The chief object of curiosity at Palestrina, (ancient Praeneste,) is
the castle or palace of the prince, in the highest part of the city, to
which there is an ascent by an excellent coach-road to the right, by
the Capucin Convent, without entering the narrow street. Before it is a
level space of considerable length; which formed the highest platform of
the Temple of Fortune. Two flights of steps lead to an amphitheatre, or
semicular staircase, in excellent preservation, which is the same that
led to the sanctuary of the temple, on the foundation of which the
palace is built: in the middle of the semicircle is a well; each step
is about a foot and a half high, like the ancient steps of the capitol
which led to the church of Ara Coeli, at Rome. Another short flight
conducts to the hall of entrance, where there is a double staircase, and
a recess closed by iron grates, which contains the celebrated antique
pavement, of which Pliny speaks in the following terms, "The fine mosaic
of small stones, placed by Sylla as a pavement in the Temple of Fortune
at Praeneste, was the first thing of the kind seen in Italy." There does
not seem to be the smallest room to doubt of this being the genuine
mosaic he mentions; it is in excellent preservation, and appears to be
about twenty feet by sixteen. It was found in the same cellar of the
seminary, where is still the altar of Fortune, and may be considered as
one of the most interesting relics of antiquity. Towards the upper part
of it are mountains, with negro savages hunting wild beasts; animals of
different sorts, with their names in Greek written below them, such
as the rhinoceros, crocodile, and lynx. Lower down are seen houses of
various forms, temples, vessels of different constructions, particularly
a galley of 32 oars, manned with armed blacks, and commanded by a white
man; a tent with soldiers, a palm tree, flowers, a collation in an
arbour, an altar of Anubis; in short, almost every circumstance
imaginable in life. The scene apparently lies in Egypt. The figures are
well drawn, the light and shadows happily disposed, and the colouring
harmonious. The stones which compose this very curious pavement are
remarkably small which renders the effect peculiarly pleasing, from
the neatness of its appearance.