CHAP.

II.

ΤΟ ΚΟΙΝΟΝΤΩΝΠΕΡΙΤΟΝ

· ΔΙΟΝΥΣΟΝΤΕΧΝΗΤΩΝΤΩΝ

ΕΝΘΕΒΑΙΣΔΙΟΚΛΗΤΙΜΟΣ

ΤΡΑΤΟΥΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΩ

There is another line upon the stone; but it is written in much smaller characters, and cannot now be read. In this inscription it appears to be written ΔΙΟΝΥΣΩ, but this must be an error!.

Near the door o the Church of St. George there is an inscription of some length, beginning "LYSIPPUS THE SON OF TRALLION," &c. ΛΥΣΙΠΠΟΣΤΡΑΛΛΙΩΝΟΣ κ.τ.λ. but it contains only a list of names; and as a very considerable part of it is concealed by the base of a small pillar, the imperfect copy we made of it is not worth publishing. Many scraps of this kind might be added, which would serve only to swell the volume, and they are therefore omitted. We thought we should obtain something

(1) [The expression Οἱ περὶ τοῦ Διονύσου τεχνίται occurs frequently in inscriptions. In the same manner we have Οἱ περὶ τὸν Ηρακλέα νεανίσκοι, "Juvenes circa Herculaneum ludum." Vid. Chishull Ins. Sig. p. 47.J Note by Mr. WALPOLE.

CHAP.

II.

of more consequence, from the positive assurances made to us by several Greeks, that the Sepulchre of St. Luke was preserved within a chapel Pretended upon the outside of the town, towards the east; St. Luke. and that a long inscription, proving the fact, existed

upon
the tomb. We hastened to the sanctuary said
to contain this remarkable relic, and found a
beautiful Soros of white marble, with an in-
scription thereon; the first sight of which con-
vinced us of the astonishing ignorance of the
Greeks of Thebes, whose priests could not un-
deceive their countrymen with regard to its
pretended origin. They shewed to us, indeed,
the word TYMB1 upon the monument; and
the chapel being dedicated to St. Luke, thence
concluded that this Soros must contain his
relics. Its operculum is beautifully sculptured,
so as to exhibit in relief, upon its sloping sides,
the resemblance of a thatch made of the foliage
of the laurel. The oblong sides of the Soros are
channelled into indented pannels, three on each.
Upon the south side of the tomb there is an in-
scription in the middle pannel; and the other
pannels, to the right and left of this, are
ornamented with a rose, or sun-flower, in the
center.

1

Tomb of

CHAP. The following is a literal translation of the

II.

original:

"MY PARENTS, HONOURING MY BODY, WEPT AROUND A SENSELESS TOMB, SINCE SUCH IS THE TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD: BUT I, A SOUL, WENT TO THE ABODe suited TO ME. MY NAME WAS NEDYMUS, IN TRUTH THE GENTLE SON OF THE ITALIAN ADAE. I HAD NOT EXISTED LONG IN A PREVIOUS STATE; THEN I WAS BORN TO NUMBER A FEW YEARS, ALWAYS IN MOTION, HAVING MY PECULIAR COURSE TO RUN, FROM WHICH I COULD NOT ESCAPE; FOR THE DESTINY WHICH IS ASSIGNED TO EACH MAN, THAT HE MUST FULFIL; SINCE KINGS MUST DO THE SAME. MY FATHER ZOSIMUS WROTE THESE LINES ON MY ACCOUNT, FEELING AN IMMORTAL Regret for AN IMMORTAL SOUL."

Upon the north side of the same Soros there is also an inscription; but the buttress of one of the arched niches of the altar of the chapel has been erected against it, in such a manner as to leave only a few of the characters visible. Upon a slab near this tomb we also saw the following:

ΕΠΙΖΗΝΩΝΤΗΡ
ΑΚΛΙΔΟΥΧΡΗΖ
ΤΟΥ

The chapel seems evidently to have been erected posterior to the construction of the tomb, from the manner in which one of its

We

inscriptions has been concealed by the altar; and it is also evident, that it was built of materials derived from some more costly edifice. observed fragments of the Verde Antico; and some inscribed marbles have been broken to form the pavement.

СНАР.
II.

Bulwark.

Returning from this chapel towards the town, we were struck by the very artificial appearance Antient exhibited by a lofty hill upon the eastern side of it. The shape of this hill will best be comprehended from a sketch made of it at the time. Perhaps there can be no doubt but that it formed a part of the antient fortifications; as there is another hill, equally artificial, near to it; and between the two there seems to have been the eastern gate, or entrance, to the old city. It consists, as to its form, of two cones, with truncated summits; the one smaller than the other. The smaller cone stands upon the larger, as upon a pedestal; thereby leaving room for a road all round its base, and having, in consequence of its truncated summit, a level plane, or terrace, upon its top'. The whole of this hill is now covered by turf, and no attempt has yet been made to injure its form by excavation.

(1) See the Vignette to this Chapter.

CHAP.
II.

But the most curious part of the antiquities of Thebes is in the Church of St. Demetrius, and upon Church of the western side of it. There may still be seen the

St. Deme

trius.

Rare va

Corinthian

order in Architec

ture.

rarest specimens of architecture in Greece; namely, several beautiful capitals of that chaste and antient pattern of the Corinthian order; which riety of the is entirely without volute for the corners, and has a single wreath of the simplest Acanthus foliage to crown its base. There is not in Europe a single instance of this most elegant variety of the Corinthian in any modern structure. In fact, it is only known to those persons who have seen the very few examples of it that exist among the ruins of the Grecian cities. There is no trace of it among the ruins of Rome; yet, in point of taste, it is so exceedingly superior to the more ornamented and crowded capital which was afterwards introduced, that both the rival connoscenti of Athens, Lusieri and Fauvel, have designed and modelled it; and they have spoken of its discovery as forming an epocha in the history of the art. In one or two instances, the attention of the antient sculptor to simplicity has been so severe, that even the edges of the foliage have not been ruffled (to borrow from the builder's vocabulary), but expressed in gross; and, consequently, the admirers of excessive minuteness, in the detail of