Stephanus 117

117a accompanied it too, matching it in size and in the artistry of its making; and the palaces in their turn were worthy of the greatness of their empire and worthy of the ornament that belonged to the temples. And the springs, the one of cold water and the one of warm, whose supply was without stint, and whose waters were a marvel both in sweetness and in fitness for either use, they made much of, surrounding them with buildings and with plantings of trees suited 117b to the waters, and setting reservoirs about them, some in the open air, others roofed over for the warm baths in winter: the royal baths apart, the private apart, others again for women, and yet others for horses and the other beasts of burden, giving to each the adornment that befitted it. The overflow they led to the grove of Poseidon, where trees of every kind, of beauty and a wondrous height, grew by the excellence of the soil; and they carried it on to the outer rings through channels cut at the bridges. 117c There many temples of many gods, many gardens, and many gymnasia had been built, some for men and some apart for horses, in each of the two rings of land; and in particular, in the middle of the larger of the islands, a racecourse had been marked out for them, a stade in breadth, while its length ran the whole way round the ring, left open for the contest of horses. About it on either side were quarters for the guard, 117d for the host of the bodyguard; the more trusted of them were stationed in the smaller ring, nearer the acropolis, and those who surpassed all the rest in fidelity had dwellings given them within the acropolis itself, about the persons of the kings. The shipyards were full of triremes, and of all the equipment that belongs to triremes, everything amply fitted out. Such, then, was what stood about the dwelling of the kings. But once past the harbors, which were three, facing outward, there ran from 117e the sea a wall in a circle, keeping everywhere a distance of fifty stades from the largest ring and the harbor, and closing upon itself at the mouth of the canal where it faced the sea. All this was densely covered with many dwellings, and the ship-channel and the great harbor were thick with ships and merchants arriving from every quarter, whose multitude raised by day and by night a clamor of voices, a tumult of every kind, and a din of sound.

Critias: So much, then, for the capital and what lay about the ancient dwelling-place, kept in memory now very nearly as it was told then; but of the rest of the land

117a was there too, matching that building in size and in the quality of its work. The royal palaces, in the same way, were fit for the size of their power and fit for the splendor that was about the temples. They used the two springs, the one of cold water and the one of hot. The water came in endless supply, and it was wonderfully pleasant and good for each kind of use. They surrounded the springs with buildings and with plantings of trees suited to 117b the waters. They set in cisterns as well—some in the open air, and some roofed over for the warm baths in winter—separate ones for the kings, separate ones for private people, and still others for the women, and others again for the horses and the other beasts of burden, giving each its fitting share of this comfort. They led the overflow to the grove of Poseidon, which had trees of every kind, beautiful, with a wondrous height from the goodness of the soil. They ran the water out to the outer rings through channels at the bridges. 117c In those rings many temples had been built by hand, to many gods, and many gardens and many exercise grounds—some for men, and some set apart for horses—in each of the two land rings. And, besides these, a racecourse had been cut out for them through the middle of the larger land island, one stade wide, while its length ran the whole way around the circle, kept open for contests of horses. Around it, on this side and on that, stood guard houses 117d, sized for the crowd of the guards. The post for the more trusted men was set in the smaller ring, the one nearer the acropolis. Homes inside the acropolis, around the kings themselves, were given to the men who were most to be trusted of all. The shipyards were full of triremes, and of all the gear that belongs to triremes, and everything was well fitted out. So much, then, for the way the home of the kings was furnished. But past the harbors, which were three, on the outside, a wall, starting 117e at the sea, ran around in a circle, fifty stades from the largest ring and harbor at every point, and it closed in at the mouth of the canal, the one toward the sea. All this space was covered with many thickly packed houses, and the waterway and the great harbor were full of ships and of merchants arriving from every side, and the crowd filled day and night with voices, with every kind of noise and clatter.

Critias: The city, then, and the land around the ancient dwelling place have now been described almost exactly as it was told back then. The rest of the country,

117a in respect of its size and its workmanship, harmonized with its surroundings; and the royal palace likewise was such as befitted the greatness of the kingdom, and equally befitted the splendor of the temples.

The springs they made use of, one kind being of cold, another of warm water, were of abundant volume, and each kind was wonderfully well adapted for use because of the natural taste and excellence of its waters; and these they surrounded with buildings and with plantations of trees such as suited the waters;

117b and, moreover, they set reservoirs round about, some under the open sky, and others under cover to supply hot baths in the winter; they put separate baths for the kings and for the private citizens, besides others for women, and others again for horses and all other beasts of burden, fitting out each in an appropriate manner. And the outflowing water they conducted to the sacred grove of Poseidon, which contained trees of all kinds that were of marvellous beauty and height because of the richness of the soil; and by means of channels they led the water to the outer circles over against the bridges.

117c And there they had constructed many temples for gods, and many gardens and many exercising grounds, some for men and some set apart for horses, in each of the circular belts of island; and besides the rest they had in the center of the large island a racecourse laid out for horses, which was a stade in width, while as to length, a strip which ran round the whole circumference was reserved for equestrian contests. And round about it, on this side and on that, were barracks for the greater part of the spearmen; but the guard-house of the more trusty 117d of them was posted in the smaller circle, which was nearer the acropolis; while those who were the most trustworthy of all had dwellings granted to them within the acropolis round about the persons of the kings.

And the shipyards were full of triremes and all the tackling that belongs to triremes, and they were all amply equipped.

Such then was the state of things round about the abode of the kings. And after crossing the three outer harbors, 117e one found a wall which began at the sea and ran round in a circle, at a uniform distance of fifty stades from the largest circle and harbor, and its ends converged at the seaward mouth of the channel. The whole of this wall had numerous houses built on to it, set close together; while the sea-way and the largest harbor were filled with ships and merchants coming from all quarters, which by reason of their multitude caused clamor and tumult of every description and an unceasing din night and day.

Critias: Now as regards the city and the environs of the ancient dwelling we have now wellnigh completed the description as it was originally given. We must endeavor next to repeat the account of the rest of the country,