Ruins of Ancient Cities (Vol. 1 of 2): With General and Particular Accounts of Their Rise, Fall, and Present ConditionBucke, Charles
History
Ruins of Ancient Cities (Vol. 1 of 2): With General and Particular Accounts of Their Rise, Fall, and Present Condition
Bucke, Charles
Cities and towns, Ancient
Coming to a narrow valley, broken columns and pieces of marble are
observed, with vestiges of an Odeum, or music-room; this is stripped of
the seats, and is naked. Beyond this are the remains of a large edifice,
greatly resembling the one with an arcade at Troas. The top of one of
the niches is painted with waves and fishes; and amongst the fragments
lying in the front are two trunks of statues, of great size, without
heads and almost buried; the drapery of which is both the same, alike
remarkable. This was the gymnasium. "We pitched our tents," says Dr.
Chandler, "among the ruins of this huge building, when we arrived from
Claros, and employed on it three days in taking a plan and view. We
found the area green with corn, and the site in general overrun with
fennel, in seed, the stalks strong and tall."
At the entrance from Aiasaluck is a street, and from the remains still
existing, it must have been a noble one. The edifices must have been,
also, ample ones, with colonnades. There are many bases and pedestals of
columns; and the vaulted substructions of the fabrics are still entire.
Turning towards the sea, the traveller is greeted with the sight of a
prostrate heap, once forming a temple. The cell, or nave, was
constructed of large, coarse stones. This temple had four columns
between the antæ. Their diameter is about four feet six inches; their
length about thirty-two feet; but, including the base and capital,
forty-six feet and about seven inches. Though the dimensions of these
pillars was so great, the shafts are fluted. The most entire of them,
however, are broken into two pieces. The ornaments were rich; but "of
inferior taste, and the mouldings ill proportioned[248]." This temple is
supposed to be the remains of that erected at Ephesus, by permission of
Augustus, to the god Julius. Some, however, have imagined that it might
have been that dedicated to Claudius Cæsar on his apotheosis.
About a mile from this are the remnants of a sumptuous edifice; among
the bushes beneath which are altars of white marble. These stand upon an
eminence; and from that is beheld a lovely prospect of the river
Cayster, which there crosses the plain from near Gellesus, into a small
but full stream, and with many luxuriant windings.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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