Vor. IV.}. 
was five fiadia in diameter. This, to- 
gether with the zones and the bridge, 
which was every way an acre in breadrh, 
they enclofed with a wall of ftone, and 
raifed towers and gates on the bridges, 
according to the courfe of the fea. Stones 
too were dug out from under rhe ifland, 
on all fides of it, and from within and 
without the zones ; fome of which were 
white, others black, and others red: and 
thefe ftone quarries, on account of the 
cavity of the rock, afforded two conye- 
nient docks. With refpeét to the edi- 
fites, fome were of a fimple ftruéture, and 
others were raifed from ftones of different 
colours ; thus by variety purfuing pleafure, 
which was allied to their nature. They 
likewife covered the fuperficies of the wail, 
which enclofed- the moft outward zone, 
with brafs, uGng it for this purpofe as an 
aintment: but they covered the fuperfi- 
cies of that wall which enclofed the inte- 
rior zone with tin : and, laftly, they cover- 
ed that which enclofed the metropolis 
with orichalcum, which fhines with a 
fiery {plendor. 
But the royal palace within the acropo~ 
lis, was conftruéted as follows: in the 
middle of it, there was an inaccefhibte 
temple facred to Clites and Neptune, 
and which was furrounded with an en- 
clofure of gold. in this place, affem- 
bling in the beginning, they produced 
the genus of ten kings: and from the 
ten divifions of the whole region, here 
collected every year, they performed 
feafonable facrifices to each. But the 
temple of Neptune was one ftadium in 
jength, and three acres in breadth; and 
its altitude was commenfurable to its 
Jength and breadth, But there was 
fomething Barkaric in its form, All the 
external parts.of the temple, except the 
fummit, were covered with filver: for 
that was covered with gold. With re- 
fpect to the internal parts, the roof was 
entirely formed from ivory, variegated 
with gold, filver, and orichalcam: but 
as to all the other parts, fych as the 
walls, pillars, and pavement, thefe were 
adorned with orichalcum. Golden ftatues 
too were placed in the temple: and the 
god himfelf was reprefented ftanding on 
a chariot, and governing fix winged 
horfes ; while at the fame time, through 
his magnitude, he touched the roof with 
his head. An hundred Nereids upon 
dolphins were circularly difpofed about 
him; for at that time this was fuppofed 
to be the number of the Nereids, There 
were likewife many other ftatues of pri- 
vate perfons, dedicated within the tem- 
: 
‘ 
! 
| State of Athens gooo Years before Solon. 629 
ple. Round the temple, on the outfide, 
ftood golden images of all the wornen and 
men that had detcended from the ten 
kings; together with many other Rates 
of kings and private perfons, which had 
been dedicated from the city, and from 
foreign parts, that were in fubjeftion to 
the Atlantic ifland. There was an sitar 
too, which accorded in magnitude and 
conitruction with the other ornaments of 
the temple: and in like manner the 
palace was adapted to the magnitude of 
the empire, and ‘the decorations of the 
facred concerns. The inhabitants like. 
wife ufed fountains both of hor and cold 
water, whofe ftreams were copious, and 
naturally falubrious and pleafant in a 
wonderful degree. About the fountains 
too edifices were conftruéted, and treeg 
planted, adapted to thefe fontal warers, 
Receptacles of water jikewife were 
placed round the fountains, fome of 
which were expofed to the open air, 
but others were cavered, as containing 
hot baths for the winter feafon,. Of 
thefe receptacles fome were appropriated 
to the royal family, and others, apart 
from thefe, to private individuals - and, 
again, fome were fet apart for women, 
and others for horfes, and other ani. 
mals of the yoke; a proper ornament at 
the fame time being diftributed to each, 
They hikewife brought defluent ftreams 
to the grove of Neptune, together wich 
all-various trees, of an admirable beauty 
and height, through the profundity of 
the foil: and thence they derived thefe 
ftreams. to the exterior circles, by con- 
ducting them tlrough channels over the 
bridges. But in each ifland of thefe ex. 
terior circles, rhere were many temples 
oF many gods, together with Many gar- 
dens and gymnafia, apart- fiom each 
other, fome for men, and others for 
horfes. But about the middle of the 
largeft of the iflands, there was a prin« 
cipal hippodrome, which was a fadium 
in breadch, and the length of which 
extended round the whole circle, for the 
purpofe of éxercifing the horfes.’ On all 
fides of the hippodrome ftood the dwell. 
ings of the officers of the guards, Bue 
the defence of the place was committed 
to the more faithful foldiers, who dweit 
in the fmaller circle, and before the acro- 
polis: but the moft faithful of all the 
foldiers were afiigned habitations within 
the “acropolis, and round the royal - 
abodes. ‘The docks likewife were full of 
three-banked galleys, and of fuch appa-~ 
vatus as is adapted to veffels of this kind. 
And in this manner the parts about the 
(322 roy ah 
SS 
