DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4098#0243
216 ORACULAR CAVERN OF TROPHONIOS.
which it still retains with little alteration, being written Libadea. Pau-
sanias pretends that it took its name from the Athenian Lebados ;
but it seems more probable that it was derived from its situation near
the sources of the Hercyne, taking its name from XtZocg or x<£a<W, a
fountain, or from \i£ot,$tx, a plain or meadow, in which sense that
word is used by the historian Theophanes. The sacred forest
of Trophonios, and the oracular cavern, were in its vicinity, with
the fountains Lethe and Mnemosyne, and the temple1 of the nymph
Hercyne, who gave her name to the neighbouring river. The
temples of Trophonios and Ceres were in the sacred forest, and
those of Proserpine, of Jupiter, and Apollo, decorated the way
which led to the oracle; but of these temples not a trace remains.
There is a rough and stony channel behind the town, worn by the
winter torrents. From this glen rises a precipitous rock, on which
stands the castle. In the eastern face of the rock is a chamber
nearly of a square form,2 cut by art, and raised three or four feet
from the present level of the ground, but to which we ascended by
steps formed by the present Voivode, who uses it as a cool retreat
for smoking, in the summer. Within the cave, just under the
roof, are still seen the remains of some elegant painted ornaments;
particularly the funereal leaf, which is delineated on terra 'cotta
vases, and on other ancient monuments, which I shall mention here-
after. It is probable that this place contained the statues of iEscula-
pius and Hygeia.
The rock which is contiguous to the cave is full of niches of various
sizes, for statues and votive offerings; and in one part, a few large
letters are the only legible remains of an inscription beginning
ZEYSBOYAAIOE, which is also inscribed on some brass medals of Per-
gamos, under the figure of Jupiter, and is the same as the Jupiter
1 Livy, b. 45. c. 27. Pausan. b. 9- c. 39.
5 Twelve feet nine inches by eleven feet four, and eight feet six inches in height.
which it still retains with little alteration, being written Libadea. Pau-
sanias pretends that it took its name from the Athenian Lebados ;
but it seems more probable that it was derived from its situation near
the sources of the Hercyne, taking its name from XtZocg or x<£a<W, a
fountain, or from \i£ot,$tx, a plain or meadow, in which sense that
word is used by the historian Theophanes. The sacred forest
of Trophonios, and the oracular cavern, were in its vicinity, with
the fountains Lethe and Mnemosyne, and the temple1 of the nymph
Hercyne, who gave her name to the neighbouring river. The
temples of Trophonios and Ceres were in the sacred forest, and
those of Proserpine, of Jupiter, and Apollo, decorated the way
which led to the oracle; but of these temples not a trace remains.
There is a rough and stony channel behind the town, worn by the
winter torrents. From this glen rises a precipitous rock, on which
stands the castle. In the eastern face of the rock is a chamber
nearly of a square form,2 cut by art, and raised three or four feet
from the present level of the ground, but to which we ascended by
steps formed by the present Voivode, who uses it as a cool retreat
for smoking, in the summer. Within the cave, just under the
roof, are still seen the remains of some elegant painted ornaments;
particularly the funereal leaf, which is delineated on terra 'cotta
vases, and on other ancient monuments, which I shall mention here-
after. It is probable that this place contained the statues of iEscula-
pius and Hygeia.
The rock which is contiguous to the cave is full of niches of various
sizes, for statues and votive offerings; and in one part, a few large
letters are the only legible remains of an inscription beginning
ZEYSBOYAAIOE, which is also inscribed on some brass medals of Per-
gamos, under the figure of Jupiter, and is the same as the Jupiter
1 Livy, b. 45. c. 27. Pausan. b. 9- c. 39.
5 Twelve feet nine inches by eleven feet four, and eight feet six inches in height.