and meets the other route to the theatres. On both these routes the
houses immediately bordering on the streets are cleared; but between
them is a large rectangular plot of unexplored ground. Two very
elegant houses at the southwest corner of the Forum were uncovered by
the French general Championnet, while in command at Naples, and are
known by his name. On the western side of the Forum two streets led
down towards the sea; the excavations here consist almost entirely of
public buildings, which will be described hereafter.

[Illustration: VIEW OF POMPEII. (_From a photograph._)]

The quarter of the theatres comprises a large temple, called the
Temple of Neptune or Hercules, a temple of Isis, a temple of
AEsculapius, two theatres, the Triangular Forum, and the quarters of
the soldiers or gladiators. On the north and east it is bounded by
streets; to the south and west it seems to have been enclosed partly
by the town walls, partly by its own. Here the continuous excavation
ends, and we must cross vineyards to the amphitheatre, about five
hundred and fifty yards distant from the theatre, in the southeast
corner of the city, close to the walls, and in an angle formed by
them. Close to the amphitheatre are traces of walls supposed to have
belonged to a Forum Boarium, or cattle market. Near at hand, a
considerable building, called the villa of Julia Felix, has been
excavated and filled up again. On the walls of it was discovered the
following inscription, which may serve to convey an idea of the wealth
of some of the Pompeian proprietors:

IN PRAEDIS JULLE SP F. FELICIS
LOCANTUR
BALNEUM VENERIUM ET NONGENTUM TABERNAE PERGULAE
COENACULA EX IDIBUS AUG PRIMIS
IN IDUS AUG. SEXTAS ANNOS CONTINUOS QUINQUE
S. Q. D. L. E. N. C.

That is: "On the estate of Julia Felix, daughter of Spurius, are to be
let a bath, a venereum, nine hundred shops, with booths and garrets,
for a term of five continuous years, from the first to the sixth of
the Ides of August." The formula, S. Q. D. L. E. N. C., with which the
advertisement concludes, is thought to stand for--si quis domi
lenocinium exerceat ne conducito: "let no one apply who keeps a
brothel."

A little to the south of the smaller theatre was discovered, in 1851,
the Gate of Stabiae. Hence a long straight street, which has been
called the Street of Stabiae, traversed the whole breadth of the