28 JANUARY 1911, Page 12

PAPERS OF THE BRITISH SCHOOL AT Ar.L1/NS.

Papers of the British School at Athens. (Macmillan and Co. 42s. net.)—The first paper deals with "The Text of the Odyssey," and is from the pen of that eminent textual scholar, Mr. T. W. Allen. It finds a place here because of the predominant importance of Italian texts of the Odyssey. Out of seventy-six enumerated as existing in European libraries, twenty-seven are to be found in Rome and sixteen in other Italian libraries. The next .most important paper is the continuation of "The Classical Topography of the Roman Campagna," by Dr. T. Ashby, Director of the School. There are many interesting things in this, among them a discussion as to the site of Cicero's Tusculan villa. Dr. Ashby cannot see his way to anything like a definite conclusion. It will be understood that he reviews and summarises whatever is tnown of the classical remains found in the Campagna. What tragedies some of these remains suggest ! There is the inscription, for instance, found in the " vinea Gavotte" commemorating the honours paid to L. Junius Silanus Torquatus. He went with Claudius to Britain in 43 A.D., and was decorated, "honoratus laiumphnlibus ornamentis." He had been betrothed to Octavia, Claudius's daughter, and was one of the "coming men" of the time. Then Agrippina came into power, and the way had to be cleared for her son Nero. How Silanus was removed is too horrible a story to be told here. It may be found in Tacitus. Mr. H. Stuart Jones suggests a new reading of some of the reliefs of Trajan's Column relating to the Dacian Campaign. We mention only a few of the varied and valuable contents of an exceptionally interesting issue.