lake AYERKLTS. 
6.57 
flamjjeaiiXj wliicli faitrly discover its prodigious niagnifude, leay- 
iug tlie iniagination at liberty to enlarge it indefinitely. After remain- 
ing two and a haif hours under ground, I was drawn up again in 
three minutes with the greatest facility.” 
I ^ 
Lake Avernus. 
'^This is a lake of Campania, in Italy, near Baiae, famous among 
the ancients for its poisonous qualities. It is described by Strabo as 
lying within the Lucrine bay, deep and darksome, surrounded with 
steep banks that hang threatening over it, and only accessible by one 
narrow passage. Black, aged groves stretched their boughs over the 
watery abyss, and with impenetrable foliage excluded almost every 
ray of wholesome light ; mephitic vapours ascending from the hot 
bowels of the earth, being denied free passage to the upper atmo- 
sphere, floated along the surface in poisonous mists, and killed even 
the birds that attempted to flyover it. These circumstances produced 
horrors fit for the gloomy votaries of the infernal deities. A colony 
of Cimmerians, as well suited to the rites as the place itself, cut 
<lwellings in the bosom of the surrounding hills, and officiated as 
priests of Tartarus. Superstition, always delighting in dark ideas, 
early and eagerly s^^ized upon this spot ; and represented a cavern 
near it, called the Sybil’s cave, as the mouth of the infernal I'egions. 
Hither she led her trembling votaries, to celebrate her dismal orgies ; 
here she evoked the manes of departed heroes, here she oflered 
sacrifices to the gods of hell, and attempted to dive into the secrets 
of futurity. Poets enlarged upon the popular theme, and painted its 
awful scenery with the strongest colours of their art. Homer brings 
Ulysses to Avernus, as to the mouth of the infernal abodes ; and in 
imitation of the Grecian bard, Virgil conducts his hero to the same 
ground. Whoever sailed thither, first did sacrifice, and endeavoured 
to propitiate the infernal powers, with the assistance of some priest 
who attended upon the place, and directed the mystic performance. 
Within, a fountain of pure water broke out just over the sea, but 
which nobody tasted, as it was fancied to be a vein of the river Styx ; 
near this fountain was the oracle, and the hot waters frequent in these 
parts were supposed to be branches of the burning Fhlegethon. The 
holiness of these shades remained uninipeached for many years. Han- 
nibal marched his army, to offer incense at this altar ; though it may 
be suspected he was led to this act of devotion rather by the hopes 
of surprising the garrison of Puteoli, than by his piety; 
After a long reign of undisturbed gloom and celebrity, a sudden 
glare of light was let in upon Avernus : the horrors were dispelled, 
and with them vanished the sanctity of the lake; the axe of Agrippa 
brought its forest to the ground, disturbed its sleepy waters with 
ships, and gave vent for all its malignant effiuvia to escape. The 
virulence of these exhalatiops, as described by ancient authors, has 
appeared so very extraordinary, that modern writers, who know the 
place in a cleared state only, charge these accounts with exaggeration ; 
hut Mr. ^winburn thinks them entitled to more credit, for even now, 
he observes, the air is feverish and dangerous, as the jaundiced faces 
40 
