They say, That the Statue of _Apollo_ once stood upon that Pillar, and that afterwards the Statues of _Constantine_, and of _Theodosius_ the Elder, were erected there; but they are all thrown down, either by the Force of the Winds, or by Earthquakes. The _Greeks_ tell this Story concerning the _Obelisk_, in the _Hippodrome_, which I mentioned before, _viz._ That it fell from its Basis, and lay for many Ages upon the Ground; but in the Time of the later Emperors, there was an Architect found, who undertook to raise it up to its Place; but he demanded a vast Reward for his Pains. After the Price was agreed on, he prepared abundance of Ropes, Pullies, and other Instruments, and by those means, he lifted up that vast Stone, within one Inch of the Place where it was to stand; but his present _Apparatus_ being able to raise it no higher, the People, who in great Numbers were his Spectators, were of Opinion, that all his former Cost and Pains were lost, and he must begin anew to try to do the Feat some other way, to his vast Expence and Charge. The Artist himself was not discouraged; but being skilful in _Mechanick Philosophy_, he caused abundance of Water to be brought up to him, which, for many Hours, he cast upon the Ropes, to which the _Obelisk_ hung; and those Ropes, being often wet and dry, shrunk a little, and by that means, lifted up the Weight to its designed Station, to the great Admiration and Applause of the Vulgar. At _Constantinople_ I saw several Sorts of wild Beasts, such as _Lynxes_, _Cat-a-Mountains_, _Panthers_, _Leopards_, and _Lyons_; but they were so gentle and tame, that I saw one of the Keepers pull a _Sheep_ out of a _Lyon_’s Mouth, so that he only moistened his Jaws with the Blood, without devouring it. I saw also a young _Elephant_, so wanton, that he would dance, and play at Ball. Sure you cannot chuse but laugh, when I tell you of an _Elephant_’s dancing and playing at Ball; but if I should say no more, why may you not believe me as well as _Seneca_, who tells us of one that could dance upon the Rope? Or as _Pliny_, who speaks of another that understood _Greek_? But that you may not think me an egregious Forger, give me leave to explain myself: When this _Elephant_ was bid to dance, he did so caper or quaver with his whole Body, and interchangeably move his Feet, that he seemed to represent a kind of a Jig; and as for playing at Ball, he very prettily took up the Ball in his Trunk, and sent it packing therewith, as we do with the Palm of the Hand.