s, 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
volant