DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.875#0036
( 3° )
The Marble on the right Hand, placed upon the Point of a Rock, is extremely curious, 'Tis a
Hemicycle dug out of a Square, and cut in fuch a Manner as to run parallel with the Equator like
the Equinoctial, refembling that mentioned by Vitruvius, (Chap. IX.) which was invented by Bero/us,
the Chaldean. There mufl have been a Gnomon in the Middle, whofe apparent Extremity anfwered
to the Centre of the Hemicycle, and reprefented the Centre of the Earth. Its Shadow performed
in fix Months the Number of Degrees that are between the Tropics, and not only marked the Decli-
nations'of1 the Sun,: that is to fay, the Days and Months, but likewife the Hours of each Day; for
■this might»be done by dividing the one Hundred and eighty Degrees of the Hemicycle into twelve
equal-Parts ; which gave the Hours of the'Days, from the autumnal to the vernal Equinox, butnot
thofe which are above twelve Hours long, and which, on the Contrary, are from the vernal to
the autumnal.
Defcription of the P R 0 P T L M A.
ANcient Authors fay but little of the Temple of EriBheus, but boaft to a degree of Emulation,
the Magnificence of the Veflibles, (the Ruins of which are reprefented in Plate XI.) through
which the famous Citadel of Athens was enter'd. The Athenians who decorated their City with
the moft ftatcly Buildings, piqued themselves particularly on the Conftruction of the Propylffia. Thvy
even afferted that the Goddefs Minerva, to evince her approbation of this..-Edifice, taught Pericles in
his Sleep, a Medicine, with which he cured a celebrated Workman who fell from the Top. of it.
Menejicles, a famous Grecian Architect, gave the Defign of thefe magnificent Veftibles. They were
begun under the Archon Euthymenes, in the fourth Year of the eighty, fifth Olympiad, and corapleateo
in five Years, under the Archon Pythadorus, and coft two thoufand and twelve Talents in Building. '
Paufanias fays thefe Veftibles were covered with a white 'Marble, which for the "Largenefs of the
Stones and Ornaments, furpafied even the fineft he had ever met with. The Equeftrian Statues (fays
he) I cannot fay, if they were intended to reprefent the Sons of Xenopbon, or put there ;onty for'Or- '
nament;
Uarfocration informs us,' from Helkdorus, of a peculiarity in this Building, namely, that.it had five
Doors,' The Marks left us by the Ancients to diftinguifh the Propylasa are ftriking, even in its pre-
ient ruinous Condition.
The Front compofed of fix Doric Columns without :any Entablature, between which is built a
Wall, then forms five Intercolumns, the Middle is thelargeft; thofe at the Angles are fmaWer. In
the Wall oppofite to the Front are five Doors, which' correfpend .exactly to the five Intercolumns,
thefe Doors are:two Diameters,- the largcft is thirteen Feet five Inches and three parts wide.; the two
next, nine Feet two Inches and ten Parts, and the two ieaff arc four Feet, feven Inches eight parts
and an half, thefe lad are not not fo eafily feeri as the other three. This Peculiarity of the five
Doors is at the Entrance of the Citadel of Athens, and feems to ihew that it was the Bropyhea,
agreeable to Suidas and Harf aeration, and gives fufEcient Proof of what Paufanias advances on the
bignefs of the Stones, which compofed the Cieling. Meafuring the Ruins 'of this Cieling, sunder the
Roof which cover it, one of the principal Beams of Marble, broken at the -two ends, was ten' Feet
eight Inches in Length ; nine fuch Beams, fupported its whole Covering, each of which -.was /even-
tee*! Feet nine Parts long, another Beam-, ftill entire which covers the great Door, is twenty three
Feet five Inches and feven Parts. 'Twas doubtlefs the fize of thefe Pieces of Marble ra which Pdu-
janias expatiates in fpeaking of this Building, inafmuch as the great Beam of the Temple of .Diana
at EphefuSy which the Goddefs, according to the Opinion of the Greeks, had placed there herfelf on
Account of .its Weight, wasbut thirty Roman Feet, which are equal to twenty eight Feet *iine Inches
and feven Parts.
But what fully demonfrrat-es this Building to have been the Propyltea, is an exceeding fine Pedeflal
found there, being a part thereof, and placed before it; as was another fince deftroyed. Thefe two
Pedeftals, on which flood' the Equeftrian Statues mentioned by Paufanias, were diftant from each
other a little more than the breadth of the principal Front, whence they meafured forty Feet fix
Inches and eleven Parts, and to which they afcended by Steps.
