Gabios, Veiosque, Coramque Pulvere vix tectae poterunt monstrare ruinae.' Lucan, vii. 392 'Scis Lebedus quam sit Gabiis desertior atque Quippe suburbanae parva minus urbe Bovillae ; Propert. El. iv. 1. Hujus qui trahitur praetextam sumere mavis; Juvenal, 'Sat.' x. 100. Quis timet, aut timuit gelida Praeneste ruinam ; The Gabini had a peculiar mode of girding the toga, which gave more freedom to the limbs, and which was found useful when hurrying to battle from a sacrifice. Virgil alludes to it :— 'Ipse, Quirinali trabea cinctuque Gabino 'Aen.' vii. 612. Under Tiberius the town had a slight revival, which was increased under Hadrian, who adorned it with handsome public buildings, colleges, and an aqueduct. In the first ages of Christianity it became the seat of a bishopric (a list of its bishops from A.D. 465 to 879 is given in Ughelli's 'Italia Sacra'), but it was finally ruined when Astolphus ravaged the Campagna, at the head of 6,000 Lombards. It is only a mile's walk or ride from the Osteria del Osa (turning left) to the Castello del Osa or Coilatia. Continuing along the Via Praenestina, much of the old pavement is visible. This is most perfect at Cavamonte (seven miles beyond Gabii), where the road passes through a deep cutting in the rocks which guard the valley of Gallicano. The cliffs on either side of the road reach a height of 70 feet, and are most picturesquely overhung with shrubs and ivy. The road, which is generally only 14 feet wide, here has a width of 27 feet. After passing through Cavamonte, the Via Praenestina ascends towards Praeneste by the Convent of the Buon Pastore. On the left of the road (19 miles from Rome) is the village of Gallicano, supposed to occupy the site of the ancient Pedum, whose name is familiar to readers of Horace, from the epistle to Albius Tibullus. 'Albi, nostrorum sermonum candide judex, Quid nunc te dicam facere in regione Pedana ?' 'Ep.' i. iv. The present name is derived from Ovinius Gallicanus, Prefect of Rome in the time of Constantine, who was afterwards canonised for his charities, and in whose honour the Hospital in the Trastevere was dedicated. The place was formerly a fief of the Colonna, and now gives a title to the Rospigliosi. 'The towns of Scaptia, Ortona, and Querquetula lay somewhere in this neighbourhood. Scaptia was one of the cities which conspired to restore the Tarquins to the Roman throne. It gave a name to one of the tribes at Rome, but in Pliny's time had fallen entirely into ruins. The site of Passerano has been fixed upon as the representative of Scaptia by most modern topographers. But this opinion rests upon a false reading in Festus, and must be rejected. Ortona lay on the frontier, between the Latins and Aequians, but belonged to the Latins. It seems to have been near Corbio, and on the further side of Mount Algidus. The site of Querquetula is entirely unknown. Gell and Nibby place it at Corcolo, arguing from the similarity of the name. Corcolo is four miles from Gallicano, and six from Zagarolo, at a point where there is an artificial dyke separating a small hill from the neighbouring plateau. There are traces of ancient roads, converging to this point from Praeneste, Castellaccio, and Gallicano.'-Burn, Roman Campagna.' The Zagarolo, 21 miles from Rome, will scarcely be made the object of a special excursion, but may be visited by those who drive to Palestrina. It is a curious mediaeval town chiefly built by the Colonna, in whose wars it was twice sacked, first by Boniface VIII., and afterwards by Cardinal Vitelleschi in the reign of Eugenius IV. It now gives a ducal title to the Rospigliosi. Many Roman antiquities found in the neighbourhood are built up into the walls and houses, and over the Roman gate is a seated statue of Jupiter. The commission for the revision of the Vulgate under Gregory XIV. met in the palace of Zagarolo. And now farewell to Italy-perhaps For ever! Yet, methinks, I could not go, |