*_Giovanni Antonio Bazzi, called Sodoma_ _From the portrait by himself in the Abbey of Monte Oliveto Maggiore._ *_By permission of Messrs. Alinari._ *_Margherita_ (_La Fornarina_) _Attributed to Raphael. Pitti Gallery, Florence._ *_Pope Leo X., Giulio de Medici_ (_afterward Pope Clement VII._), _and Luigi de Rossi_ _By Raphael. Pitti Gallery._ _Villa Madama_ _Detail of Vault in Villa Madama_ _Stucchi by Giovanni da Udine._ _Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Parma, 1586_ _From an old engraving._ _Stucchi by Giovanni da Udine_ _Villa Madama._ _Villa Madama--Interior_ *_Villa Aldobrandini, Frascati. The Grand Cascade and Fountain of Atlas_ *_Upper Cascade, Villa Aldobrandini_ *_Villa d'Este, at Tivoli--Present State_ _Hydraulic Organ, Villa d'Este_ _Villa d'Este in 1740_ _From an etching by Piranesi._ *_Villa d'Este--Terrace Staircase_ *_By permission of Messrs. Alinari._ _*Fountain in Gardens of the Villa Borghese_ _*Pauline Bonaparte, Princess Borghese_ _Portrait statue by Canova at Villa Borghese._ _Henri IV. Receiving the Portrait of Marie de Medici_ _Painted at her order by Rubens._ _View from the Garden of the Villa Medici_ _Colonna Palace, Rome_--_The Grand Salon_ _Garden of the Colonna Palace, Rome_ _With permission of Charles A. Platt._ _Castle of Vittoria Colonna at Ischia_ _The Cascade_ _Villa Conti Torlonia, Frascati._ _The Haunted Pool_ _Villa Conti Torlonia, Frascati._ _Vittoria Colonna_ _From a portrait in the Colonna Gallery._ ___Marie Mancini, Princess Colonna_ _From a portrait in later life by Netscher._ _Court of the Massimi Palace_ _Marie Mancini Colonna, Principessa di Palliano_ _By Mignard. Photographische Gesellschaft, Berlin._ _*By permission of Messrs. Alinari._ _Antinous_ _Bas-relief found at Hadrian's Villa, now in the Villa Albani._ _Ruins of a Gallery of Statues in Hadrian's Villa_ _From an etching by Piranesi._ *_Villa Pia in Garden of the Vatican_ _Pirro Ligorio, architect._ *_Villa Pia, Vatican_ _The rotondo--Pirro Ligorio, architect._ _Eros Bending the Bow_ _Capitoline Museum._ _Faun of Praxiteles_ _Capitoline Museum._ _Villa Albani_ *_Casino, Villa Albani_ *_Candelabra from Hadrian's Villa_ _Museum of the Vatican._ *_Urania_ _Museum of the Vatican._ _View through the Key-hole of the Gate of the Villa of the Knights of Malta_ *_By permission of Messrs. Alinari._ ROMANCE OF ROMAN VILLAS [Illustration] CHAPTER I THE EYES OF A BASILISK (AN EPISODE OF THE FRENCH WARS IN ITALY, FROM THE MEMOIRS OF THE GOOD KNIGHT YVES D'ALLEGRE) I There is not one that looketh upon her eyes but he dieth presently. The like property has the basilisk. A white spot or star she carrieth on her head and setteth it out like a diadem. If she but hiss no other serpent dare come near.--PLINY.