The cave, or receptacle of the gladiators, wild beasts, &c. I suppose to have been at the upper end, under the ascent to the terrace, being vaults under that part of the body of the work: whether they were of the same chalk, or timber, or whether they were arched with brick or stone, or what other matter, I cannot say; but the ruin thereof seems to be the reason of the present deformity at that end; so that it is not easy to guess at its original profile. We may observe that the parapet and terrace go back there, and, taking a new sweep, fall beyond the line of the outer oval; for two reasons, as I conceive: 1st, Because by that means there is a greater length obtained for the ascent to the terrace, which makes it more gradual and easy: 2dly, Thereby more space is procured for the apartments of the prisoners under ground. By the section lengthwise, it is easily understood that I suppose a passage quite through, or subterraneous gallery upon that end of the longest diameter, under the ascent to the terrace, from the out-side into the _area_: this must open at the bottom of the _podium_, as was practised in other works of like nature, with a squarish door, as Varro tells us, _de re rustica_. “The door (says he) ought to be low and narrow, of that sort which they call a _cochlea_, as is wont to be in the cave where the bulls are shut up for fight.” The entrance to this place might be from without-side the amphitheatre: here is no want of room for the door within; for the level of the _area_ was at least twelve feet lower than the _podium_, like our pit at the play-houses; and it is probable there was a descent of the whole level this way, to draw off the rain into some subterraneous passage: the _podium_ in the _castrensian_ amphitheatre is monstrously high. Our _area_, no doubt, is exceedingly elevated by manuring, ploughing, and ruins: yet it preserves a dish-like concavity, through innumerable injuries; for the descent from the entrance is very great, and you go down as into a pit. I conjecture the middle part of the _area_ is now ten foot lower than the level of the field: but the field itself, especially about the entrance, is much lowered by ploughing, because the end of the circular walk there, which should be even with the ground, is a good deal above it. The dens and caves of the wild beasts at the great circ in Rome were only of earth and wood, till Claudius the emperor built them of marble. This ruin at the upper end is very considerable; for it has so filled the _arena_ thereabouts, that the cattle plough up to the very _præcinctio_. On the out-side is a large round tumour, a considerable way beyond the exterior verge, and regular in figure, which certainly has been somewhat appertaining to the work: I could wish that a careful person had liberty of digging into it. Moreover, this _podium_ had a parapet of earth, if not a balustrade, as was usual in others: behind this, upon the lowermost seat, was the place of the senators and chief