Alburnus itself with its pointed summits. A stream called the Solofone (which probably may 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 Pæstum 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 we left Pastum without accomplishing the whole of our object; which was to examine the ruins of Posidonia, visit the island of Licoso (the ancient Leucosia, which, like Naples, takes its name from a Syren) and the Cape Palinurus; to explore the recesses of Alburnus, and to 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 Acropoli, cannot but exhibit, if duly examined, some monument of the opulence and the 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 of some bloody skirmishes between the Roman armies and the bands of Spartacus, * Strabo, lib. v. to the 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 by the will of the conquerors, or by other circumstances, to adopt a foreign language and foreign 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 to deplore with tears and lamentations their sad degradation*. It would be a peculiar pleasure * As the passage alluded to is very beautiful, and at the same time uncommon, I insert it. Διόπερ ̓Αριστόξενος ἐν τοῖς Συμμίκτοις Συμποτικοῖς, Ομοιον, φησί, ποιῦμεν Ποσειδωνιάταις, τοῖς ἐν τῷ Τυρσηνικῷ κόλπῳ κατοικῶσιν, οἷς συνέβη, τὰ μέν ἐξ ἀρχῆς Ἕλλησιν ἔσιν, ἐκβεβαρβαρῶσθαι, Τυῤῥήνοις ἢ Ρωμαίοις γεγονόσι, καὶ τήν τε φωνὴν μεταβεβληκέναι, τά τε λοιπὰ τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων, ἄγειν τε μίαν τινα αὐτὲς τῶν ἑορτῶν τῶν Ἑλλη νικῶν ἔτι καὶ νῦν, ἐν ᾗ συνιόντες ἀναμιμνήσκονται τῶν ἀρχαίων ἐκείνων ὀνομάτων τε καὶ νομίμων, ἀπολοφυράμενοι δὲ πρὸς ἀλλήλοις, καὶ ἀποδακρύσαντες, ἀπέρχονται. Οὕτω δὲ ἐν, φησὶ, καὶ ἡμεῖς, επείδη καὶ τὰ θέατρα ἐκβεβαρβάρωται, καὶ ἐς μεγάλην διαφθορὰν προελήλυθεν ἡ πάνδημος αυτὴ μεσική, καθ ̓ αὑτὸς γενόμενοι ὀλίγοι ἀναμιμνησκόμεθα, οἷα ἦν ἡ μεσική. Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ ̓Αρισόξενος. Athenaus, lib. xiv. cap. 31. apud Mazzochi. Wherefore Aristoxenus, in his Convivial Miscellanies, to discover some monument of a people of so much sensibility, and of such persevering 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*. says, "We resemble the Posidonians, who dwell in the bay of Tuscany, and whose fate it was, having been originally Greeks, to be barbarized, becoming Tuscans "or Romans, and to change their language and the rest "of their institutions. Nevertheless they still keep one "of the Grecian festivals, at which having assembled, and commemorated their ancient names and customs, they "indulge in mutual condolence, and depart with tears. "So it is with us also," says he; "since our theatres have "become barbarized, and the public music been greatly "corrupted, a few of us meet together to commemorate "what music formerly was." So far Aristoxenus. * 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 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 thus afford 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 miscreants was presented to us by the clergyman who had been commissioned by the bishop to receive us, and was 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 had 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 eye brows, 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, which form the fiume salso (the salt river), which falls into the Solofone close to the walls of the city. attributed even to Jason, and as it was of great celebrity it may possibly have left some traces of its existence. On our way we observed several objects connected with antiquity, or 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 noticed and recommended by Galen. The Sarno, 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 often been stained with hostile blood, and once witnessed the defeat * They shunn'd the heat, where through the cultur'd plain Mild Sarnus gently journeys to the main. How sweet the groves! where whisp'ring Zephyrs blow Through the thick leaves, and murm'ring streamlets flow. |