BORGHESE GALLERY

The best way for us to describe the Villa Borghese gardens is: “As the keeper of the Villa Borghese Pinciana, I publicly declare: whoever you are, providing to be a freeman, fear no hindrance here; go where you like, ask what you wish; leave when you want. Everything you see was made more for the guest than for its landlord. In the golden century, when peaceful years made any thing splendid for the refined ones, the landlord forbade all iron rules for the guest. Let good faith be the only rule for our friend. But if someone, consciously and purposely, by wickedness and deceit, was to break the golden rules of courtesy, be alert, the angry keeper may break these friendly words on your head.” (Latin inscription carved on marble plate at Villa Borghese)