The sacred grove of Æsculapius is walled in on all sides: nor do any deaths or births take place in the precincts of the god, just as is the case at the island Delos. And the sacrifices, whether any native of Epidaurus or stranger be the sacrificer, they consume in the precincts. The same I know happens at Titane. And the statue of Æsculapius is in size half that of Olympian Zeus at Athens, and is made of ivory and gold: and the inscription shows that it was by the Parian Thrasymede the son of Arignotus. The god sits on a seat holding a staff in one hand, and the other hand he has on a dragon’s head, and a dog is seated at his feet. And on the seat are represented the actions of Argive heroes, as Bellerophon killing the Chimæra, and Perseus with the head of Medusa. And beyond the temple is a sleeping-place for suppliants. And a round building has been built near well worth seeing, of white stone, called the Rotunda. And in it there is a painting by Pausias of Cupid throwing away his bow and arrows and taking up a lyre instead. There is also here a painting of Drunkenness, also by Pausias, drinking out of a glass bowl. You may see in the painting the glass bowl and in it a woman’s face reflected. And six pillars to this day stand in the precincts, but in old time there were more. On these are recorded the names of men and women healed by Æsculapius, and the complaint from which each suffered, and how they were cured, written in Doric. And apart from the rest is an ancient pillar, which states that Hippolytus offered 20 horses to the god. And the people of Aricia have a tradition corresponding to the inscription on this pillar, that, when Hippolytus died in consequence of the imprecations of Theseus, Æsculapius restored him to life again: and when he came to life again, he refused to pardon his father, and disregarding his entreaties went into Italy to the people of Aricia, and there became king and built a temple to Artemis, where in my time the prize for victory in single combat was to become the priest of the goddess. But the contest was not for freemen, but for slaves who had run away from their masters. And the Epidaurians have a theatre in their temple, especially well worth seeing in my opinion: for the Roman theatres beat all in the world in magnificence, and for size the Arcadian theatre at Megalopolis carries the day: but for beauty of proportion what architect could compete with Polycletus? And Polycletus it was that designed this theatre and round building. And within the grove there is a temple of Artemis, and a statue of Epione, and a temple of Aphrodite and Themis, and a stadium, as generally among the Greeks, consisting of a mound of earth, and a fountain well worth seeing for its roof and other decoration. And Antonine the Senator constructed in our days a bath of Æsculapius, and a temple of the gods they call the _Bountiful Gods_. He built also a temple for Hygiea and