Ruins of Ancient Cities (Vol. 2 of 2)

285

Two promontories forming the bay before Troy.

286

An island in the Ægean Sea.

287

Annal. lib. ii. c. 54.

288

Sir John Hobhouse says, “I traced all the windings of the Mendar, startling young broods of ducks, and flocks of turtle-doves, out of every bush. Nothing could be more agreeable than our frequent rambles along the banks of this beautiful stream. The peasants of the numerous villages, whom we frequently encountered ploughing with their buffaloes, or driving their creaking wicker cars laden with faggots from the mountains, whether Greeks or Turks, showed no inclination to interrupt our pursuits. The whole region was, in a manner, in possession of the Salsette’s men, parties of whom, in their white summer dresses, might be seen scattered over the plain, collecting the tortoises which swarm on the sides of the rivulet, and are found under every furze-bush.” – LETTER XXXIX. 4to.

289

Callifat water is the Simois. Dr. Clarke says, that he saw in this stream hundreds of tortoises, which, being alarmed at his approach, fell from its banks into the water, as well as from the overhanging branches and thick underwood, among which these animals, – of all others the least adapted to climb trees, – had singularly obtained a footing. Wild-fowl, also, were in abundance.

290

“Turks were employed raising enormous blocks of marble from foundations surrounding the place; possibly the identical works constructed by Lysimachus, who fenced New Ilium with a wall. The appearance of the structure exhibited that colossal and massive style of architecture, which bespeaks the masonry of the early ages of Grecian history.”

291

It is only by viewing the stupendous prospect afforded in these classical regions, that any adequate idea can be formed of Homer’s powers as a painter. Neptune, placed on the top of Samothrace, commanding a prospect of Ida, Troy, and the fleet, observes Jupiter upon Gargarus turn his back upon Troas. What is intended by this averted posture of the God, other than that Gargarus was partially concealed by a cloud, while Samothrace remained unveiled? a circumstance so often realised. All the march of Juno, from Olympus, by Pieria and Æmathia to Atlas, by sea, to Lemnos; and thence to Imbrus and Gargarus; is a correct delineation of the striking face of nature, in which the picturesque wildness and grandeur of real scenery are further adorned by a sublime poetical fiction. Hence it is evident, that Homer must have lived in the neighbourhood of Troy; that he borrowed the scene of the Iliad from ocular examination; and the action of it from the prevailing tradition of the times. – Clarke.

292

Homer; Herodotus; Diodorus; Strabo; Suetonius; Pliny; Tacitus; Plutarch; Aulus Gellius; Arrian; Justin; Chandler; Bryant; Rennell; Clarke; Gell; Hobhouse; Franklin.

293

Drummond’s Origines.

294

Ezekiel, ch. xxvii.

295

So we interpret, “Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, were thy merchants; they traded in the persons of men.” – Ezekiel xxvii. 13. Thank Heaven! a similar iniquity has been done away with in this country, by an act of generosity not to be paralleled in the history of the world. – Twenty millions of money!

296

The sacred writings often speak of Tyre as an island. “Be still, ye inhabitants of the isle; thou, whom the merchants of Zidon that pass over the sea have replenished. Pass over to Tarshish; howl, ye inhabitants of the isle. Is this your joyous city, whose antiquity is of ancient days?” – Chap, xxiii. verses 2, 6, 7. In Ezekiel, ch. xxviii. ver. 2, “Is it in the midst of the seas?”

297

“And it shall come to pass after the end of seventy years, that the Lord will visit Tyre, and she shall turn to her hire. (xxiii. 17.) And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord; it shall not be treasured nor laid up: for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the Lord, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing.” (v. 18.)

298

This was foretold by Zechariah, ch. ix. 3, 4.

299

B. C. 332.

300

Diodorus. Arrian says thirty thousand.

301

Vincent’s Periplus, v. ii, 528.

302

“And it shall come to pass, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years.” —Isaiah, ch. xxiii. ver. 15.

303

“Her merchandize and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord; it shall not be treasured or laid up; for her merchandize shall be for them that dwell before the Lord.” —Isaiah, ch. xxiii. ver. 18.

304

Parentalia, p. 359.

305

Herodotus; Diodorus; Pliny; Plutarch; Arrian; Quintus Curtius; Prideaux; Rollin; Maundrell; Stackhouse; Wren; Shaw; Gibbon; Robertson; Drummond; Buckingham.

306

Eustace.

307

The situation of Veii has caused some great disputes among the antiquaries; but it seems now to be very satisfactorily placed at L’Isola Farnese, about twelve miles from Rome, not far from La Storta, the first post on the road to Perugia. In the time of Propertius the town had ceased to exist.

Nunc intra muros pastoris buccina lentiCantat, et in vestris ossibus arva metunt.

And Florus says of the city; “Who now recollects that it existed? What remains and vestige of it are there? It requires the utmost stretch of our faith in history, to believe that Veii existed.” – (Lib. i. c. 12). Eutropius calls it eighteen miles from Rome, (lib. i. c. 4 and 19); but Pliny (lib. xv. c. ult.), and Suetonius (Galba 1), if compared together, make it only half the distance; and Dionysius, (Antiq. lib. ii.) expressly places it at the distance of one hundred stadia, or twelve miles. The Peutingerian table does the same. – Burton.

308

Liv. v. 21; Sueton. in Neron. 39.

309

Livy; Eustace; Gell.

310

Diodor. Book I. Parag. 1. Art. 3.

311

Pausanias. Book VIII. Chap. 1.

312

Herodot. Book IV.

313

Ibid. Book III. and IV. – Val. Max. Book II.

314

Ibid. and Strabo.

315

In the ancient history of Gaul, in that of the British islands, and in all the histories of the ancient times of Europe, of the North, of Asia, &c.

316

Herodot. Book II.

317

Strabo. Book II.

318

The Irish and the Massagetæ, according to Strabo, Book II. – The Scythians, according to Eusebius, Preparat. Evangel. Book II, Chap. 4, and other people of the Old Continent.