ON THE TOPOGRAPHY OF ATHENS. 



507 



Now admitting that this mode of interpretation is not constrained 

 and artificial, and that it does not ill accord with the genius of those 

 times j it will be found by no means to correspond with the local 

 circumstances that are connected with the arch, which it pretends to 

 illustrate. " On reading the southern inscription," says Mr. W., 

 "AIAEI2 AAPIANOT KAI OTXI 0HSEX12 IIOAII, the eye is immediately 

 directed to the picture seen beyond the arched opening, over which it 

 is placed, and of which it forms the frame. Through this, the 

 greater part of the modern town presents itself lying in the plain, on 

 the north-east side of the citadel, whilst the Acropolis itself is on the 

 left, without the field of view." On consulting the plan of Athens 

 which is prefixed to Mr. W.'s work, we find a line drawn at right 

 angles to the plan of the arch, which is evidently intended to mark 

 the centre of the view here alluded to. This line nearly touches the 

 eastern angle of the Acropolis ; the Acropolis therefore is on the left, 

 not as he says, without the field of view, but within it ; or rather 

 near the centre. That part of the city, too, which is on the left of 

 this line, and which is the more ancient, has full as much claim to 

 the distinction here conferred as that which lies to the right ; and, 

 if we apply the rule which has just been laid down, must equally 

 bear the name of Hadrianopolis. But the position to the right of the 

 line actually includes the Prytaneum, which we know to have been 

 erected by Theseus, and consequently it includes that very city of 

 Theseus, which it is the object of this new interpretation to exclude 

 from it. 



Equal inconsistencies arise on the other hand, from the application 

 of the inscription on the north side of the arch, AIAEIE A0HNAI 

 GriSEXlE H nPIN nOAII, to the objects on the south ; for, waiving the 

 objection that might be made to a modern building on this side ; 

 which occupies so much of the ground, as being an argument equally 

 available against the position of the old city on the north side of the 

 arch ; it will be seen by a reference to Mr. W.'s map, that the city of 

 Theseus is removed to a very inconvenient distance from the citadel 

 to which it owed its protection ; while a very considerable space 

 directly to the south of the Acropolis remains wholly unoccupied. 



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