It Is No Wonder That M. Agrippa, The Son-In-Law, Friend, And
Favourite Of Augustus, Should At The Same Time Have Been The Idol
Of The People, Considering How Surprisingly He Exerted Himself
For The Emolument, Convenience, And Pleasure Of His Fellow-Citizens.
It was he who first conducted this acqua Virgine to
Rome:
He formed seven hundred reservoirs in the city; erected one
hundred and five fountains; one hundred and thirty castella, or
conduits, which works he
adorned with three hundred statues, and four hundred pillars of
marble, in the space of one year. He also brought into Rome, the
aqua Julia, and restored the aqueduct of the aqua Marzia, which
had fallen to decay. I have already observed the great number of
baths which he opened for the people, and the magnificent
thermae, with spacious gardens, which he bequeathed to them as a
legacy. But these benefactions, great and munificent as they seem
to be, were not the most important services he performed for the
city of Rome. The common-sewers were first made by order of
Tarquinius Priscus, not so much with a view to cleanliness, as by
way of subterranean drains to the Velabrum, and in order to carry
off the stagnant water, which remained in the lower parts, after
heavy rains. The different branches of these channels united at
the Forum, from whence by the cloaca Maxima, their contents were
conveyed into the Tyber. This great cloaca was the work of
Tarquinius Superbus. Other sewers were added by Marcus Cato, and
Valerius Flaccus, the censors. All these drains having been
choaked up and ruinous, were cleared and restored by Marcus
Agrippa, who likewise undermined the whole city with canals of
the same kind, for carrying of the filth; he strengthened and
enlarged the cloaca maxima, so as to make it capable of receiving
a large cart loaded with hay; and directed seven streams of water
into these subterranean passages, in order to keep them always
clean and open. If, notwithstanding all these conveniences,
Vespasian was put to great expence in removing the ordure from
the public streets, we have certainly a right to conclude that
the antient Romans were not more cleanly than the modern
Italians.
After the mausolea of Augustus, and Adrian, which I have already
mentioned, the most remarkable antient sepulchres at Rome, are
those of Caius Cestius, and Cecilia Metella. The first, which
stands by the Porta di S. Paolo, is a beautiful pyramid, one
hundred and twenty feet high, still preserved intire, having a
vaulted chamber within-side, adorned with some ancient painting,
which is now almost effaced. The building is of brick, but eased
with marble. This Caius Cestius had been consul, was very rich,
and acted as one of the seven Epulones, 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.
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