.1.79 *• society of Arcadia. 87 



of genius, and ardour for study, who gave verj pro- 

 mising hopej, of becoming, one daj, by his instruc- 

 tions, great luminaries of literature ; so that several 

 of the Arcadiuns, of a more mature age, delighted to 

 meet with them in Opico's habitation ; and to encou- 

 rage them more, had tliem, by little and little, recei- 

 ved amongst the Arcadiau fhepherds, until their num- 

 ber increased so much as to begin to give suspicioa 

 to the custode, and make him very jealous and atten- 

 tive. Hence he took care to keep out of the number 

 of the colleagues those young men of Opico's band ; 

 and hence the opportunity was taken for the com- 

 plaint by Rolli, coloured with an apparent zeal for 

 the observance of the laws. 



The general afsembly decided in favour of the con- 

 suetude, and Alfesibeo^s party triumphed in that day, 

 ■which kept in suspence the greatest part of Rome. 

 The reclaimants wtre received and favoured by 

 Aquilio Naviano, (^Doa Livio Odescalchi, duke of 

 Bracciano, ijfc.) who made to them a donation of a 

 garden, out of the Porta Flaminia or del topalo, 

 where, after having chosen Aquilio for their perpe- 

 tual custode, they pretended to constitute the true 

 Arcadia^ and continued 10 act in all respects as Ar- 

 cadians. The two parties went to law. The greatest 

 number of the Arcadiai;s were unanimous, and con- 

 stant in difsentiiig from the schiim ; ai,d, excepting 

 very few, who chose to remain indiflFcreiit, all the 

 others decared, in writing, their fidelity to Arcadia^. 

 and perpetua war .0 tne schism ; the colonies espe- 

 cially (hewed their particular zeal, many of wliich 

 -had been strongly sollicited by the schismatics. 



