THE PALACE BURNT BY ALEXANDER THE GREAT. (347 
banqueting, and other entertainments. In that case, here may 
have stood the very palace of Persepolis, which fell a sacrifice to 
the drunken revelry of the Macedonian conqueror. That it did 
stand on this platform, there cannot be a doubt; as it manifestly 
is the quarter of the city that was assigned to the royal resid¬ 
ence ; and there does not appear a spot over the whole space, 
so likely to be chosen for the banqueting-halls of the sovereign, 
when himself and his friends must be in their most unguarded 
moments, as this quadrangle, in the midst of the other regal 
edifices, and so standing as if in a sanctuary. Thus much for 
the situation alone ; but the circumstance of so vast a space, 
with so singular a mound occupying so large a portion of it, 
strongly inclines me to believe that I am not mistaken, in assign¬ 
ing that heap to the desolating brands of Alexander and his, 
then, half-frantic compeers. Certainly not a trace of the effects 
of fire is discernible on any of the adjacent walls; and it may 
be alleged, that if so considerable a building in their vicinity, 
had been consumed to ashes, the ravages of the flames must 
have reached and marked some of them. But in looking on the 
plan, and perceiving how unconnectedly all the edifices stood 
from each other; not merely separated by spacious areas, but 
divided by detached terraces, we might easily imagine how one 
of them might be burnt to the ground, without a spark reaching 
any of the others. Besides, the solidity of the walls of these 
palaces are calculated to confine the fire, as in a furnace, within 
which ever of them it might be kindled, while it continued 
devouring all, interiorly, that was combustible in its way. 
The internal materials of the destroyed palace, according to 
Q. Curtius, (lib. v.), were cedar, and other consumable sub¬ 
stances ; these, with the splendid hangings, and carpets on the 
