THEATRE. 131 



the most unique and picturesque assemblage of 

 rock-tombs in Lycia, and they have been con- 

 sidered as a group superior to any in Petra, by 

 a traveller who had seen both localities. We 

 separated, as usual, to examine the inscriptions, 

 and, after collating the two or three copied by 

 Sir C. Fellows, we were so fortunate as to find 

 several others both Greek and Lycian, that had 

 never before been copied. More interesting than 

 a hundred funereal inscriptions, was one scratched 

 or notched in the wall of the antechamber of a 

 rock-tomb, by some Greek lover of old. It 

 proclaimed his passion, " Moschus loves Philiste, 

 the daughter of Demetrius." From these rock- 

 tombs we literally stepped into the theatre, which 

 is overlooked and joined by some of them, — a 

 strange and unnatural union, the playhouse 

 married to the grave — the playgoer resting against 

 the house of death, whilst gazing on the most 

 vivid of the recreations of life. The entrance 

 to the theatre from below is by an arch sup- 

 porting the seats at its southern extremity, and 

 leading through a labyrinth of vomitories, pas- 

 sages, and stone staircases, to the diazoma. 

 This enormous fabric has almost all its rows 

 of seats perfect. Its diameter, according to Mr. 



K 2 



