124 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Thebes, according to Homer, had a hundred gates. We can— 

 not, however, difcover yet the foundation of any wall that 

 it had ; and as for the horfeinen and chariots it is faid to 

 have fent out, all the Thebaid Town with wheat would not 

 have maintained one-half q£ them. 



Thebes, at leaft the ruins of the temples, called Medinet 

 Tabu, are built in a long ftretch of about a mile broad, mofl 

 parfimonioufly chofen at the fandy foot of the mountains. 

 The Horti* Pennies, or hanging gardens, were furely formed 

 upon the fides of thefe hills, then fupplied with water by 

 mechanical devices. The utmoft is done to fpare the plain, 

 and with great reafon ; for all the fpace of ground this 

 ancient city has had to maintain its myriads of horfes and 

 men, is a plain of three quarters of a mile broad, between 

 the town and the river, upon which plain the water rifes to 

 the height of four, and live feet, as we may judge by the 

 marks on the ftatues Shaamy and Taamy. All this pretend*- 

 ed populoufnefs of ancient Thebes I therefore believe fabu- 

 lous. 



It is a circumilance very remarkable, in building the fitft" 

 temples, that, where the fide-walls are folid, that is, not fup- 

 ported by pillars, fome of thefe have their angles and faces 

 perpendicular, others inclined in a very considerable angle 

 to the horizon. Thofe temples, whofe walls are inclined, 

 you may judge by the many hieroglyphics and ornaments, 

 are of the jfirft ages, or the greatefl antiquity. From which, 

 I am difpofed to think, that fmgular conftruction was a rem- 

 nant 



* Plin, lib. 26. cap. 14. 



