Location of the House (Ins II, 2) .. View of Cardo III looking North, with the House of Aristides on the left of the photograph with the entrance to the House of Argus centre right Plan of the House .. ................................Plan of the House Key: A. Entrance from Cardo III B. Peristyle C. Triclinium D. Passage to second peristyle E. Demolished party wall Description Next to the House of Artistides is the House of Argus which derives its name from a fresco representing the myth of Argus and Io found in a reception room that opened onto the large peristyle. (According to Greek mythology, Argus, Hera's servant, was charged with guarding the white heifer Io from Zeus, keeping her chained to the sacred olive tree at the Argive Heraion). .. The fresco is now sadly lost, but its name lives on. .. ..... .. .. The entrance to the house on Cardo III (A) was originally a minor gateway, as the main entrance, which is still to be excavated, opened onto Cardo II. The Bourbons demolished a party wall (E) between the House of Aristides and the House of Argus, so it is also possible to enter the building through the north wall of the atrium of the House of Aristides. .. .. The House of Argus was one of the finer villas in Herculaneum and had a large peristyle (B) onto which the triclinium (C) and other residential rooms opened. A passage (D) leads off the west side of the peristyle to a second, partially excavated, peristyle. .. .. The discovery of the house in the late 1820s was notable because it was the first time a second floor had been unearthed in such detail. The upper floor, lost after the open-air digs were abandoned in 1875, had a second floor balcony overlooking Cardo III and a series of small rooms used for storage. .. The excavation of the upper floor also revealed a pantry with flour and newly prepared loaves, ready for baking, found along with jars containing olives, almonds and fruit. .. Sadly with the passage of time, these elements have now all been lost.

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