Vol. III. MifcelUnea Curiofa, 107 



The Name of Maximianus Hercules^ who was 

 Partner in the Empire with Diodefian which ^ 

 fliould have followed in theInfcription,feemsto 

 have been on purpofe fcratch'd out, and defa- 

 ced, for what reafon I cannot guefs. The reft 

 is loft by the breaking of the Stone. 



In the Weft fide of the great Piaz- The Pa- 

 2a are feveral openings for Gates lead- 

 ing into the Court of the Palace : Two where- 

 of, one would eafily believe when they were ia 

 their Perfeftion, were the moft Magnificent 

 and Glorious in the World, both for the Ele- 

 gancy of the Work in general, and particular- 

 ly forthofe ftately Porphyry Pillars with which 

 they were adorned. Each Gate had four, not 

 flanding in a Line with the others of the Wall^ 

 but placed by couples in the Front of the 

 Gate, facing the Palace, two on one Hand, and 

 two on the other. Of thefe remain two entire, 

 and but one ftanding in its place. They are 

 about 30 Foot in length, and 9 in circumfer- 

 ence ^ of a Subftance fo exceeding hard, that it 

 waswith great difficulty we broke ofFa few fhi- 

 vers to bring home with us for a pattern of the 

 Stone, the Art of making which, I think is quite 

 loft. We faw feveral other broken pieces of Por- 

 phyry, but neither of fo accurate a Mixture and 

 Compofition, nor fo largeas the former. The 

 hard Fate of one I could not but lament, whent 

 I faw itdebafedtofupportthecornerof a little 

 Hutt, fcarce good enough for a Dog-Ken- 

 nel, or a Hogfty. The Palace it felf is fo 

 entirely ruined, that no Judgment can be 

 jnade what it was in its Ancient Splendor, ei- 

 ^^her for the Figure or WorKniaji^ip thereofo 

 ' " - - ^ ; ^^-^-^^ . There 



