194 Italian literature. -^^g' I5« 



were generally approved and accepted by all the 

 members ; ordering certain customs also to be in- 

 troduced according as ciixumstances seemed to re- 

 quire. These regulations were several times en- 

 larged, varied, and rejected, until, bj the universal 

 consent and obedience, it was decided which of them 

 were to be selected for the permanent regulation of 

 this literary republic. But as the members of Ar- 

 cadia had by this time encreased to an extraordinary 

 number, it would have been difficult to make the es- 

 tablifhed rules and orders be observed, unlefs they 

 were collected under certain heads, which were 

 known to every person; it was resolved to reduce 

 them in the form of laws, ZT\^Alfesiheo Cario, at that 

 time custode, or guardian of Arcadia, was ordered 

 to attend seriously to this iniportant busifiefs. 



In consequence of this resolution, the custode col- 

 lected these rules and orders, comprefsed them into 

 ten tables or laws, and two sanctio7is, which, that they 

 might claim more veneration, he caused to be writ- 

 ten by Opico Erimanteo (the celebrated jurisconsult, 

 Gian Vincen%o Grwoina^ after the manner of the ten 

 tables of the old Roman laws. 



The Arcadian codex being thus brought to perfec- 

 tion, in order that no person might plead ignorance, 

 a general afsembly of the Ihepherds was called at the 

 Bosco -Parrasio, (or the Parrhasian grove,) which 

 then existed on mount Palatine, once famous for the 

 Arcadian Evander and his mother Cdrmenta, in the 

 Orti Farnesiani, and were publiflied to them on the 

 20th May in the .year 1696. The custode began the 

 ^jpromulgation of the laws, by the solemn formula Veli- 



