148 
THE VILLAS OF FRASCATI. 
adorned with fine mosaics, are often covered with graceful pictures, and that they nearly all 
contain marble fountains. ... To complete the whole, we must imagine baths, piscenice, 
tennis courts, porticoes extending in every direction for the enjoyment of all the views, alleys 
sanded for walks and for those who chose to ride on horseback, a large hippodrome, formed of 
a long alley straight and sombre, shaded by plane trees and laurels, while on all sides curved 
alleys wind, which cross and cut each other so as to render the space greater in appearance 
and the programme of enjoyment more varied.” The pictures of gardens in the old houses 
of Rome and Pompeii show these alleys shut in by walls of hornbeam, with a round space in 
the middle where swans swim in a basin, and either little arbours disposed here and there or 
else a marble statue or a column, and seats spaced at intervals. 
In the fourth century came the terrible blow of the transportation of the Court to 
Constantinople. The old capital was left in fallen grandeur, and on those who still clung to 
their well loved country homes dawned the awful fate that awaited a small civilisation secluded 
in the midst of an uncivilised world. All that refinement and those choice collections, the 
outcome of loving scholarship and of learned leisure, w'ere shattered and dissipated either by the 
invasions of the peoples of the north or by the Saracens. Those who could not fly were 
forced into the restricted space that could be protected by the city’s cyclopean walls. Numerous 
signs of great devastations have been found among the ruins, but nothing that points to any 
restoration or after attempt to inhabit them. The city of Tusculum, still of considerable size, 
was saved by its tremendous walls, which enabled it to resist the terrible onslaughts of the 
barbarian devastators. Notwithstanding the visitations of these barbarous hordes, a little 
group of farmers gathered among the ruined gardens of Lucullus. They were probably retainers 
of the great house, and, united by their Christian faith, a church and monastery found place 
among them, and thus Frascati came into being. 
The Middle Ages saw the rise into importance of the great race of the Counts of Tusculum, 
under whom in the ninth and three following centuries Tusculum became once more a place of power 
and importance. They were a race whose whole history is full of deeds of cruelty and treachery ; 
but thev figure as consuls and senators, and gave to Rome no less than seven Popes. The 
ruined castle of Borghetto, lying below, was one of their fastnesses, and the history of Tusculum 
is a record of perpetual combats with rival Popes and with the Roman people. Gradually the 
haughty town and its Counts degenerated, and in 1170 the last Count Ranio, made over the 
possession to Pope Alexander III, who made a triumphal entry into the town and fixed his 
residence there for more than two years. During this time the Ambassadors of Henry II of 
England came to Tusculum, bringing the news of the murder of Thomas a Becket, Archbishop 
of Canterbury. They were charged with the task of clearing the King from the accusation of 
having conspired to bring it about. 
As one of the conditions of accepting Alexander as their sovereign the Tusculans were 
required to level their impregnable walls. The work of destruction was carried out in 1172, 
and the ancient city was left in an absolutely defenceless condition. In 1191, Pope Celestm III 
and the Emperor Henry VI betrayed the unhappy city into the hands of its enemies, the ever- 
jealous Romans. On an -April night they surprised and stormed the place ; the inhabitants 
defended themselves desperately, but a terrible massacre took place, and afterwards every 
building and temple was destroyed and the prehistoric walls of Telegonus were razed 
to the ground, and the svmbolic salt was strewn over the ruins so that they should nevei 
be restored. 
