
represents the Dioscuri. Next to this apartment, on the left, is a large and
handsome exedra, or retiring room. It is paved with black and white
marble, and has in the middle a small impluvium, or basin; from which we
may infer that there was a corresponding aperture in the roof. The walls
were adorned with small but well-executed pictures. One in the front
represents Narcissus admiring himself in the fountain. That on the left wall
has for its subject a Hermaphrodite leaning on the shoulder of Silenus; that
on the right, Bacchus accompanied by his thiasos, that is, his usual troop,
or rout, discovering Ariadne.
This last subject is a very common one in the paintings at Pompeii; but
as it is well treated in this instance, and as the picture is in a very tolerable
state of preservation, we have inserted a photograph of it.
Bacchus, after his arrival in Naxos, finds Ariadne sunk in a profound
slumber. Her face is hid in the pillows; over her head stands Sleep, with
outspread wings, as if to take his departure, and bearing in his left hand
a torch reversed, a symbol common to him with his brother Death. A
young Faun lifts the sheet, or veil, in which Ariadne is enveloped, in an
attitude expressive of surprise at her beauty, and looks earnestly at the god,
THE RUINS OF POMPEII.
apparently to keep fish, fruit, or other articles cool in the water, which, from
its continual motion, was always fresh. In front of the piscina is seen
another round marble table.
Over the roof of the portico, supported by the pillars, ran a gallery, with
another set of columns, ascended by a staircase near the tablinum. This
gallery gave access to the apartments on the upper floor. The peristyle is
simply decorated. The lower third of the columns, having the channelling
only marked with lines, is painted red, while the upper and channelled part
is white. The walls are black, and adorned with small pictures of eatables,
separated by ornaments. The border at the bottom is painted with water-
plants and water fowl. On the wall on the right was a graffito, to the follow-
ing effect: “July 7th, lard 2001b, garlic 250 bundles;” meaning probably
that these things were either bought or sold on that day.
Two of the rooms on the further side of the peristyle, and at the extre-
mity of the house, are visible in the view. The smaller one on the right
appears to be a bed-chamber. The floor is of opus Signinum; the walls,
painted mostly red and yellow, besides the architectural ornaments so com-
monly met with, have pictures of Nereids riding through the waves on sea-
monsters. The picture facing the entrance, so far as can be made out,
represents the Dioscuri. Next to this apartment, on the left, is a large and
handsome exedra, or retiring room. It is paved with black and white
marble, and has in the middle a small impluvium, or basin; from which we
may infer that there was a corresponding aperture in the roof. The walls
were adorned with small but well-executed pictures. One in the front
represents Narcissus admiring himself in the fountain. That on the left wall
has for its subject a Hermaphrodite leaning on the shoulder of Silenus; that
on the right, Bacchus accompanied by his thiasos, that is, his usual troop,
or rout, discovering Ariadne.
This last subject is a very common one in the paintings at Pompeii; but
as it is well treated in this instance, and as the picture is in a very tolerable
state of preservation, we have inserted a photograph of it.
Bacchus, after his arrival in Naxos, finds Ariadne sunk in a profound
slumber. Her face is hid in the pillows; over her head stands Sleep, with
outspread wings, as if to take his departure, and bearing in his left hand
a torch reversed, a symbol common to him with his brother Death. A
young Faun lifts the sheet, or veil, in which Ariadne is enveloped, in an
attitude expressive of surprise at her beauty, and looks earnestly at the god,