DOI chapter:
Chap. II: Herculaneum, Papyri - Torre del Greco - Pompeii; its Theatres, Temple, Porticos, and Villa, general Appearance and Effect - Excursion to the Aqueduct, and Palace of Caserta
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62268#0058
48
CLASSICAL TOUR
Ch, IL
veral female skeletons in a row with their backs
against the wall: the ashes which had gradually
worked their way into every corner, had hard-
ened into a solid mass, which when removed
was found in some places imprest with the form
of the bosom, and even retaining part of the
garment. At the door of the same court were
found two other skeletons, one with a key, the
other with a purse grasped in its hand. This
villa is said to have belonged to Arrius : the
name of Arrius has no charm in its sound ! what
traveller while visiting it would not wish to per-
suade himself that he was ranging over the
apartments of Cicero’s Pompeianum. It stood
in the neighborhood of this town, and possibly
on this very spot. It was a favorite retreat, and
much frequented by Cicero and his friends At-
ticus, Hortensius, Sulpicius, &c. From it, he
sailed to Greece, in order to join Pompey, after
having declined the dubious offer of the three
cohorts stationed at Pompeii. At all events, if
the excavations were carried on with spirit, and
on a large scale, there is no doubt but that
Cicero’s villa would be found, and probably some
inscription, statue, or other circumstance, record-
ing the name of the most illustrious of its pro-
prietors.
The houses are on a small scale, generally of
4
CLASSICAL TOUR
Ch, IL
veral female skeletons in a row with their backs
against the wall: the ashes which had gradually
worked their way into every corner, had hard-
ened into a solid mass, which when removed
was found in some places imprest with the form
of the bosom, and even retaining part of the
garment. At the door of the same court were
found two other skeletons, one with a key, the
other with a purse grasped in its hand. This
villa is said to have belonged to Arrius : the
name of Arrius has no charm in its sound ! what
traveller while visiting it would not wish to per-
suade himself that he was ranging over the
apartments of Cicero’s Pompeianum. It stood
in the neighborhood of this town, and possibly
on this very spot. It was a favorite retreat, and
much frequented by Cicero and his friends At-
ticus, Hortensius, Sulpicius, &c. From it, he
sailed to Greece, in order to join Pompey, after
having declined the dubious offer of the three
cohorts stationed at Pompeii. At all events, if
the excavations were carried on with spirit, and
on a large scale, there is no doubt but that
Cicero’s villa would be found, and probably some
inscription, statue, or other circumstance, record-
ing the name of the most illustrious of its pro-
prietors.
The houses are on a small scale, generally of
4