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
lastly, upon the lead a vast quantity of mould. The mould was of
sufficient depth to let grow very large trees, and such were planted in
it, together with other trees, and every description of plant and
flower, that was esteemed proper for shrubberies and flower-gardens. To
improve all this, there was, on the highest of the terraces, a
water-engine, to draw the water out of the river below, wherewith to
water the whole garden[113].
Besides all this, there were magazines for corn and provision, capable
of maintaining the inhabitants for twenty years; and arsenals, which
supplied with arms such a number of fighting men, as seemed equal to the
conquest or defence of the whole monarchy.
If Babylon was indebted to Nebuchadnezzar for many great buildings, it
was still more so to his daughter Nitocris. She erected a great
multitude; and amongst the rest, one of the gates. On this gate she
caused to be inscribed a command to her successors, that, when she
should be buried under it, none of them should open the tomb to touch
the treasure which laid there, unless impelled by some great and
overwhelming necessity. Many years passed away, and no one opened it. At
length Darius came to the city. Reading the inscription, he caused the
tomb to be opened; but alas! instead of finding the vast treasures he
had expected, he beheld only this inscription:--_"If thou hadst not an
insatiable thirst for money, and a most sordid avaricious soul, thou
wouldst never have broken open the monuments of the dead."_
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account