Gell, William: Pompeiana: the topography, edifices and ornaments of Pompeii ; the result of excavations since 1819 ; in two volumes (Band 2) (London, 1832)

POMPEIANA. 49

seem to carry a bier, covered with a red
canopy supported by four pillars. On this
seems to be borne a dead body, near which,
and also on the bier, seems a person who
makes an oration, with a dagger in his hand.
At the feet of the corpse are two persons of
smaller size, who are occupied, as the bier
proceeds, in sawing a plank, as if to make
the coffin; but their position in a bier is
most singular. The corpse also seems to
have a nail or spike driven through its head,
but this is by no means clearly distinguished ;
and, on the angle of the pier, is seen Mer-
cury, with his caduceus, conducting the soul
to Hades. A serpent issues from a mystic
chest at his feet, and completes this extra-
ordinary and hitherto inexplicable repre-
sentation.

The house called, from a picture, that
of the Centaur, adjoins that of the Dioscuri.
It contains many paintings, and some sub-
terraneous apartments under the garden.
Beyond this, again, is a habitation on a mag-
nificent scale, called (also from a painting)
that of Meleager. The atrium has a beauti-
ful marble table in the centre. The house