The Mediterranean: Its Storied Cities and Venerable RuinsAllen, Grant
History
The Mediterranean: Its Storied Cities and Venerable Ruins
Allen, Grant
Europe, Southern -- Description and travel; Mediterranean Region -- Description and travel
It is, however, the temples of Selinunto rather than their surroundings
which command admiration and in this respect they stand in marked contrast
to that site of a single unnamed ruin, which is, perhaps, taking site and
ruin together, the most "pathetic" piece of the picturesque in all Sicily,
the hill and temple of Segesta. From Calatafimi, scene of one of the
Garibaldian battles, to Segesta the way lies along the Castellamare road,
and through a beautiful and well-watered valley. The site of the town
itself is the first to be reached. Monte Barbaro, with the ruins of the
theater, lies to the north, to the west the hill whereon stands the famous
Temple. No one needs a knowledge of Greek archæology or Greek history, or
even a special love for Greek art, in order to be deeply moved by the
spectacle which the spot presents. He needs no more than the capacity of
Virgil's hero to be touched by "the sense of tears in mortal things." The
Temple itself is perfect, except that its columns are still unfluted; but
it is not the simple and majestic outline of the building, its lines of
lessening columns, or its massive architraves upborne upon those mighty
shafts, which most impress us, but the harmony between this great work of
man and its natural surroundings. In this mountain solitude, and before
this deserted shrine of an extinct worship we are in presence of the union
of two desolations, and one had well-nigh said of two eternities, the
everlasting hills and the imperishable yearnings of the human heart. No
words can do justice to the lonely grandeur of the Temple of Segesta. It
is unlike any other in Sicily in this matter of unique position. It has
no rival temple near it, nor are there even the remains of any other
building, temple or what not, to challenge comparison, within sight of the
spectator. This ruin stands alone in every sense, alone in point of
physical isolation, alone in the austere pathos which that position
imparts to it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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