After some rest, I proceeded to stroll about,--first of all to the great
Temple of the Sun, on a rising ground to the west of the great colonnade,
which, besides the columns along all the sides of the edifice, has a
conspicuous portico in front, consisting of twelve magnificent Corinthian
columns, a few of which are fallen. Thence I walked to the Naumachia,
near the southern extremity of the city, (that by which we had arrived,)
and found this in good condition, with the seats remaining, and the
channel well defined which conveyed water for the exhibitions from the
above-mentioned spring. The form is a long oval, flattened at one end.
In passing once more between the double line of Corinthian columns, I
counted fifty-five of them standing, besides fragments and capitals of
the missing ones lying on the ground.
From this I diverged at right angles, through a street of small public
buildings, towards the bridge over the stream, (and this I called Bridge
Street--part of the pavement still remains, consisting of long slabs laid
across the whole width from house to house;) then upon the bridge, as far
as its broken condition would allow, and returned to my home--everywhere
among scattered fragments of entablature; numerous altars entire, and
sculptured with garlands; also broken buildings, with niches embellished
inside with sculptured ornament. In all my exploration, however, I found
no statues or fragments of statues--the Mohammedan iconoclasts had long
ago destroyed all these; but there were some remains of inscriptions,
much defaced or worn away by the work of time.
The natural agencies by which the edifices have come to ruin seem to
be--first, earthquakes; then the growth of weeds, thorns, and even trees,
between the courses of stone, after the population ceased; or rain and
snow detaching small pieces, which were followed by larger; also
sometimes a sinking of the ground; and besides these common causes of
decay, there comes the great destroyer--man.
Yet nature is always picturesque, even after the demolition of the works
of human art or genius; and it is pleasing to see the tendrils, leaves,
and scarlet berries of the nightshade playfully twining among the
sculptured friezes which are scattered about in every position but
straight lines; or other plants between the volutes, rivalling the
acanthus foliage of the classic capitals.
Sunset: a beautiful landscape all around; and a pretty view of the
travellers' tents, the Arabs, and the cattle below me.
After dinner I walked by starlight along the Ionic colonnade, which is a
further continuation northwards of the Corinthian, and found nearly the
whole length, with the intermediate pavement, remaining, consisting of
squares about two feet in length, laid down in diamond pattern.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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