8 THEATRE. 



nificent view of the ancient city, seated in a 

 rocky recess of Mount Cragus. A stupendous 

 tower of rock, faced by a perpendicular pre- 

 cipice, perforated with a thousand tombs, and 

 crowned by ruined fortifications, rose out of 

 a deep ravine which was thronged with ruins 

 and sarcophagi, and intersected by ridges bear- 

 ing the more important edifices. Dark pre- 

 cipitous mountains of the grandest outlines, over- 

 hung the whole. After gazing with astonish- 

 ment at this wondrous scene, we plunged among 

 the maze of ruins, making a hurried ramble 

 through them so as to become acquainted with 

 the localities of the site, intending to pay future 

 visits for the purpose of more minute explora- 

 tion. We first visited a fine theatre, excavated 

 in the side of a woody hill, fronting the city. 

 The Lycian theatres are invariably so placed 

 as to command a grand prospect, or when by 

 the seaside, a broad expanse of ocean. For a 

 scene of rocky magnificence none of them could 

 vie with the theatre of Pinara. Opposite the 

 theatre are the remains of a building of much 

 later times, with Ionic columns, some of which 

 are double, and have the fluting grooved in a 

 coating of cement. Close by are several very fine 



