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mo us size of this monument appears in all its beauty; 
and the veil which appeared hitherto before one's eyes 
is withdrawn: it is in touching it that the eye embraces 
the idea of this vast object, and compares the dimen- 
sions of its parts with those of the human body: it is 
then that a flash of lightning appears to illume the mind, 
which is astonished at the immense mass that presents 
itself. I have several times experienced this optical phe- 
nomenon, which artists have perfectly explained. Seve- 
ral holes in the capital indicate that this column was 
surmounted by a statue. 
The period of the construction of the column, as well 
as the obelisks, is unknown. The denominations of 
Cleopatra and Pompey which have been given to them, 
cannot be considered as any other than modern. The 
monuments are, without doubt, much more ancient 
than these names indicate. The name of Severus, given 
by some to the column, is infinitely more absurd, since 
it proves their ignorance of the Arabian language, in 
which it is called El Souari, which signifies the column; 
and because, on account of the inaccuracy of the Ara- 
bian writing, it has been written in the same characters, 
or letters, as Severus. This mistake has given rise to 
the error. 
Some learned Arabs think it was the work of Alex- 
ander, whom they call Scander: but I found, among 
others, a tradition more probable and analogous to the 
nature and grandeur of the object: this was, that it was 
built in the time and for the worship of Hercules, whom 
they call Scander el Carneinn; that is to say, Alexander 
of two ages; which is the name they give to Hercules; 
because tradition will have it that he lived two ages, 
