By this measure Tarquin secured the cooperation of almost all the Latin cities in his subsequent attempt to recover the throne he had lost. In the war which ensued in consequence, the Tusculans took a leading part, and the battle of the lake Regillus, which was fought within their territory A. U. C. 255. was one of the most bloody and obstinate which is recorded in the annals of Rome. (Liv. II. 19. and Dion. Hal. VI. 4.) The Latins, however, met with a severe defeat, which for more than a century paralyzed all their efforts to check the growing power of Rome. From that time we find the Tusculans no longer the enemies, but, on the contrary, the zealous and faithful friends of that city. When Appius Herdonius, with a body of slaves, surprised the Capitol, and threw Rome into the greatest consternation, the Tusculans, before their aid had been solicited, sent off a chosen force, commanded by L. Manilius their dictator, to the assistance of Rome, and by this timely succour greatly contributed to the recovery of the Capitol. (Liv. III. 18.) As allies of Rome, the Tusculans were exposed to the frequent attacks and incursions of the Æqui, who on one occasion even attempted the seizure of their citadel; but by the help of the Romans they were finally dislodged. (c. 23.) The territory of Tusculum seems to have been the constant scene of warfare, from its proximity to those restless enemies. On one occasion Tusculum having incurred the displeasure of Rome, was menaced with war, but by timely submission the threatened storm was averted, and it finally obtained the privileges of a Roman city. (Liv. VI. 26.) This town, not long after, fell into the hands of the confederate Latins; but the citadel having held out, the town itself was soon retaken by the Roman consul. (Liv. VI. 33.) The Tusculans, however, took a decided part in the last great Latin war, A. U. C. 415. but their rebellion does not appear to have been attended with any evil consequences to themselves, owing to the wise and generous policy of the Roman senate. It was for a duel with Geminius Metius, commander of the Tusculan horse, that young Manlius incurred the condemnation of his rigid parent. (Liv. VIII. 7.) In the second Punic war, Tusculum successfully resisted the attack of Hannibal, and appears from that time to have remained in the undisturbed enjoyment of its rights and privileges. It could boast of having given birth to M. Porcius Cato, several of the Fabii, T. Coruncanius, Cn. Plancius, and other illustrious Romans, (Cic. de Leg. II. and Orat. pro Cn. Plancio.) Its proximity to Rome, the beauty of its situation, as well as the salubrity of its climate, made it a favourite summer residence with the wealthy Romans. Strabo, who has given a very accurate description of its position, says, that on the side towards Rome the hills of Tusculum were covered with plantations and palaces, the effect of Villa Tus- which was most striking. (V. 239.) Of these villas, ceronis. none can be so interesting to us as that of Cicero, so often mentioned in his works, and more particularly known from the beautiful moral Disputations which were probably written there, and which will ever remain a monument of his love for that chosen spot. To collect those passages of Cicero which have a reference to his Tusculan villa, would be to exceed the limits of this work; they will be found chiefly in the first book of his letters to Atticus, and in those addressed to his other friends and relations. culana Ci To this spot he returned with renewed delight after his exile, and lingered there till persecution forced him once more from his loved retreat. It was for a long time supposed that Cicero's villa had been situated on the site of the present convent of the Grotta Ferrata; but later researches, I believe, have proved that it lay considerably higher up the hill, though the pleasure-grounds might extend to the Aqua Crabra, now la Marana. (De Leg. Aqua CraAgr. II. and Epist. ad Fam. XVI. 18.) Pliny says that this villa had belonged to Sylla before it came into the possession of Cicero. (XXII. 6.) It is known that Lucullus also had a palace and gardens at Tusculum, which were adorned with all that magnificence and luxury for which he was so famous. The space of ground which they covered was so extensive, that the gardens are supposed to have reached from the hills of Tusculum to the Anio, a distance of several miles, and yet so large a portion was allotted to buildings, that the censors, according to Pliny, (XVIII. 6.) observed in their report, "that there was more work for the broom "than for the plough." Tradition has attached the name of this celebrated Roman to some large vaulted ruins close to the Villa Ludovisi, above Frascati. Plutarch, in the life of Lucullus, dwells at length on the sumptuous manner in which he entertained his friends here. Varro (R. Rust. III. 2. and 4.) and Columella (III. 3.) expatiate on his aviaries, parks, and vast fish-ponds. That Mæcenas also had a villa at Tusculum we learn from Horace : * For a further account of the Tusculan villas, see Vulpius, Vet. Lat. 1. xiv. c. 5. bra. Regillus Algidum. Algidus Nec ut superni villa candens Tusculi Circæa tangat mœnia. Nec semper udum Tibur, et Æsulæ Telegoni juga parricidæ. EPOD. I. III. OD. 29. Rome was supplied with a great abundance of water from the Ager Tusculanus. The Aqua Tepula, now Tepiduccia, was brought from that place to the Capitol A. U. C. 627, by the censors Cæpio and Longinus, and subsequently by M. Agrippa, together with the Aqua Virgo, now Aqua Vergine. (Frontin. de Aquæd. Rom.) The Lacus Regillus, before mentioned as the scene of a great battle between the Romans and Latins, is thought to be il Laghetto della Colonna, near the small town of that name. The authors who have noticed the Lacus Regillus are, Cic. de Nat. Deor. II. and III. Plin. XXXIII. 6. Val. Max. I. 8. and Flor. IV. 2. The Mons Porcius, so called probably from the family of that name, is still known as the Monte Porzio. I must now speak of Algidum, so often mentioned in the early wars of Rome as a favourite station of the Æqui, in their predatory incursions on the Roman territory. We are to distinguish, however, between the Mons Algidus and the town of Algidum. The latter, according to Strabo, (V. 237.) was an insignificant place on the Via Latina, and situated in a hollow. Antiquaries seem to agree in fixing its position at l'Osteria dell Aglio. The Mons Algidus appears to be that chain which stretches from the rear of the Alban Mount, and is parallel 248. Nibby, Viaggio Antiquario, t. ii. p. 62. y Holsten. Adnot. p. 158. Vulp. Lat. Vet. l. xv. c. 1. p. to the Tusculan hills, being separated from them by the valley along which run the Via Latina. It is not my object to detail the numberless conflicts which took place in this neighbourhood between the Roman armies and their unwearied antagonists the Æqui and Volsci ; Scilicet hic olim Volscos quosque fugatos Viderat in campis, Algida terra, tuis. OVID. FAST. VI. 721. but it will be seen from the map how advantageously Mount Algidus was placed for making inroads on the Roman lands from thence, either by the Via Latina or by the Via Lavicana. The woods of the bleak Algidus are a favourite theme with Horace, Vos lætam fluviis, et nemorum coma, Silvis, aut Viridis Cragi.. Nam, quæ nivali pascitur Algido Devota, quercus inter et ilices, Aut crescit Albanis in herbis Duris ut ilex tonsa bipennibus and Statius, I. OD. 21. III. OD. 23. IV. OD. 4. |