fighting Posture, with a Spear in her Hand, denoting by the Spear, her Courage; by her Shield, her Wisdom, which repels all Attacks: She is cover’d with a Helmet, to intimate, that the Height of Wisdom is not to be seen and discover’d: She bears an Olive-Tree as affording Matter of Light; and upon her Breast is cut a _Medusa_, to illustrate the Quickness of Thought, and the surprizing Agility of the Mind. She had also a Breast-Plate, on which was the Figure of a Night-Owl and a _Gorgon_. The Night-Owl was an Emblem of the Depth of Prudence and Conduct; for Wisdom dives into the Secrets and Darknesses of Nature. I wish the divine _Palladium_ may guard all those, who shall in future Times attempt the same Travels as I have done, and pray that they may be defended, as I have been, by that good Providence, and that heavenly Wisdom, the Wisdom of the _Father_, which amidst all the Treacheries and Insults of a barbarous People, and the almost incredible Dangers of a long Voyage, did not only support and strengthen, but did animate, enliven, and refresh me. CHAP. IV. _Of the Senate-House; the_ Nympheum; _the Statues of the_ Forum _of_ Constantine; _of the_ Philadelphium; _the_ Musæum; _the_ Labarum _and_ Syparum; _of the Death of_ Arius; _of the Temples of_ Tellus, Ceres, Persephone; _of_ Juno _and_ Pluto. The _Porphyry_ Pillar, and the Senate-House, is placed by the Author of the _Ancient Description of the Wards_, in the sixth _Ward_, and the _Nympheum_ in the fifth; but he does not tell us, how near they stood to one another. That they stood at a very little Distance, is evident both from _Zonaras_ and _Cedrinus_, who write, that the Fire which happen’d in the Reign of _Leo_, burnt down the Senate-House on the North Side of the _Forum_ of _Constantine_, which was adorn’d with Statues of Brass and _Porphyry_ Marble, in which was placed the _Porta_ of _Diana_ of the _Ephesians_, a Present of _Trajan_, taken from the _Scythians_, containing a Description of the Wars of the Giants, a _Jupiter_ arm’d with Thunder, _Neptune_ with his Trident, _Apollo_ with his Darts and Quiver. In the lower Part of the _Porta_ were figured the Giants attacking the Dragons, tossing large Clods of Earth, and looking in a fierce and a stern Manner. Hither it was that the principal Men of the City usually convened freely to debate of the important Affairs of the Government, whither also the Emperor himself came in Procession, when he receiv’d the _Consular_ Robes. It was a very noble and magnificent Building. The same Authors mention another spacious Edifice situate against it, which was consumed by the same Fire, and was call’d the _Nympheum_, because the Marriage Rites were perform’d in this Place, as being capacious enough to hold the numerous Assemblies which attended those Solemnities. They add farther, that on the West Side of the same _Forum_ was placed a Statue of _Minerva_ of _Lyndus_. She had a Helmet on her Head, and a Shield in