DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4265#0120
CHAPTER XL
OF A RUIN AT SALONICA, CALLED THE INCANTADA.
We shall now take our leave of Athens, where the turbulencies which arose on the death of Bekir,
the Chief of the Black Eunuchs, occasioned some obstruction to our pursuits; and the insolent ra-
pacity of the Greek, who was our Consul there, rendered it necessary for us to procure better pro-
tection, or at least a renewal of that with which Sir James Porter had furnished us. To solicit this,
I set out for Constantinople ; but an untoward circumstance obliged me to stop by the way % and
retire to Thessalonica, where it was my good fortune to find Mr. Paradise, our Consul, who received
me with the most cordial hospitality. I shall always remember, with pleasure and gratitude, the many
kind offices for which I am indebted to him.
Hence it became unsafe to proceed farther, on account of the plague, which had broken out
in several places through which I must have passed had I continued my journey. Mr. Revett, whom
I had left at Athens, joined me at Thessalonicab; and soon after his arrival the plague manifested
itself. The contagion spread with dreadful rapidity, and raged for some time with unremitted vio-
lence, insomuch that, in the space of a few months, near 30,000 people are said to have perished.
These circumstances put an effectual stop to my intended expedition to Constantinople.
Fresh obstacles arising, we thought it prudent to relinquish all farther pursuits, and return
home with what we had already obtained: we therefore agreed to go to Smyrna, where we had some
friends, and where we should probably find an early opportunity of procuring a safe and speedy pas-
sage to England.
We had visited such objects of curiosity as our inquiries could discover at Thessalonica before
we left it ; but, although it is a large and populous city, said at that time to contain 100,000 inha-
bitants, we found the remains of only one building, the description of which we could flatter our-
selves would interest the lovers of ancient art.
This is situated in the Jews' quarter j five Corinthian columns on their pedestals support an
entablature, over which is an attic adorned with figures in alto-relievo; on the side next the street
are a Victory, a Medea, or, perhaps a Helen, with a diadem and sceptre, a Telephus, and a Gany-
mede ; and, next the court-yard of the Jews' House, a Bacchante dancing and playing on the flute, a
Bacchus, a Bacchante crowned with vine leaves, and a Leda. It seems difficult, if not impossible, to
ascertain the species of building of which this ruin once made a partc; for though the figures I have
■ See the relation of the immediate cause of Stuart's final de- c No traveller, cither fraught with most extensive learning,
parture from Athens, and his subsequent adventures near Sa- or eminent in antiquarian research, has been enabled to give
lonica, in Vol. II. p. 97, note b. [ed.] even a plausible appropriation to this ruin. Pococke viewed it
b By the dates of Stuart's journal, it appears that he was up- as a triumphal monument. Villoison describes it as the en-
wards of six months at Salonica, that is, from the 28th of trance of a theatre ; he says, ' c'etoit surement l'entree de
September, 1753, to the 20th of April, 1754; how he was chiefly quelque theatre ou 1'on celebroit les jeux '; and Dr. Clarke terms
occupied there does not appear, since Revett, who rejoined him it ' the Propylsea of the ancient Hippodrome or of the Forum.'
about the 18th of February, 1754, made the architectural All these descriptive appellations have no fixed character of
drawings from ' Las Incantadas.' This ruin standing in the application through the medium of this ruin, to any known
quarter inhabited by the Jews, who are descended from Spanish ancient edifices of those classes. It therefore is incumbent to
refugees settled there, and consequently speak Spanish, it is on ascertain what monument of antiquity this anonymous structure
that account named by them according to the latter termination, the most nearly resembles, and from such a similitude to
meaning ' The enchanted figures.' [ed.] endeavour to draw a conclusion : but even in that case it is only
OF A RUIN AT SALONICA, CALLED THE INCANTADA.
We shall now take our leave of Athens, where the turbulencies which arose on the death of Bekir,
the Chief of the Black Eunuchs, occasioned some obstruction to our pursuits; and the insolent ra-
pacity of the Greek, who was our Consul there, rendered it necessary for us to procure better pro-
tection, or at least a renewal of that with which Sir James Porter had furnished us. To solicit this,
I set out for Constantinople ; but an untoward circumstance obliged me to stop by the way % and
retire to Thessalonica, where it was my good fortune to find Mr. Paradise, our Consul, who received
me with the most cordial hospitality. I shall always remember, with pleasure and gratitude, the many
kind offices for which I am indebted to him.
Hence it became unsafe to proceed farther, on account of the plague, which had broken out
in several places through which I must have passed had I continued my journey. Mr. Revett, whom
I had left at Athens, joined me at Thessalonicab; and soon after his arrival the plague manifested
itself. The contagion spread with dreadful rapidity, and raged for some time with unremitted vio-
lence, insomuch that, in the space of a few months, near 30,000 people are said to have perished.
These circumstances put an effectual stop to my intended expedition to Constantinople.
Fresh obstacles arising, we thought it prudent to relinquish all farther pursuits, and return
home with what we had already obtained: we therefore agreed to go to Smyrna, where we had some
friends, and where we should probably find an early opportunity of procuring a safe and speedy pas-
sage to England.
We had visited such objects of curiosity as our inquiries could discover at Thessalonica before
we left it ; but, although it is a large and populous city, said at that time to contain 100,000 inha-
bitants, we found the remains of only one building, the description of which we could flatter our-
selves would interest the lovers of ancient art.
This is situated in the Jews' quarter j five Corinthian columns on their pedestals support an
entablature, over which is an attic adorned with figures in alto-relievo; on the side next the street
are a Victory, a Medea, or, perhaps a Helen, with a diadem and sceptre, a Telephus, and a Gany-
mede ; and, next the court-yard of the Jews' House, a Bacchante dancing and playing on the flute, a
Bacchus, a Bacchante crowned with vine leaves, and a Leda. It seems difficult, if not impossible, to
ascertain the species of building of which this ruin once made a partc; for though the figures I have
■ See the relation of the immediate cause of Stuart's final de- c No traveller, cither fraught with most extensive learning,
parture from Athens, and his subsequent adventures near Sa- or eminent in antiquarian research, has been enabled to give
lonica, in Vol. II. p. 97, note b. [ed.] even a plausible appropriation to this ruin. Pococke viewed it
b By the dates of Stuart's journal, it appears that he was up- as a triumphal monument. Villoison describes it as the en-
wards of six months at Salonica, that is, from the 28th of trance of a theatre ; he says, ' c'etoit surement l'entree de
September, 1753, to the 20th of April, 1754; how he was chiefly quelque theatre ou 1'on celebroit les jeux '; and Dr. Clarke terms
occupied there does not appear, since Revett, who rejoined him it ' the Propylsea of the ancient Hippodrome or of the Forum.'
about the 18th of February, 1754, made the architectural All these descriptive appellations have no fixed character of
drawings from ' Las Incantadas.' This ruin standing in the application through the medium of this ruin, to any known
quarter inhabited by the Jews, who are descended from Spanish ancient edifices of those classes. It therefore is incumbent to
refugees settled there, and consequently speak Spanish, it is on ascertain what monument of antiquity this anonymous structure
that account named by them according to the latter termination, the most nearly resembles, and from such a similitude to
meaning ' The enchanted figures.' [ed.] endeavour to draw a conclusion : but even in that case it is only