Description of the House (Reg III, Ins 4, 2-3) .. The House of the Moralist, also known as the House of M. Epidius Hymenaeus, lies on the Via dell' Abbondanza and consists of two connecting properties belonging to two related wine-merchants, T. Arrius Polites and the afore-mentioned M. Epidius Hymenaeus. The main entrance (B) to the house opens onto a passageway (C) with a bench on its west side. This entrance was a new entranceentry to the combined properties. (The entrance to the smaller of the two houses (A) was still in use while the entrance to the larger had been blocked off on the formation of the enlarged property). .. .. The entrance passageway (fauces) leads to room (D) which has lost all its original decoration. To the east of this room is the kitchen area (G) and a series of cubicula and rooms that appear to have been given over to storage. To the north, room (D) gives access to the triclinium (E) and the garden area beyond. The triclinium is decorated in the third style with alternating panels of red and black with vignettes separated by columns and garlands. Standing out on the black panels are three rules of ettiquette (from which the house derives its name) written in white lettering which may be summarised as: .. ....* keep your feet clean and don't dirty the linen ....* have respect for other men's wives ....* don't argue or you can go home In the garden area (F) was a statue of Isis which can now be seen in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples. .. Of the two houses, the property at No.2 was the smaller. In this part of the house the ceilings and decorations have been partially reconstructed. The entrance (A) led directly to the atrium, which is without a central impluvium. To the east of the atrium, a small central courtyard (H), porticoed on two sides, gives access to passageway (C) and hence to the eastern part of the property. On the north side of this small courtyard is an oecus (I) decorated in the third style with figures and small circular scenes separated by columns and garlands on a black ground. At the rear of the atrium is a small garden area (K) overlooked by a triclinium (L) which has a central zone paved in polychrome marble. The room was decorated in the third style on a black ground, according to the remaining decoration on the south wall. On the western side of the atrium is an oecus (M), decorated in the third style with a black lower frieze surmounted by a fairly plain central area on a yellow ground. From off the atrium a flight of stairs led to the upper floor.

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