230 Notices respecting Neio Books. 



The second bas-relief whicli adorns the first tomb represents, 

 as we have observed, a chase, another description of spectacles 

 with vvhch the funeral ceremonies of the dead were accompanied. 

 We there see a raubit, a hare, and a stag, pursued by dogs, and 

 two htsliaiii combating with a bull and two boars. 



The third bas-relief, and that which adorns the upper part of 

 the gate of entrance to the tomb, shows us four gladiators wliose 

 bodies are covered with plates of metal, and who bear helmets, 

 bucklers of diiferent forms, and cuirasses more or less orna- 

 mented. One of these gladiators is wounded ; the three others 

 are standing. One of the latter, who seems to have acted the 

 chief part in the games, is led by a man habited in tlie simple 

 chlamvs. He is perhaps the lanista, or chief of the troop. 

 M. Millin thinks with reason that this bas-relief refers like the 

 former to the games celebrated at the funeral of Riccius. The 

 gladiators who are therein represented are probably the con- 

 querors, four of whom only have been figured because the two 

 others are supposed to be killed, or their victory disputed, or 

 perhaps merely because the space has only admitted of the four 

 principal gladiators being represented. 



M. Millin here introduces some interesting mutter as to the 

 passion of the inhabitants of Pompeia for scenic games, re- 

 marking the bad style of the figures upon the bas-reliefs in ques- 

 tion, and commenting on the technical part of these bas-reliefs 

 and the general form of the tomb. 



The second tomb abuts upon the first, and is only separated 

 from it by a wall. It is a round tower raised on a square base, 

 and surround'^ by a wall adorned with pilasters. The angles 

 of this wall bear cubes terminated by small pyramids, and de- 

 corated on one side with stucco bas-reliefs descriptive of funeral 

 ceremonies and the state of the soul after death : these arc al- 

 legories like those usually seen on painted vases. M. Millin 

 has figured two of these small bas-reliefs : one represents a 

 woman, perhaps the wife of the deceased, who sacrifices to his 

 manes by oftering upon an altar loaded with fruit a patera and 

 a fillet, symbols of the piety and purity of the initiated : on an- 

 other we see another woman who decorates with a fillet the 

 skeleton of the defunct, to indicate that, purified by the sacred 

 mvsterie», he will enter into the fortunate islands destined to 

 receive the souls of virtuous men. This explanation which 

 M. Millin gives of these bas-reliefs is confirmed by the allego- 

 rical figures which are painted alfresco on the walls in the in- 

 side of the round tower, where are to be seen dolphins and 

 other sea animals, other symbols of the felicity which virtuous 

 men purified by initiation are to enjoy in the fortunate islands, 

 where their souls are conveyed by nymphs seated on these ani- 

 mals : 



