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cut it off。 Those popes who have provided the modern city so plentifully with excellent water; are much to be commended for the care and expence; they have bestowed in restoring the streams called acqua Virgine; acqua Felice; and acqua Paolina; which afford such abundance of water as would plentifully supply a much larger city than modern Rome。
It is no wonder that M。 Agrippa; the son…in…law; friend; and favourite of Augustus; should at the same time have been the idol of the people; considering how surprisingly he exerted himself for the emolument; convenience; and pleasure of his fellow…citizens。 It was he who first conducted this acqua Virgine to Rome: he formed seven hundred reservoirs in the city; erected one hundred and five fountains; one hundred and thirty castella; or conduits; which works he adorned with three hundred statues; and four hundred pillars of marble; in the space of one year。 He also brought into Rome; the aqua Julia; and restored the aqueduct of the aqua Marzia; which had fallen to decay。 I have already observed the great number of baths which he opened for the people; and the magnificent thermae; with spacious gardens; which he bequeathed to them as a legacy。 But these benefactions; great and munificent as they seem to be; were not the most important services he performed for the city of Rome。 The common…sewers were first made by order of Tarquinius Priscus; not so much with a view to cleanliness; as by way of subterranean drains to the Velabrum; and in order to carry off the stagnant water; which remained in the lower parts; after heavy rains。 The different branches of these channels united at the Forum; from whence by the cloaca Maxima; their contents were conveyed into the Tyber。 This great cloaca was the work of Tarquinius Superbus。 Other sewers were added by Marcus Cato; and Valerius Flaccus; the censors。 All these drains having been choaked up and ruinous; were cleared and restored by Marcus Agrippa; who likewise undermined the whole city with canals of the same kind; for carrying of the filth; he strengthened and enlarged the cloaca maxima; so as to make it capable of receiving a large cart loaded with hay; and directed seven streams of water into these subterranean passages; in order to keep them always clean and open。 If; notwithstanding all these conveniences; Vespasian was put to great expence in removing the ordure from the public streets; we have certainly a right to conclude that the antient Romans were not more cleanly than the modern Italians。
After the mausolea of Augustus; and Adrian; which I have already mentioned; the most remarkable antient sepulchres at Rome; are those of Caius Cestius; and Cecilia Metella。 The first; which stands by the Porta di S。 Paolo; is a beautiful pyramid; one hundred and twenty feet high; still preserved intire; having a vaulted chamber within…side; adorned with some ancient painting; which is now almost effaced。 The building is of brick; but eased with marble。 This Caius Cestius had been consul; was very rich; and acted as one of the seven Epulones; who superintended the feasts of the gods; called Lectisternia; and Pervigilia。 He bequeathed his whole fortune to his friend M。 Agrippa; who was so generous as to give it up to the relations of the testator。 The monument of Cecilia Metella; commonly called Capo di Bove; is without the walls on the Via Appia。 This lady was daughter of Metellus Creticus; and wife to Crassus; who erected this noble monument to her memory。 It consisted of two orders; or stories; the first of which was a square of hewn stone: the second was a circular tower; having a cornice; adorned with ox heads in basso relievo; a circumstance from which it takes the name of Capo di Bove。 The ox was supposed to be a most grateful sacrifice to the gods。 Pliny; speaking of bulls and oxen; says;
Hinc victimae optimae et laudatissima deorum placatio。
They were accounted the best Victims and most agreeable to appease the anger of the Gods。
This tower was surmounted by a noble cupola or dome; enriched with all the ornaments of architecture。 The door of the building was of brass; and within…side the ashes of Cecilia were deposited in a fluted marble urn; of curious workmanship; which is still kept in the Palazzo Farnese。 At present the surface of the ground is raised so much as to cover the first order of the edifice: what we see is no more than the round tower; without the dome and its ornaments; and the following inscription still remains near the top; facing the Via Appia。
CAECILLAE Q。 CRETICI F。 METELLAE CRASSI。
To Caecilia Metella; Daughter of Q。 Criticus: wife of Crassus。
Now we are talking of sepulchral inscriptions; I shall conclude this letter with the copy of a very singular will; made by Favonius Jocundus; who died in Portugal; by which will the precise situation of the famous temple of Sylvanus is ascertained。
〃Jocundi。 Ego gallus Favonius Jocundus P。 Favoni F。 qui bello contra Viriatum Succubui; Jocundum et Prudentem filios; e me et Quintia Fabia conjuge mea ortos; et Bonorum Jocundi Patris mei; et eorum; quae mihi ipsi acquisivi haeredes relinquo; hac tamen conditione; ut ab urbe Romana huc veniant; et ossa hic mea; intra quinquennium exportent; et via latina condant in sepulchro; jussu meo condito; et mea voluntate; in quo velim neminem mecum; neque servum; neque libertum inseri; et velim ossa quorumcunque sepulchro statim meo eruantur; et jura Romanorum serventur; in sepulchris ritu majorum retinendis; juxta volantatem testatoris; et si secus fecerint; nisi legittimae oriantur causae; velim ea omnia; quae filijs meis relinquo; pro reparando templo dei Sylvani; quod sub viminali monte est; attribui; manesque mei a Pont。 max; a flaminibus dialibus; qui in capitolio sunt; opem implorent; ad liberorum meorum impietatem ulciscendam; teneanturque sacerdotes dei Silvani; me in urbem referre; et sepulchro me meo condere。 Volo quoque vernas qui domi meae sunt; omnes a praetore urbano liberos; cum matribus dimitti; singulisque libram argenti puri; et vestem unam dori。 In Lusitania。 In agro VIII。 Cal Quintilis; bello viriatino。〃
I; Gallus Favonius Jocundus; son of P。 Favonius; dying in the war against Viriatus; declare my sons Jocundus and Prudens; by my wife Quintia Fabia; joint Heirs of my Estate; real and personal; on condition; however; that they come hither within a time of five years from this my last will; and transport my remains to Rome to be deposited in my Sepulchre built in the via latina by my own order and Direction: and it is my will that neither slave nor freedman shall be interred with me in the said tomb; that if any such there be; they shall be removed; and the Roman law obeyed; in preserving in the antient Form the sepulchre according to the will of the Testator。 If they act otherwise without just cause; it is my will that the whole estate; which I now bequeathe to my children; shall be applied to the Reparation of the Temple of the God Sylvanus; at the foot of Mount Viminalis; and that my Manes 'The Manes were an order of Gods supposed to take cognisance of such injuries。' I shall implore the ass