It consists of a
round tower formed of immense blocks of Tiburtine stone, fixed
together without cement, and adorned with a Doric marble frieze, on
which are sculptured rams' heads festooned with garlands of flowers.
"That they are rams' heads, must be evident to any one who will take
the trouble to examine them, though they are usually denominated the
heads of oxen, because the tomb itself is vulgarly called Capo di
Bove. But this name is obviously derived from an ox's head, (the arms
of the Gaetani family, by whom it was converted into a fortress,)
which was affixed many centuries ago on the side of the tower next the
Appian Way, and still remains there; and, accordingly, the vulgar name
is Capo di Bove, 'the head of the ox,' in the singular--not in the
plural."
[Illustration: (_Tomb of Caecilia Metella_.)]
Forsyth refers to this tomb as the only one of the ancient structures
that bears the name of its tenant; this does not appear to be correct.
The beautiful tower rests upon a square basement, which has been
despoiled of its exterior coating by Popes and other purloiners, but
the greatest part of it is buried beneath the soil. The wall of the
tower itself, the interior of which is entirely built of brick, is 20
feet at least in thickness.
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