The Architect in the Structure of thefe Pedeftals has endeavoured to adapt them to the form of
aHorfe, by the Sides which run parallel with the Front of the Building,- being narrower than the
others, and feems plainly to indicate that the Statues prefented themfelves in Front, on approaching
towards the Building. The Keys of the Propylsa were every Day depofited in the Hands of Epijlates
the Archon, who govern'd the City of Athens. "
lit
The Marble on the right Hand, placed upon the Point of a Rock, is extremely curious, 'Tis a
Hemicycle dug out of a Square, and cut in fuch a Manner as to run parallel with the Equator like
the Equinoctial, refembling that mentioned by Vitruvius, (Chap. IX.) which was invented by Bero/us,
the Chaldean. There mufl have been a Gnomon in the Middle, whofe apparent Extremity anfwered
to the Centre of the Hemicycle, and reprefented the Centre of the Earth. Its Shadow performed
in fix Months the Number of Degrees that are between the Tropics, and not only marked the Decli-
nations'of1 the Sun,: that is to fay, the Days and Months, but likewife the Hours of each Day; for
■this might»be done by dividing the one Hundred and eighty Degrees of the Hemicycle into twelve
equal-Parts ; which gave the Hours of the'Days, from the autumnal to the vernal Equinox, butnot
thofe which are above twelve Hours long, and which, on the Contrary, are from the vernal to
the autumnal.
Defcription of the P R 0 P T L M A.
ANcient Authors fay but little of the Temple of EriBheus, but boaft to a degree of Emulation,
the Magnificence of the Veflibles, (the Ruins of which are reprefented in Plate XI.) through
which the famous Citadel of Athens was enter'd. The Athenians who decorated their City with
the moft ftatcly Buildings, piqued themselves particularly on the Conftruction of the Propylffia. Thvy
even afferted that the Goddefs Minerva, to evince her approbation of this..-Edifice, taught Pericles in
his Sleep, a Medicine, with which he cured a celebrated Workman who fell from the Top. of it.
Menejicles, a famous Grecian Architect, gave the Defign of thefe magnificent Veftibles. They were
begun under the Archon Euthymenes, in the fourth Year of the eighty, fifth Olympiad, and corapleateo
in five Years, under the Archon Pythadorus, and coft two thoufand and twelve Talents in Building. '
Paufanias fays thefe Veftibles were covered with a white 'Marble, which for the "Largenefs of the
Stones and Ornaments, furpafied even the fineft he had ever met with. The Equeftrian Statues (fays
he) I cannot fay, if they were intended to reprefent the Sons of Xenopbon, or put there ;onty for'Or- '
nament;
Uarfocration informs us,' from Helkdorus, of a peculiarity in this Building, namely, that.it had five
Doors,' The Marks left us by the Ancients to diftinguifh the Propylasa are ftriking, even in its pre-
ient ruinous Condition.
The Front compofed of fix Doric Columns without :any Entablature, between which is built a
Wall, then forms five Intercolumns, the Middle is thelargeft; thofe at the Angles are fmaWer. In
the Wall oppofite to the Front are five Doors, which' correfpend .exactly to the five Intercolumns,
thefe Doors are:two Diameters,- the largcft is thirteen Feet five Inches and three parts wide.; the two
next, nine Feet two Inches and ten Parts, and the two ieaff arc four Feet, feven Inches eight parts
and an half, thefe lad are not not fo eafily feeri as the other three. This Peculiarity of the five
Doors is at the Entrance of the Citadel of Athens, and feems to ihew that it was the Bropyhea,
agreeable to Suidas and Harf aeration, and gives fufEcient Proof of what Paufanias advances on the
bignefs of the Stones, which compofed the Cieling. Meafuring the Ruins 'of this Cieling, sunder the
Roof which cover it, one of the principal Beams of Marble, broken at the -two ends, was ten' Feet
eight Inches in Length ; nine fuch Beams, fupported its whole Covering, each of which -.was /even-
tee*! Feet nine Parts long, another Beam-, ftill entire which covers the great Door, is twenty three
Feet five Inches and feven Parts. 'Twas doubtlefs the fize of thefe Pieces of Marble ra which Pdu-
janias expatiates in fpeaking of this Building, inafmuch as the great Beam of the Temple of .Diana
at EphefuSy which the Goddefs, according to the Opinion of the Greeks, had placed there herfelf on
Account of .its Weight, wasbut thirty Roman Feet, which are equal to twenty eight Feet *iine Inches
and feven Parts.
But what fully demonfrrat-es this Building to have been the Propyltea, is an exceeding fine Pedeflal
found there, being a part thereof, and placed before it; as was another fince deftroyed. Thefe two
Pedeftals, on which flood' the Equeftrian Statues mentioned by Paufanias, were diftant from each
other a little more than the breadth of the principal Front, whence they meafured forty Feet fix
Inches and eleven Parts, and to which they afcended by Steps.
The Architect in the Structure of thefe Pedeftals has endeavoured to adapt them to the form of
aHorfe, by the Sides which run parallel with the Front of the Building,- being narrower than the
others, and feems plainly to indicate that the Statues prefented themfelves in Front, on approaching
towards the Building. The Keys of the Propylsa were every Day depofited in the Hands of Epijlates
the Archon, who govern'd the City of Athens. "
lit