IT was in the most charming situation of the Falernian land, so highly favoured by nature, that Gallus had some years before purchased an extensive estate, which both yielded an abundant agricultural produce, and offered at all seasons the enjoyments of country life in superfluity. The road, which beyond the Campanian bridge, leaving the Appian way to the right, turned towards the stream of the Savo, led for miles through pleasant woodland and forests, which, now contracting the breadth of the road to that of a narrow path, shaded the traveller with lofty poplars and elms, and then retreating further off, drew a dark circlet round the luxuriant green meadows, or at another time became interrupted for a while, and then opened a prospect towards the Auruncan hills on the left; whilst to the right were discovered the small towns lying at short intervals from each other on the Appian way.

The broad champaign belonging to the villa was intersected by the Savo, and reached on the one side nearly to the Via Appia, and on the other to the vine-clad hills, along which wound the road from Sinuessa to Teanum. The whole property was formed from the conjunction of two estates, and might still be considered as such, as they were remote from each other; and at almost opposite extremities lay the buildings designed for agricultural purposes, and the villa built in the city fashion.