Sabine Mts. SUBIACO. Environs of Rome. 369
Subiaco(*LaPernice, pens. 5fr.) is a small town(6000inhab.) of
mediaeval appearance, commanded by a castle which was formerly
often occupied by the popes. This was the ancient Sublaqueum,
situated in the territory of the ^Equi, and is now the capital of the
Comarca. It sprang up on the grounds of an extensive villa of Nero,
which was embellished by three artificial lakes, the 'Simbruina
stagna' of Tacitus (Ann. 14, 22), which were destroyed by an inun¬
dation in 1305, and have given the village its name. On the left side
of the Anio, opposite the monastery of S. Scolastica, are seen walls
and terraces of the time of Nero, who, according to Tacitus, narrowly
escaped being struck by lightning whilst taking a repast here.
The environs are delightful, and the far-famed monasteries
(closed 12-3 p. m.) are extremely interesting. Guide not absolutely
necessary. The excursion requires about 3 hrs., and affords a suc¬
cession of beautiful views. We follow the main street which inter¬
sects the town, upwards of t/2 M. in length, and afterwards ascends
on the right bank of the Anio. About 3/4 M. from the last houses
of the suburb of S. Martino, before the road crosses the gorge by
the lofty bridge, a path supported by masonry ascends to the left,
passing several chapels, and leading to the (V4 hr.) —
*Monasterif,s of S. Scolastica, of which there are three. The
first was founded in 530 by St. Benedict, who retired to this spot,
and took up his abode as a hermit in one of the grottoes, now con¬
verted into chapels (II Sagro Speco). The monastery was after¬
wards confirmed in its possessions liy Gregory I. and his successors.
In the 7th cent, it was destroyed, in 705 rebuilt, and is now entirely
modern. In 1052 a second monastery was erected, and a third
added in 1235 by the Abbot Landus. (If time is limited the monas¬
teries should be visited in returning from the Sagro Speco.)
The First Monastery (entrance to the right in the passage, after the
anterior court has been passed) possesses a few antiquities ; by the fountain
a sarcophagus with Bacchanalian representations, handsome columns, etc.,
probably found during the erection of the building. The monastery for¬
merly possessed a library containing valuable MSS. In 1465 the German
printers Arnold Pannartz and Conrad Schweinheim printed here the first
book published in Italy, an edition of Donatus, which was followed by
Lactantius, Cicero, and Augustine (1467), of which copies are still pre¬
served here (see p. 202).
The Second Monastery, dating from 1052, is one of the earliest
specimens in Italy of the pointed style. The court contains a quaint
relief and two mediaeval inscriptions.
The Third Monastery, of 1235, contains an arcaded court decorated
with mosaic.
The Church of S. Scolastica, originally founded by Benedict VII. in
075, was completely modernised in the 18th cent., and now contains nothing
worthy of note, excepting the fine carved choir-stalls.
An ascent of 25 min. from S. Scolastica brings us to S. Bene¬
detto . or 11 Sagro Speco, built against the rock, overtopped by a
huge mass of stone, and shaded by oaks.
The first corridor contains scenes from the lives of St. Benedict and
his sister St. Scholastica, painted in 1466. We then descend to two
chapels, adorned with paintings of the Madonna, Slaughter of the Innocents,
tj.™„„„„ T«al„ TT ftth Kdition. 24
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