THE EUPHRATES.

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it appears probable, that the temple was also at no great distance from the opposite bank of the river; that is, the eastern bank.*

A presumptive proof of the supposed position of the temple, should the words of Diodo

projected tunnel under the Thames. That of Semiramis is said to have been fifteen feet in breadth and twelve in height, to the springing of the arch; perhaps twenty in all. The ends of the vault were shut up with brazen gates. Diodorus had an idea that the Euphrates was five stadia in breadth. See lib. ii. C. i.

The Euphrates was turned out of its channel, in order to effect this purpose. Herodotus, who is silent concerning the tunnel, says, that the river was turned aside, in order to build a bridge. Diodorus describes a bridge also. There is an absurd story told by both these historians, respecting the disposal of the water of the river, during the time of building the bridge, &c. According to them, the water was received into a vast reservoir, instead of the obvious and usual mode of making a new channel, to conduct the river clear of the work constructing in its bed into the old channel, at a point lower down.

*Here it is proper to remark, that there is this specific difference between the descriptions of Herodotus and Diodorus: the first says, that the centres of the two divisions were occupied, respectively, by the palace and temple; but Diodorus, by two palaces; and although he speaks of the temple also, yet he does not point out its situation. The square of the temple itself was two stadia.

L

146

THE BELIDIAN AND

The

rus be regarded as ambiguous, is, that the gate of the city, named Belidian, and which we must conclude to be denominated from the temple, appears pretty clearly to have been situated on the east side. When Darius Hystaspes besieged Babylon, (Thalia, 155, et seq.) the Belidian and Cissian gates were opened to him by Zopyrus; and the Babylonians fled for refuge to the temple of Belus, as, we may suppose, the nearest place of security. Cissian or Susian gate must surely have been in the eastern front of the city, as Susa lay to the east; and, by circumstances, the Belidian gate was near it, as the plan was laid that Persian troops were to be stationed opposite to these gates; and it is probable that matters would be so contrived, as to facilitate, as much as possible, the junction of the two bodies of Persian troops that were first to enter the city, as a kind of forlorn hope.

It may also be remarked, that the gates at which the feints were made, previous to the opening of the Belidian and Cissian, were those

of Ninus, Chaldea, and Semiramis. The first, towards Ninus or Nineveh, must have been, of course, to the north, and the Chaldean to the south; and perhaps that of Semiramis to the north-east, between the Belidian and Ninian, as that of Cissia to the south-east, between the Belidian and Chaldean. As it is unquestionable that the Ninian and Cissian gates were in the eastern division of Babylon, since the countries whence they are respectively denominated lie to the east of the Euphrates, it may be collected that the attack was confined to that division alone, (and what army could invest a fortress thirty-four miles in circuit?) If this be admitted, the Belidian gate, and temple of Belus, must have stood on the east side of the Euphrates.*

* Herodotus says, that there were a hundred gates in the circuit of the city, which being a space of thirty-four miles, allows three gates to each mile. It is certain that in modern fortresses, the communications with the country are not so numerous, in proportion to their extent; nor, on the other hand, are they so far asunder as to have only three in a front of eight and a half miles. Probably the rest might have been smaller portals, which were shut up during a siege.

148

ACCOUNT OF THE

Taking for granted, then, that the tower of Belus stood in the eastern division of the city, let us examine the accounts of it.

It appears that none of the Greeks who describe it, had seen it till after it had been either ruined by Xerxes, or gone so far to decay, that its original design was not apparent. Herodotus himself, therefore, admitting that he viewed it, might not be a perfect judge of the design, or of the original height of the superstructure. This may account for his exaggerated description; perhaps imposed on him, by some of the citizens of Babylon, long after the upper stories had fallen to ruin. The mass of rub

It may indeed be concluded, that there were fewer gates and communications with the country on the west, than elsewhere; for it may be recollected, that Alexander wished to enter the city by the west, (after his return from India,) in order to avoid the evil foretold by the soothsayers; but was compelled to give up the attempt, by reason of the marshes and morasses on that side.-(See Arrian, lib. vii.)—We are told also by Diodorus, lib. ii. chap. 1., that the number and depth of the morasses round about Babylon, made a smaller number of towers, in the nature of bastions, necessary for the defence of the wall. There were only two hundred and fifty circuit of thirty-four miles.

of these, in the whole

TOWER OF BELUS.

149

bish, mentioned by Strabo, seems to prove this.

All the descriptions are very brief; and Strabo is the only one who pretends to give the positive measure of the elevation of the tower; though all agree in stating it to be very great. The square of the temple, says Herodotus, was two stadia (one thousand feet;) and the the tower itself one stadium; in which Strabo agrees. The former adds, In the midst, a tower rises, of the solid depth and height of one stadium; upon which, resting as a base, seven other turrets are built in regular succession. The ascent is on the outside, which, winding from the ground, is continued to the highest tower; and in the middle of the whole structure, there is a convenient resting-place. In the last tower is a large chapel, in which is placed a couch, magnificently adorned; and near it a table of solid gold, but there is no statue in the place." Clio, 181.- He afterwards describes another chapel, lower down in the structure, with golden statues, tables, and altars :