In front of the house lies a spacious hippodrome, entirely open in the middle, by which means the eye, upon your first entrance, takes in its whole extent at one view. It is encompassed on every side with plane trees covered with ivy, so that while their heads flourish with their own green, their bodies enjoy a borrowed verdure; and thus the ivy twining round the trunk and branches, spreads from tree to tree and connects them together. Between each plane trey are placed box trees, and behind these, bay trees, which blend their shade with that of the planes. This plantation, forming a straight boundary on both sides of the hippodrome, bends at the further end into a semicircle, which, being set round and sheltered with cypresses, casts a deeper and more gloomy shade; while the inward circular walks (for there are several) enjoying an open exposure, are full of roses, and correct the coolness of the shade by the warmth of the sun.

Having passed through these several winding alleys, you enter a straight walk, which breaks out into a variety of others, divided by box edges. In one place you have a little meadow; in another, the box is cut into a thousand different forms, sometimes into letters; here expressing the name of the master, there that of the artificer; while here and there little obelisks rise, intermixed with fruit trees; when on a sudden, in the midst of this elegant regularity, you are surprised with an imitation of the negligent beauties of rural nature, in the centre of which lies a spot surrounded with a knot of dwarf plane trees. Beyond this is a walk, interspersed with the smooth and twining acanthus, where the trees are also cut into a variety of names and shapes. At the upper end is an alcove of white marble, shaded with vines, supported by four small columns of Carystian marble. Here is a triclinium, out of which the water, gushing through several little pipes, as if it were pressed out by the weight of the persons who repose upon it, falls into a stone cistern underneath, from whence it is received into a fine polished marble basin, so artfully contrived that it is always full without ever overflowing. When I sup here, this basin serves for a table, the larger sort of dishes being placed round .the margin, while the smaller swim about in the form of little vessels and water-fowl. Corresponding to this is a fountain, which is incessantly emptying and filling; for the water, which it throws up to a great height, falling back again into it, is returned as fast as it is received, by means of two openings. Fronting the alcove stands a summer-house of exquisite marble, whose doors project and open into a green enclosure, while from its upper and lower windows also the eye is presented with a variety of different verdures. Next to this is a little private closet, which, though it seems distinct. may be laid into the same room, furnished with a couch; and notwithstanding it has windows on every side, yet it enjoys a very agreeable gloominess, by means of a spreading vine, which climbs to the top and entirely overshades it. Here you may lie and fancy yourself in a wood, with this difference only, that you are not exposed to the weather. In this place a fountain also rises, and instantly disappears. In different quarters are disposed several marble seats, which serve, as well as the summer-house, as so many reliefs after one is tired of walking. Near each seat is a little fountain, and throughout the whole hippodrome several small rills run murmuring along, wheresoever the hand of art thought proper to conduct them, watering here and there different spots of verdure, and in their progress refreshing the whole."

Between this villa and the city there is another, which was excavated at different times between 1749 and 1778, and filled up again when the valuable things found in it had been removed, in conformity with the general practice at that time, to prevent the proprietors being injured by the loss of ground. Several admirable mosaics and some fine frescoes were found in it. We find mentioned the celebrated paintings of the eight female dancers; the four groups of the Centaurs; and the Funambuli, or rope-dancers, which decorated an eating room. Hence, too, were taken the two mosaics with the name of Dioscorides of Samos inscribed upon them, one of which has been described. Both represent comic scenes, and, according to Winckelmann, deserve the preference even over the celebrated ancient Roman mosaic of the doves, which has hitherto been in such high esteem.

The general arrangement of this villa resembles that which we have just described; but it is on a still larger scale, and from the richness of the decorations evidently belonged to one of the chief persons of the place. It is usually called the Villa of Cicero, who certainly possessed a house near Pompeii, of which continual mention is made in his letters; but there is no evidence whatever to identify this as his abode. It has also been sometimes called the Baths of M. Crassus Frugi, from an inscription found in it. The front to the street is occupied by a row of shops, with an arcade before them. At the end nearest the town is a large reservoir of rain water for the use of the house. Next to it is the entrance, from which a very long passage or vestibule, with numerous apartments on each side, supposed to have been stables and other offices, led into the Corinthian atrium. Beyond and around this were numerous rooms for the use of the family, galleries and terraces commanding a view of the sea. At a lower level is a covered portico, resembling in its plan that of the Suburban Villa, and nearly of the same extent. Above the portico was formed a terrace, which still exists, and commands a fine view both of the sea and land. The court within it was a xystus, or garden. Between this portico and the street is another large court of irregular figure containing several large basins built in masonry. The information which has been preserved concerning this house is very scanty, in consequence of the early period at which it was reinterred.