From the Porta Romana on the Palatine, a short street went to the
right out of the Via Nova into the Forum, ending between the Temples
of Castor and Vesta. "It chanced that I was returning from the
festival of Vesta by that way by which the Nova Via is _now_ joined to
the Roman Forum" (Ovid, "Fasti," vi. 389.) We wish Mr. Naso had been a
little more explicit, and had given us the name of this short street;
but we will endeavour to demonstrate what the name of this street was.
We know from Suetonius that under the Palatine was the temple to the
deified Augustus, and over it Caligula built his bridge, connecting
the Palatine with the Capitol. Now, at the corner of the Palatine we
have the ascent to this bridge remaining, so that it will not be
difficult to find the probable site of the Temple of Augustus. Horace
(O. iii. 3) implies that it was between the Temples of Castor and
Hercules. Servius says it was near the Tuscan colony. Suetonius tells
us it was on the site of the house in which he was born, and gives us
the name of the street: "In the quarter of the Palatine Hill, and the
street called the Ox-heads, where _now_ stands a temple dedicated to
him, and built a little after his death" ("Aug." v.). We conclude from
the above that the probable name of this short street was AD CAPITA
BUBULA, and in confirmation of this, ox-heads may still be seen
sculptured on the fragments found at the end of this street, between
the Temples of Castor and Vesta.