538 PELOPONNESUS. 
nature of the prospect exhibited to all those 
who were seated upon its benches. If it were 
freed from the rubbish about it, and laid open 
to view, it would afford an astonishing idea of 
the magnificence of a city whose luxuries were 
so great that its inhabitants ranked among the 
most voluptuous and effeminate people of all 
Greece. The stone-work is entirely of that 
massive kind which denotes a very high degree 
of antiquity. Part of the Scene remains, together 
with the whole of the seats, although some of 
the latter now lie concealed by the soil. But 
the most remarkable parts of the structure are 
two vaulted passages for places of entrance ; one 
being on either side, at the two extremities of 
the Coilon, close to the Scene, and about half way 
up; leading into what we should call the side- 
boxes of a modern theatre. Immediately in 
prospect front, the eve roams over all the Gulbh of 
from the J 
c'uiion. Corinth, commanding islands; promontories, and 
distant summits towering above the clouds. To 
a person seated in the middle of the Cavea, a 
lofty mountain with bold sweeping sides ap- 
pears beyond the Gu/ph, placed exactly in the 
centre of the view ; the sea intervening between 
its base and the Sicyonian coast : and this moun- 
tain marks the particular part of Bceotia now 
pointed out by the natives of Basilica as (Thiia) 
