PLAIN OF TROY. ' 109 
The present appearance of the Shrine does chap. 
not seem to indicate a higher degree of antiquity ', ^. / 
than the age of the Romans. Some have 
beheved, from the circumstance of its disclosure, 
that the Tomb itself was opened ; mistaking the 
shrine for a vault, although its situation near 
the summit might have controverted the opinion. 
It was perhaps constructed when Augustus 
restored the image which Antony had taken from 
the AiANTEUM. A cement was certainly em- Cement 
used in the 
ployed in the work ; and the remains of it -4Va«/e«m. 
to this day offer an opportunity of confuting a 
very prevailing error concerning the buildings of 
the Antients. The Greeks erected many of their 
most stupendous edifices without cementation ; 
hence it has been supposed that the appearance 
of mortar in any building is a proof against its 
antiquity. This notion is however set aside at 
once, by reference to the Pyramids of Egypt; for 
in these structures mortar was undoubtedly 
used\ 
The view here afforded of the Hellespont and 
of the Plain of Troy is remarkably striking. 
Several plants, during the season of our visit'. 
(2) The author brought specimens, from the spot, of the wortai 
u^ed in building the greater Pyramid, 
(3) March 3d. 
