Mont Alburnus itself with its pointed summits. A stream called the Solofone (which may probably be its ancient appellation) flows under the walls, and by spreading its waters over its low borders, and thus producing pools that corrupt in hot weather, continues, as in ancient times*, to infect the air, and render Pastum a dangerous residence in summer. As the heats were increasing, and the season of malaria approached, we did not deem it prudent to prolong our excursion, and left Pæstum without accomplishing the whole of our object, which was to examine the ruins of Posidonia, visit the island of Licosa (the ancient Leucosia, which like Naples takes its name from a Syren) and the Cape Palinurus, explore the recesses of Alburnus, and wander over the vale of Diano watered by the classic Tanagro. The ruins of Posidonia which, as I have already mentioned, cover the plain that extends from Pæstum to Agropoli cannot but exhibit, if duly examined, some valuable monument, or at least some instance of the opulence and refinement of its founders, the luxurious Sybarites. These people, when enslaved by the Lucanians, and afterwards subjected to the Romans, still retained a fond attachment to the name and manners of Greece, and are said to have displayed their partiality to their mother country in a manner that evinces both their taste and their feeling. Being compelled, it seems, by circumstances, or the will of the conquerors to adopt their language and manners, which Aristoxenus, who relates the anecdote, emphatically calls being barbarized, they were accustomed to assemble annually, on one of the great festivals of Greece, in order to revive the memory of their Grecian origin, to speak their primitive language, and deplore with tears and lamentations their sad degradation*. It would be a peculiar pleasure to discover some monument of a people of so much sensibility, and of such persevering patriotism. patriotism. Beyond the ruins, and separated from them by a little stream now called Pastena, rises the hill of the Acropolis, where some vestige must surely remain, and might be discovered by diligent researches†. * As the passage alluded to is very beautiful, and at the same time uncommon, I insert it. Διόπερ ̓Αρισόξενος ἐν τοῖς Συμμίκτοις Συμποτικοῖς, Ὅμοιον, φησί, ποιέμεν Ποσειδωνιάταις, τοῖς ἐν τῷ Τυρσηνικῷ κόλπῳ κατοικέσιν, οἷς συνέβη, τὰ μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς Ἕλλησιν ἔσιν, ἐκβεβαρβαρῶσθαι, Τυῤῥήνοις ἢ Ῥωμαίοις γεγονόσι, καὶ τήν τε φωνὴν μεταβεβληκέναι, τά τε λοιπὰ τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων, ἄγειν τε μίαν τινα αὐτὲς τῶν ἑορτῶν τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν ἔτι καὶ νῦν, ἐν ᾗ συνιόντες ἀναμιμνήσκονται τῶν ἀρχαίων ἐκείνων ὀνομάτων τε καὶ νομίμων, ἀπολοφυράμενοι δὲ πρὸς ἀλλήλες, καὶ ἀποδακρύ σαντες, ἀπέρχονται. Οὕτω δὲ ἦν, φησὶ, καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐπείδη καὶ τὰ θέατρα ἐκβεβαρβάρωται, καὶ ἐς μεγάλην διαφθορὰν προελήλυθεν ἡ πάνδημος αυτὴ μεσική, καθ' αὐτὲς γενόμενοι ὀλίγοι ἀναμιμνησκόμεθα, οἷα ἦν ἡ μεσική. Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ ̓Αριςόξενος. -Athenæus ap. Mazzochi. + The reader will observe, that I have confined myself to the general measures and appearances of the temples, in conformity to the plan of this tour; for details he may be referred to the work of Mr. Wilkins, the minute accuracy of whose measurements and delineations he may depend upon. This gentleman, in conjunction with other travellers, supposes the pillars of Pæstum to be covered with a sort of plaster or stucco, which, however, by its long duration seems to have acquired the hardness, consistency, and certainly has the appearance, of the stone which I mentioned. As the plains that extend for some way on each side of the Silarus are very thinly inhabited, and at the same time covered in many places with woods and thickets, they are become the resort of banditti and outlaws. One of these We returned by the same road, and regretted as we passed over the plain, that we had not sent a boat before us to take us back along the coast, and give us an opportunity of examining the shore, and exploring the site of the temple of Juno Argiva that stood at the mouth of the Silaris; according to Strabo, on the Lucanian bank—according to Pliny, on that of Picenum. As the former is the most circumstantial and less declamatory of the two, his authority seems preferable. This temple was of high antiquity, and attributed even to Jason, and as it was of great celebrity may possibly have left some traces at least of its existence. On our way we observed some objects connected with antiquity, or at least mentioned by ancient writers, which we had passed unnoticed, or not particularized before. Thus in descending from the mountains of La Cava we had on our left the Monte Lattario, so called both in ancient and modern times from its excellent milk, which was once distinguished by the miscreants was presented to us by the clergyman who had been commissioned by the bishop to receive us, and recommended as an object of charity. Upon inquiring into his case we discovered that he had shot his wife, because she had shewn a partiality for the strangers (the French), and threatened him, as he said, with poison. To avoid the pursuit of justice, he had run away from his home, and become a wanderer in the forests, and amid the ruins of the plain of Pæstum. Our refusal was accompanied with an observation, that he was an object of justice not of charity. He stalked away in sullen disappointment. His figure was that of an assassin; tall, bony, and lank, with black hair and thick eyebrows, a dark complexion, and glaring eyes. He was armed with a gun and pistols; and was on the whole an object very unwelcome to the eye in such a solitude. It may not perhaps be useless to observe, that there are four mineral springs near Pæstum, said to be of considerable efficacy in different complaints: from these springs flow as many little streamlets, that form the fiume salso, which falls into the Solofone close to the walls of the city. encomiums of Galen. The Sarnus, though not unhonored by the ancients has yet been celebrated with more complacency by the modern poets. Sannazarius, whom I have before mentioned with due applause, frequently alludes to it, and on one occasion describes the river and the scenery that borders its banks with much truth and beauty. Vitabant æstus qua pinguia culta vadosus These fertile plains have been often stained with hostile blood, and once witnessed the defeat and death of a Gothic monarch. Narses was the Roman general. Teia the barbarian chief. Stabiæ, now Castell à mare di Stabia, had in Pliny's time disappeared as a town and given place to a villa*. It is now once more a populous town, and surrounded with rural retreats. At the very gates of Naples, under the Ponte de la Maddalena, flows the Sebethus, with all the honors of its ancient name, but too inconsiderable a rill to be represented, as it seems to have been formerly, as a characteristic feature of Naples. Doctaque Parthenope, Sebethide roscida nympha. As we continued our route without stopping at Salerno, we arrived at Naples on the same day, but very late. * It was destroyed by Sylla, and never seems to have revived. CHAP. II. RETURN OF THE KING TO NAPLES-REJOICINGS-ORNAMENTAL THE QUEEN-ILLUMINATIONS-LAZZARONI-CHARACTER OF WE had now made all the excursions which are usually pointed out to travellers, or rather, all which the time of our arrival and the advanced season would permit us to make with convenience, and perhaps safety. Our curiosity however was far from being sated. The south of Italy, Apulia, Bruttium and Calabria, which still retain the forest wildness that attracted the Romans, when they were sated with the softer beauties of Latium and Campania*, now lay before us, and presented so many interesting objects, that it was impossible not to feel a most ardent desire to continue and extend our excursions. The lake Amsanctus was within our reach; Mount Vultur rises not very much farther, on the banks of the Aufidus; numberless lakes ex * Seneca de Tranquillitate 2. |