按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
hardness in all well…water; which quality is deposited in running a long course; especially; if exposed to the influence of the sun and air。 The Romans; therefore; had good reason to soften and meliorate this element; by conveying it a good length of way in open aqueducts。 What was used in the baths of Cemenelion; they probably brought in leaden pipes; some of which have been dug up very lately by accident。 You must know; I made a second excursion to these antient ruins; and measured the arena of the amphitheatre with packthread。 It is an oval figure; the longest diameter extending to about one hundred and thirteen feet; and the shortest to eighty…eight; but I will not answer for the exactness of the measurement。 In the center of it; there was a square stone; with an iron ring; to which I suppose the wild beasts were tied; to prevent their springing upon the spectators。 Some of the seats remain; the two opposite entrances; consisting each of one large gate; and two lateral smaller doors; arched: there is also a considerable portion of the external wall; but no columns; or other ornaments of architecture。 Hard by; in the garden of the count de Gubernatis; I saw the remains of a bath; fronting the portal of the temple; which I have described in a former letter; and here were some shafts of marble pillars; particularly a capital of the Corinthian order beautifully cut; of white alabaster。 Here the count found a large quantity of fine marble; which he has converted to various uses; and some mutilated statues; bronze as well as marble。 The peasant shewed me some brass and silver medals; which he has picked up at different times in labouring the ground; together with several oblong beads of coloured glass; which were used as ear…rings by the Roman ladies; and a small seal of agate; very much defaced。 Two of the medals were of Maximian and Gallienus; the rest were so consumed; that I could not read the legend。 You know; that on public occasions; such as games; and certain sacrifices; handfuls of medals were thrown among the people; a practice; which accounts for the great number which have been already found in this district。 I saw some subterranean passages; which seemed to have been common sewers; and a great number of old walls still standing along the brink of a precipice; which overhangs the Paglion。 The peasants tell me; that they never dig above a yard in depth; without finding vaults or cavities。 All the vineyards and garden…grounds; for a considerable extent; are vaulted underneath; and all the ground that produces their grapes; fruit; and garden…stuff; is no more than the crumpled lime and rubbish of old Roman buildings; mixed with manure brought from Nice。 This antient town commanded a most noble prospect of the sea; but is altogether inaccessible by any kind of wheel carriage。 If you make shift to climb to it on horseback; you cannot descend to the plain again; without running the risk of breaking your neck。
About seven or eight miles on the other side of Nice; are the remains of another Roman monument which has greatly suffered from the barbarity of successive ages。 It was a trophy erected by the senate of Rome; in honour of Augustus Caesar; when he had totally subdued all the ferocious nations of these Maritime Alps; such as the Trumpilini Camuni; Vennontes; Isnarci; Breuni; etc。 It stands upon the top of a mountain which overlooks the town of Monaco; and now exhibits the appearance of an old ruined tower。 There is a description of what it was; in an Italian manuscript; by which it appears to have been a beautiful edifice of two stories; adorned with columns and trophies in alto…relievo; with a statue of Augustus Caesar on the top。 On one of the sides was an inscription; some words of which are still legible; upon the fragment of a marble found close to the old building: but the whole is preserved in Pliny; who gives it; in these words; lib。 iii。 cap。 20。
IMPERATORI CAESARI DIVI。 F。 AVG。 PONT。 MAX。 IMP。 XIV。 TRIBVNIC。 POTEST。 XVIII。 S。 P。 Q。 R。 QVODEIVSDVCTV; AVSPICIISQ。 GENIES ALPINAE OMNES; QVAE A MARI SVPERO AD INFERVM PERTINEBANT; SVB IMPERIVM PO。 RO。 SUNT REDAC。 GENTES ALPINAE DEVICTAE。 TRVMPILINI CAMVNI; VENNONETES; ISNARCI; BREVNI; NAVNES; FOCVNATES; VINDELICORVM GENTES QVATVOR; CONSVANETES; VIRVCINATES; LICATES; CATENATES; ABI… SONTES; RVGVSCI; SVANETES; CALVCONES; BRIXENTES; LEPONTII; VIBERI; NANTVATES; SEDVNI; VERAGRI; SALASSI; ACITAVONES MEDVLLI; VCINI; CATVRIGES; BRIGIANI; SOGIVNTII; NEMALONES; EDENETES; ESVBIANI; VEAMINI; GALLITAE; TRIVLLATI; ECTINI; VERGVNNI; EGVITVRI。 NEMENTVRI; ORATELLI; NERVSCI; VELAVNI; SVETRI。
This Trophy is erected by the Senate and People of Rome to the Emperor Caesar Augustus; son of the divine Julius; in the fourteenth year of his imperial Dignity; and in the eighteenth of his Tribunician Power; because under his command and auspices all the nations of the Alps from the Adriatic to the Tuscanian Sea; were reduced under the Dominion of Rome。 The Alpine nations subdued were the Trumpelini; etc。
Pliny; however; is mistaken in placing this inscription on a trophy near the Augusta praetoria; now called Aosta; in Piedmont: where; indeed; there is a triumphal arch; but no inscription。 This noble monument of antiquity was first of all destroyed by fire; and afterwards; in Gothic times; converted into a kind of fortification。 The marbles belonging to it were either employed in adorning the church of the adjoining village; which is still called Turbia; a corruption of Trophaea; 'This was formerly a considerable town called Villa Martis; and pretends to the honour of having given birth to Aulus Helvius; who succeeded Commodus as emperor of Rome; by the name of Pertinax which he acquired from his obstinate refusal of that dignity; when it was forced upon him by the senate。 You know this man; though of very low birth; possessed many excellent qualities; and was basely murdered by the praetorian guards; at the instigation of Didius Tulianus。 For my part; I could never read without emotion; that celebrated eulogium of the senate who exclaimed after his death; Pertinace; imperante; securi viximus neminem timuimus; patre pio; patre senatus; patre omnium; honorum; We lived secure and were afraid of nothing under the Government of Pertinax; our affectionate Father; Father of the Senate; Father to all the children of Virtue。' or converted into tomb…stones; or carried off to be preserved in one or two churches of Nice。 At present; the work has the appearance of a ruinous watch…tower; with Gothic battlements; and as such stands undistinguished by those who travel by sea from hence to Genoa; and other ports of Italy。 I think I have now described all the antiquities in the neighbourhood of Nice; except some catacombs or caverns; dug in a rock at St。 Hospice; which Busching; in his geography; has described as a strong town and seaport; though in fact; there is not the least vestige either of town or village。 It is a point of land almost opposite to the tower of Turbia; with the mountains of which it forms a bay; where there is a great and curious fishery of the tunny fish; farmed of the king of Sa