Campagna "stretching far away"-it is not difficult to recognise for which famous painter this should have proved a truly sympathetic landscape.

'The bridge itself is archaeologically interesting. One good travertine arch is preserved, which probably dates to the days of Augustus; and the bright green cresses that sway with the flow of the water beneath it, help to bring out its beauty. Adjoining it are remains of a brick continuation of the bridge, belonging to the second or third century; and it is difficult to understand why, if some of the more ancient structure was destroyed, it was not repaired in the same local material. But we remember that the greatest of contractors and builders in brick-Hadrian-had been hard at work in the neighbourhood before this restoration was made. Looking at the crystal water, it is not to be marvelled at that Esculapius, or another of the medical divinities of the Romans, had a temple close by, of which, however, the evidences consist only in votive offerings.

'But it is time to quit this enchanting spot for one still more fascinating; and this, indeed, is the objective of our walk, namely, the Villa of Quintilius Varus, some 400 feet above us, among the hoary patriarchal olives. Crocus and violets in colonies, at the roots of the gnarled tree-trunks, invite us to pick, but we have a steep climb and an afternoon before us; so we merely stop occasionally so as to ease the ascent, or to take a refreshing view, through an opening, of the splendid prospect over the wide Campagna that, presently, will most surely reward us for our toil. The birds are singing, and the anemones are open, as we reach the lowest of the majestic terraces that once allowed all the dwellers in this princeliest of villas to enjoy a perpetual view of the Falls of the Anio. Where we are now standing, Horace and Catullus must often have stood and surveyed this wonderful scene, which, alas! needs a more powerful pen to describe.'

The return to Tivoli can be made by the upper winding road, past Madonna di Quintiliolo and S. Antonio (11⁄2 miles), to the railway terminus for the afternoon train back to Rome. It is often

best to come out thus by tramway and return by rail. For the above excursion one descends from the tramway at Ponte Lucano, and walks across the bridge, and turns then to the left, direct.

H

CHAPTER XIII

LICENZA AND MONTE GENNARO

(Train to Vicovaro and walk to Licenza. A carriage (Alfredo's) may be taken from Tivoli to the farm of Horace itself, or good walkers taking the train to Subiaco as far as S. Cosimato, may walk from thence to Licenza, returning to meet the train in the evening. For the excursion to Monte Gennaro, horses must be ordered).

SOON

OON after leaving Tivoli by the Via Valeria, some magnificent arches of the Claudian Aqueduct are seen crossing a ravine on the right. Through them a road leads off to Empiglione (Empulum), where some of the walls of the castle (destroyed in 1300) remain. Then, also on the right, but far ahead, rises the picturesque town of Castel Madama (5 miles), crowning a ridge. The road passes close to some ruins of the tomb of C. Maenius Bassus of the time of Caligula. The remains of many villas occur hereabouts.

Seven miles from Tivoli, crossing the Anio, we reach Vicovaro (Vicus Varius), the Varia of Horace (Osteria di Ottati Maria). Portions of the double girdle of the ancient walls remain, built of huge blocks of travertine. In 1191 Celestine III. gave it to the Orsini who fortified it afresh. The place now belongs to Count Bolognetti Cenci, who has a dismal palace here, near which one sees ancient pavement. The family no longer lives here or in Italy. At one end of a piazza facing the principal church in the upper town, is the beautiful marble Chapel of S. Giacomo, built for one of the Orsini, Count of Tagliacozzo, by Simone, a pupil of Brunelleschi, who (says Vasari) died while employed upon it. It is octagonal, with a dome crowned by the figure of a saint. The principal door is richly adorned with saints; above are angels floating over the Virgin and Child, their attitude of adoration is beautiful. S. Severa is buried here, as well as at Anagni! Pope Pius II. in his 'Commentaria' (LVI.) speaks of this church as 'nobile sacellum ex marmore candidissimo,' and as adorned with statuis egregiis.' Of late years it has become important as a place of pilgrimage from the miraculous picture' which it contains.

Outside the church was a stall, at which I bought a copy of a hymn addressed by the inhabitants of the town, "to their miraculous picture of the most Holy Mary our advocate, which on July 22, 1868, began to move its eyes miraculously." Then follows the hymn, which is poor enough. Inside the church, over the high altar, surrounded with decorations and with lights, is placed the picture, a beautiful one, full of feeling and pathos. The hands are

united as in prayer, and the face is turned upwards, the eyes being large and lustrous, and in the very act of beginning to weep. It is a work of the school of Guido, and might be by the master himself.

Before the altar were kneeling a group of contadini, or country people, on their way from the Easter services at Rome. The priest was kneeling at the altar, singing the Litany of the Virgin, in which she is addressed in direct prayer, Mother of mercy, have mercy upon us :" "Mother of grace, have mercy upon us," &c.: the contadini repeating the "Ora pro nobis" after each title of invocation had been given out by the priest. This being ended, the worshippers all bent down and kissed the pavement, and then went backwards out of the church, bowing repeatedly as they passed down the nave.

'Meantime we were invited into the sacristy to see the book of testimonials to the fact of the miracle. The witnesses were many, of all nations. The purport of their testimony was mainly this: that at such a time the deposer had seen the left, or the right eye, or both, move or enlarge, or fill with tears; or the expression of the face change, or the throat become agitated. Many of the depositions were accompanied with fervent expressions of thankfulness and joy.

Now as to the account to be given of the phenomena thus deposed to. It is well known that certain arrangements of lines and of colours cause the appearance, when long contemplated, of unsteadiness and of motion in a picture: especially if combined with the representation of an expression of countenance itself emotioned, and, if I may thus use the word, transitional. Now, this last is eminently the case at Vicovaro. I am convinced that, were I a devotee kneeling before that picture, I could in ten minutes imagine it to undergo any such change as those recorded in the book. All is engaging, lustrous, suggestive.'-Dean Alford, 1865.

A short distance beyond Vicovaro, still following the ancient Via Valeria, almost opposite the convent of S. Cosimato, a road to the left turns up the long valley of Licenza (Digentia). About two miles up the valley, on the left, the castle of Rocca Giovine (Rocca Junone) is seen rising above its little town (Locanda di Bernardo Serafino), and looking down upon the road. Here was a temple of Vacuna, the Victoria of the Sabines; its restoration is commemorated in an inscription of Vespasian on the palacewall leading to the church.

The scenery is now classical, for, some three miles hence,—

'where yon bar

Of girdling mountains intercepts the sight
The Sabine farm was till'd, the weary bard's delight.'

-Childe Harold.

The village high up on a ridge to the right, Bardella (Burdellum), is Mandela. The Princes of Rocca Giovine pass their summers here. Between us and it flows down the brook Licenza, the Digentia of Horace; the mountain in front, to the left, leads to the famous Mons Lucretilis, now Monte Gennaro.

Me quoties reficit gelidus Digentia rivus,
Quem Mandela bibit, rugosus frigore pagus;
Quid sentire putas ? quid credis, amice, precari?
Sit mihi quod nunc est, etiam minus.'

-Epist. I. xviii. 104.