166 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



Diana, which was stated to have been built 

 200 years before the destruction of Troy ; 

 and it contained a statue of the goddess 

 formed of cedar, which had been formerly 

 taken from the island of Zacynthus, now 

 called Zante, by the inhabitants, when they 

 formed the colony of Saguntus. It will be 

 recollected, that after enduring a siege of 

 eight months, the brave inhabitants of this 

 city, took the terrible resolution of burning 

 themselves with their effects, and the whole 

 city, rather than fall into the hands of Han- 

 nibal. The temple escaped the flames, as it 

 stood in a valley without the walls ; and the 

 cedar image of the goddess was considered 

 too sacred, even to be touched by Hannibal, 



The timber which composed the celebrated 

 temple of Diana, at Ephesus, was of cedar. 

 This temple, which was reckoned one of the 

 seven wonders of the world, was 220 years in 

 building, and may be supposed to have 

 assisted greatly in thinning the forests of 

 Lebanon during that period. 



This temple, where Diana was worshipped 

 with such awful solemnity, fell a sacrifice to 

 the flames, on the night that gave birth to 

 Alexander the Great, which was about 285 

 years before the temple at Jerusalem was 

 destroyed by that horrible trade which am- 



