DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.4266#0099
EXPLANATORY DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES.
21
state of the country at the period of Mr. Dodwell's visit, and the general nature of Sir W. Gell's work
did not allow them to enter more satisfactorily into the detailed account of the antiquities of this
remote and unfrequented site.
PLATE I.
Fig. I. The circular court, which forms, with the walls and towers of Messene, the principal
subject for illustration in this section, appears to have been the northern entrance to the city ; or,
very probably the gate leading to Megalopolis : on the road outside of it, there are several tombs
overgrown with shrubs, and shaded by lofty trees. The two solid masses of masonry, which flank
the entrance, most probably formed the foundations of two towers that defended the approach to the
gate. The circular form of the court may have been adopted, as affording greater space for the
scrutiny of the persons or carriages entering the city, as also to offer a second barrier to a success-
ful enemy, who, having forced the first gate, would find their advance impeded by another obstacle;
while the citizens from the ramparts surrounding the courts could with advantage annoy the assailants
confined within this restricted space.
In this circular court are two niches: on the wide fascia of the architrave above that marked A
on the plan, are indistinct traces of a Greek inscription, the letters of which are now so defaced as to
be illegible. Mr. Dodwell, from the Abbe Fourmont's collection of inscriptions in the King's
Library at Paris, quotes the following as the entire inscription solely on that authority :
KOINT02nAnTI02ET$HMinNEnE2KETA2EN.
Which means " Quintus Plotius Euphemion restored." This inscription doubtless related to the
statue in the niche, and from the name inscribed appears to have been engraved subsequent to the
Roman conquest of Greece.
Sir William Gella supposes that the inner gate was only divided into two openings, so as to
form a small passage for persons on foot on one side, and on the other a road for carriages, which
latter he supposes to have been covered by the celebrated large block of stone, which formed the
Epistylium; and the dimensions of which are 18 feet 10 inches, by 3 feet 4 inches high, and 4 feet
wide. From an attentive examination, however, of the ruins, it appears probable, that instead of two
there were three entrances (Fig. 8); for at the distance of 8 feet 10 inches from the side, there are
indications of a pier; in the centre of this space are still evident the wheel-ruts of carriages, but there
are no traces whatever of other ruts, so that the dimension of 8 feet 10 inches seems to give the
width of the carriage entrance. Supposing that the long stone rested 18 inches at each end, by leav-
ing each of the smaller entrances 3 feet 11 inches wide, and two piers of 3 feet Oj inch in width,
the actual opening of c22 feet 9 inches would be given. It might appear presumptuous to question
prenoit la moitie du Mont Ithome, et d'une autre montagne qui
lui est oppose a l'orient.—II trouva ensuite la porte de Megalo-
polis avec des inscriptions qui la designoient. Au dela de cette
partie sont les 38 tours en question, eloignees les unes des autrcs
de ] 50 pas. La muraille s'ctendoit d'avantage a l'occident, et
au midi dans les vallons, oii Ton voit les debris du Stadium de
beaucoup de temples et d'autres edifices publiques." Memoires
de l'Academie des Belles Lettres, torn. 7-
The Abbe Fourmont wrote a journal of his travels in Greece,
tne MS. of which was in the Bibliotheque du Roi at Paris, 2 vol.
4to., one of which only now remains under the No. Hi. It is
VOL. iv.
to be regretted that a traveller, pursuing his researches under
superior auspices, should have evinced such exaggeration, bad
taste, and want of faith. His forgeries of Greek inscriptions,
and destruction of valuable marbles to conceal his impostures,
deprive him on such subjects, when unsupported by other testi-
mony, of every degree of credit. Professor Boockh, of Berlin,
in his classical work of " Corpus Inscriptionum Gracarum", has
distinguished the false from the genuine inscriptions of the Abbe
Fourmont.
* Itinerary of the Morea, p. 60.
21
state of the country at the period of Mr. Dodwell's visit, and the general nature of Sir W. Gell's work
did not allow them to enter more satisfactorily into the detailed account of the antiquities of this
remote and unfrequented site.
PLATE I.
Fig. I. The circular court, which forms, with the walls and towers of Messene, the principal
subject for illustration in this section, appears to have been the northern entrance to the city ; or,
very probably the gate leading to Megalopolis : on the road outside of it, there are several tombs
overgrown with shrubs, and shaded by lofty trees. The two solid masses of masonry, which flank
the entrance, most probably formed the foundations of two towers that defended the approach to the
gate. The circular form of the court may have been adopted, as affording greater space for the
scrutiny of the persons or carriages entering the city, as also to offer a second barrier to a success-
ful enemy, who, having forced the first gate, would find their advance impeded by another obstacle;
while the citizens from the ramparts surrounding the courts could with advantage annoy the assailants
confined within this restricted space.
In this circular court are two niches: on the wide fascia of the architrave above that marked A
on the plan, are indistinct traces of a Greek inscription, the letters of which are now so defaced as to
be illegible. Mr. Dodwell, from the Abbe Fourmont's collection of inscriptions in the King's
Library at Paris, quotes the following as the entire inscription solely on that authority :
KOINT02nAnTI02ET$HMinNEnE2KETA2EN.
Which means " Quintus Plotius Euphemion restored." This inscription doubtless related to the
statue in the niche, and from the name inscribed appears to have been engraved subsequent to the
Roman conquest of Greece.
Sir William Gella supposes that the inner gate was only divided into two openings, so as to
form a small passage for persons on foot on one side, and on the other a road for carriages, which
latter he supposes to have been covered by the celebrated large block of stone, which formed the
Epistylium; and the dimensions of which are 18 feet 10 inches, by 3 feet 4 inches high, and 4 feet
wide. From an attentive examination, however, of the ruins, it appears probable, that instead of two
there were three entrances (Fig. 8); for at the distance of 8 feet 10 inches from the side, there are
indications of a pier; in the centre of this space are still evident the wheel-ruts of carriages, but there
are no traces whatever of other ruts, so that the dimension of 8 feet 10 inches seems to give the
width of the carriage entrance. Supposing that the long stone rested 18 inches at each end, by leav-
ing each of the smaller entrances 3 feet 11 inches wide, and two piers of 3 feet Oj inch in width,
the actual opening of c22 feet 9 inches would be given. It might appear presumptuous to question
prenoit la moitie du Mont Ithome, et d'une autre montagne qui
lui est oppose a l'orient.—II trouva ensuite la porte de Megalo-
polis avec des inscriptions qui la designoient. Au dela de cette
partie sont les 38 tours en question, eloignees les unes des autrcs
de ] 50 pas. La muraille s'ctendoit d'avantage a l'occident, et
au midi dans les vallons, oii Ton voit les debris du Stadium de
beaucoup de temples et d'autres edifices publiques." Memoires
de l'Academie des Belles Lettres, torn. 7-
The Abbe Fourmont wrote a journal of his travels in Greece,
tne MS. of which was in the Bibliotheque du Roi at Paris, 2 vol.
4to., one of which only now remains under the No. Hi. It is
VOL. iv.
to be regretted that a traveller, pursuing his researches under
superior auspices, should have evinced such exaggeration, bad
taste, and want of faith. His forgeries of Greek inscriptions,
and destruction of valuable marbles to conceal his impostures,
deprive him on such subjects, when unsupported by other testi-
mony, of every degree of credit. Professor Boockh, of Berlin,
in his classical work of " Corpus Inscriptionum Gracarum", has
distinguished the false from the genuine inscriptions of the Abbe
Fourmont.
* Itinerary of the Morea, p. 60.