CHAPTER IX.

Pozzuoli-Temple of Esculapius-The Amphitheatre-Last View of Naples.

We had not yet had time to examine the ruins in Pozzuoli. On the 17th of March, with a fine sun and cold wind, we took our favourite drive through the grotto of Posilipo, along the shores of this beautiful mediterranean bay, to examine this ancient town, so interesting to the antiquarian, and dear to the Christian. It was perhaps that the disciples might celebrate together the commemoration of their risen Lord, that Paul was intreated by his friends to tarry seven days ere he went towards Rome.

We had scarcely stopped, when our favourite little Cicerone was by our side; and it was curious to observe the look of triumph he cast on his compeers as he mounted behind the carriage. He was one of those Italian boys that Murillo would have painted so well.

Passing the harbour to that end of the town nearest Baia, we turned to the right up a lane, and going through a little gate, descended some steps and entered the remains of a temple called commonly that of Jupiter Serapis, and dedicated to the sun; but by the cognoscenti here said to have been dedicated to Esculapius. The sea-water covers its area for several inches, and you step upon pieces of its former marble pavement to reach the centre. The front of the principal entrance is even now unexcavated. The pre

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TEMPLE OF ESCULAPIUS.

sent base is one hundred and thirty feet long, and a hundred and fifteen wide, appearing quadrangular. Its pavement consists of beautiful marbles, round and square. The whole edifice was lined with marble; three cipollino columns alone remain standing-they are of very great dimensions. Twelve basalt pillars from thence adorn the palace of Caserta.

Four flights of marble steps lead to the middle part of the temple, which part is sixty feet wide, and of a circular form. It was once surrounded by sixteen Phrygian marmorosso columns; the pedestals remain: one of these columns lay prostrate and broken on the pavement, full of large holes, decomposed by sea-water, and corroded by lava. Near it is a stone, on which is a curious sculpture, but difficult to name: it is either a star-fish, a sun, or Medusa's head! Over these noble pillars was a cupola. Without the circle are two hollow cylinders of marble, fluted in serpentine lines. One for the blood, the other for the ashes of the victim; and near them are two rings of Corinthian workmanship, to which the victims were fastened. The view of the ocean is now intercepted by houses and mounds of earth; but when this magnificent temple presented its noble pillars to the more magnificent ocean, the effect must have been very fine.

In the year 1730, the top of one of its pillars was discovered by a peasant; an excavation was made, and the temple displayed to view, some say entire. Others affirm it was partly destroyed by the barbarians, but entirely overwhelmed and burnt by the earthquake and eruption, at the time that the Lucrine lake was changed into a volcanic mount. It is now surrounded by volcanic tufo, rising as high as its pillars.

Round the quadrangle are forty-two rooms, which re

semble baths; two of the chambers are still used for such a purpose; and this induces the belief that this temple was always the resort of the sick and infirm, and dedicated to the healing god.

Mineral waters flow here in great abundance, from the prodigious reservoir beneath the Solfatara.

Behind the cipollino pillars, is a very large bow to the east, in which stood a remarkable statue of Serapis, destroyed by the Saracens ; many statues were found, and there are still capitals and pieces of sculpture amidst its ruins.

The erudite say it was erected by the Greeks, who settled on the fine rock of Puteoli about the year 282 before the building of Rome. It is said to have been repaired by the Romans, about the year of Rome 600. We walked to the back of the temple, where are several reservoirs of bitter waters. We then went a little further, to a vapour stufa. It is excavated in the natural rock; the fumes rise in suffocating volumes from the water that fills the bottom of the cave. A little pier projects into it; and on a board on this little pier the patient sits, surrounded by hot vapours. We could not endure the heat: another well is used for the eyes. We now ascended the hill, and looked back upon this temple sunk in ashes, and then proceeded to that dedicated to Neptune, of which only some walls remain.

The temple of Diana Lucifera, formerly surrounded by a hundred beautiful columns, and a statue fifteen cubits high, stands finely on the hill, and commands the ocean. Proceeding about half a mile, we reached the ruins of the Amphitheatre. An old man, with grey hair, came to open the gate by which its corridor was closed. He was an interesting old man; and it was at once affecting and

amusing, as he stood in the dungeon of the primitive martyrs, (now the little oratoire, dedicated to St. Gennaro,) to hear him tell how in this Amphitheatre St. Gennaro was exposed to the wild beasts (and then bending his body to the ground, as in imitation of St. Gennaro or the beasts); but no, said he, these wild animals became gentle as lambs, licked his feet, and shewed various signs of submissive love. The enraged Timotius, the lieutenant of the tyrant Diocletian, caused him to be removed to the neighbouring hills, and there, with the utmost rage, decapitated him. The dungeons are turned into holy places, and the Virgin and St. Gennaro receive here praises and prayers, whence formerly ascended the song of the sorrowful prisoner to his Lord and Master Christ Jesus.

After this long narration in Italian, the poor old man poured forth his stock of English, "How do you do?" "Pull away, boys ; "—" God save great George our King." We bought of him a little antique lamp, and then took our leave.

The amphitheatre is oval, of two stories; the arena two hundred and thirty-one palms long and one hundred and sixty-one wide: it was capable of containing forty-five thousand persons. Suetonius mentions, in his life of Augustus, that that Emperor assisted at the games given here in honour of his name. As my compagne de voyage and I sat on the ruined corridor, now covered in the greatest profusion with the ilex, and a variety of evergreenplants, and looked beneath their dark branches, upon the beautiful blue of the Mediterranean, the lovely hues of Ischia, and the cerulean vault above us-we could not but contrast this quiet scene with the agonies and cries of the martyrs - the shouts of a savage multitude-all now silent:

but, for the martyrs! far above the reach of human earsthey have begun that new song, "worthy is the Lamb that was slain; "—"they have washed their robes, they have made them white in the blood of the Lamb." The arena is now covered with grass and vines. The gentle song of the birds, and the light skipping of the milk-white kids, contributed to the enjoyment of the moment, and we rose with reluctance to continue our walk towards the temple of Augustus. Our little cicerone pointed out the pavement: we recognized the Appian way, and, with our mind's eye, beheld Paul the aged hastening towards Rome.

The temple of Augustus (now the Cathedral church) was built with prodigious blocks of marble, and exists, notwithstanding war, and earthquakes, and time. The pillars are Corinthian; they sustain a finely-worked architrave, on which is the dedication to Augustus, as Jupiter, by Calpurnius Piso, a Roman knight. I was pleased, as we surveyed its ruins, to see a vast number of little children conducted by a priest, going into the church. Oh that the priests would listen to our Lord saying, “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." In returning to the town we passed by the prison, where we noticed a set of sad looking men. By their numbers I should judge the woods of Cuma were not quite cleared. We now reached the piazza, on which there is placed the beautiful marble pedestal with basso-relievo on its panels, (already mentioned,) representing the several cities of Asia rebuilt by Tiberius, each figure bearing in its hand the characteristic emblem of the city. Ephesus, her Diana covered with animals and vegetables. In the same piazza is a pedestal, with an antique statue of a Roman magistrate, "Flavio Macrio Egnotio Polliano."