SITE OF THE ANCIENT CITY.

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CHAPTER XV.

EPHESUS.

Mount Prion.-Site of the Ancient City.-Its Limits.-Quarries.-Early Christian Sepulchres.-Tombs of Mary, John, and Timothy.-Ruins of the Circus.-The Odeon.-The Theatre.-Scene of the Tumult excited by Paul's Preaching.-The Stadium.-Avenue.-No remains of the Temple of Diana.-Ancient Splendour of Ephesus.-Total Ruin of the City.Fulfilment of Prophecy.

ABOUT half an hour to the south of Aiasaluk is Prion, a detached mountain of marble, lying upon the lower declivity of Mount Corissus. Between them is a high, narrow valley, or, rather, wide and deep hollow, that expands, as it descends eastward, into the plain of Aiasaluk, and westward, towards the sea, into the plain of Ephesus. The ancient city lay partly in this hollow, but chiefly westward, where it climbed the flank of the mountain on either hand, descended into the plain, and extended westward to the sea, and northward to the Cayster. It was defended on the west by the sea, on the north by the river, on the east by a wall which ran from the river southward over Mount Prion, and crossing the hollow, ascended to the summit of Corissus, and thence along it westward to the sea. Portions of this wall, and some of its towers, still remain along the summits of Prion and Corissus. A single glance reveals to the traveller the strength and beauty of the situation of the city of the Ephesians.

Taking an old Turk for a guide, we proceeded southward, through vast fields of luxuriant barley, wheat, and rye, and in half an hour stood at the eastern base of Prion. High up in its precipitous cliffs were the artificial openings into the vast caverns formed by quarrying

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TOMBS OF MARY, JOHN, AND TIMOTHY.

the marble with which the city was built and adorned. Within them are still to be seen the remains of a very ancient Christian chapel; and here, as at Rome, were the sepulchres of the early disciples of Jesus. St. John was laid to rest here with, very probably, Mary the mother of Jesus; for it is not to be believed that she and the beloved disciple ever separated after Jesus had said on the cross," Woman, behold thy son!" and to the disciple, "Behold thy mother!" And from that hour John "took her unto his own home." We know that for many years before his death his home was at Ephesus, and none doubts but there he died and was buried. It is a reasonable supposition that the "mother" and the "son" were laid to rest together; and so the general council held at Ephesus in the fifth century believed. Mount Prion can make out a better claim for the tomb of the Virgin than the Valley of Jehoshaphat. Near Mary and her adopted son was buried Timothy, the first Bishop of Ephesus. Strange and delightful emotions fill the bosom of the Christian of the nineteenth century while, thousands of miles from his home in the New World, he looks into these ancient quarries where worshipped and were buried the first Christians of the Ephesian Church.

We advanced southward directly towards Mount Corissus, with Prion on our right, at the base of which was a long range of pedestals of marble columns whose shafts have disappeared, or lie prostrate among the rank grain. They probably mark the site of a portico which overlooked the great circus that we could easily trace immediately on our left. Near the southern end of the Circus, and just in the entrance of the narrow valley which runs up westward between the mountains, we came to the massive remains of a stupendous build

THE ODEON. THE THEATRE.

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ing. The interior walls, varying from six to ten feet in thickness, are formed of huge blocks of hewn stone laid without mortar. The exterior walls are thrown down, and much of the material had been broken up and transported to build the Saracenic city. But the lower courses and arches, upon which rested the porticoes that adorned the structure, still remain. The traveller who has seen the ruins of Balbec will perceive the striking resemblance between their masonry and this of the magnificent Gymnasium of the ancient Ephesians. Where acclaiming thousands witnessed the ancient sports, now the rank grass, tangled vines, and luxuriant grain embarrass the examinations of the curious traveller.

Ascending the narrow valley westward from the Gymnasium, we found the declivity of Corissus on the left, and Prion on the right, intersected by foundationwalls, and mined by subterranean arches penetrating inward. Of these last, doubtless the lower ones supported fine buildings; but the upper were probably tombs, whose marble fronts have been taken away, and their contents scattered to the winds, as at Petra and Jerusalem. Near the summit of the valley, on the slope of Prion, was the Odeon or Music theatre, whose form and dimensions are still well defined, though the marble seats and fine proscenium have long since disappeared. We lingered not here, for we knew that just at hand must be the theatre immortalized in the personal history of the Apostle Paul and his companions. It lies a little west of the Odeon, quite high up on the declivity of Prion. Though rent and somewhat fallen in, some of the mighty arches are still standing on which rested the proscenium and magnificent portico that looked out upon the city below, and far away

128

SCENE OF THE TUMULT.

to the sea and islands. Its cavea is still to be distinguished, but the vast ranges of marble seats which adorned it, circling up the steep one above another, have disappeared. The bases of the columns of the portico are still in their places, though nearly buried by the rubbish and soil. Standing within the area of this ancient theatre, the traveller feels that he is in Ephesus, and is carried back to the days of Paul, and the scene described in the following verses is presented vividly to his imagination:

"And the same time there arose no small stir about that way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silver-smith, which made silver shrines for Diana, brought no small gain unto the craftsmen; whom he called together with the workmen of like occupation, and said, Sirs, ye know that by this craft we have our wealth: moreover, ye see and hear, that not alone at Ephesus, but almost throughout all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and turned away much people, saying, that they be no gods which are made with hands. So that not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught, but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshippeth. And when they heard these sayings, they were full of wrath, and cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion; and having caught Gaius and Aristarchus, men of Macedonia, Paul's companions in travel, they rushed with one accord into the theatre. And when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples suffered him not. And certain of the chief of Asia, which were his friends, sent unto him desiring him that he would not adventure himself into the theatre. Some therefore

cried one thing, and some another; for the assembly was confused, and the more part knew not wherefore they were come together. And they drew Alexander out of the multitude, the Jews putting him forward. And Alexander beckoned with the hand, and would have made his defence unto the people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, all with one voice about the space of two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians."

On the right of the theatre, nearly on a level with it, and extending along the declivity of Prion, were the ruins of the Stadium, which rested on arches also; and below, in the plain, the crumbling walls of the agora, or market-place, of temples, and other public edifices. Beyond them, the Cayster wound through a morass to the sea, which is now three miles distant, but once was near at hand, and bordered by the overflowing city. Within the whole range of vision I saw not a human habitation, not even a tent, nor a human being except those that belonged to our party. Luxuriant grain covered the plain, and concealed foundation-walls, fractured columns, and sinking arches. By neglect, the plain has become marshy and exceedingly unhealthy. The peasants that till it dwell in villages in the adjacent mountains.

Descending from the theatre to the plain at the north side of Mount Prion, we came to the commencement of a wide avenue running eastward towards the Castle of Aiasaluk. Its direction is easily traced by the magnificent remains which border it on each side, consisting of foundation-walls of immense buildings, and of ranges of pedestals, marking the lines of magnificent porticoes. This avenue was continued far beyond the gate of the city, and must have been the pride of an