Chap. XI Of the Hippodrom, Its Obelisk, Its Statues, and Columns
Modern Historians, as Zonaras and others, write, that the Hippodrom was built by Severus upon his Reconciliation with the Byzantians. Zosimus, a more ancient Writer tells us, that it was built, and curiously beautified by Constantine the Great, part of which he made the Temple of Castor and Pollux, whose Images remain’d in the Portico’s of the Hippodrom down to his Time; that is, ’till the Reign of Theodosius the Less. In the middle of the Circo, which the Greeks call the Hippodrom, there stood an Obelisk made of Thebaick Stone; but as the ancient Description of the Wards takes no Notice of it, tho’ it does of the Square Thebaick Obelisk in the fifth Ward, I should be inclin’d to believe, that the Obelisk, I am speaking of, was overturn’d by an Earth-quake, and remov’d by Theodosius into the Hippodrom, after that Treatise was wrote, if the Author had not taken notice of many of Theodosius’s Works, and omitted some Things in the Wards, which he afterwards mention’d in his General View of the City. ’Tis very probable, that Constantinople had more Obelisks than one. As to that taken notice of in the fifth Ward, it is not now remaining. When first I arriv’d at Constantinople I saw two of them, one in the Circus Maximus, another in the Imperial Precinct, standing on the North-side of the first Hill. This last was of a square Figure, and was erected near the Houses of the Grand Seignor’s Glaziers. A little time after I saw it lying prostrate without the Precinct, and found it to be thirty five Foot in Length. Each of its Sides, if I mistake not, was six Foot broad, and the whole was eight Yards in Compass. It was purchased by Antonius Priolus, a Nobleman of Venice, who sent it thither, and placed it in St. Stephen’s Market. The other is standing in the Hippodrom to this Day. ’Tis supported by four square broad Pieces of Brass, each a Foot and a half high, with a Base and a Pedestal of the same Height. From the Ground there rise two Steps against the Pedestal, the lowermost of which is a Foot high, and of the same Breadth: The upper Step is two Foot high, and projects four Foot and four Fingers Breadth beyond the Pedestal. The Steps are not laid within the Pedestal, but are join’d to it withoutside, as appears by the Cement. Upon the Steps stands the Pedestal, which is every way twelve Foot broad, four Foot eight Digits in Height and projects beyond the Base a Foot and a half: Somewhat above a Foot higher it is more contracted, and does not project beyond its Base; for from the Top of the Pedestal there’s a Fluting on the four Sides of the Obelisk which is cut out of the same Stone of which the Pedestal is made, and is a Foot and thirteen Digits high. The Corners of the Top of the Pedestal are worn, and defac’d, but are repair’d by four Stones of Thebaick Porphyry Marble, each of them a Foot and a half high; for all the fluted Part of the Pedestal that lies between these four angular Stones, together with the upper Part of it, support the Base, which is seven Foot and thirteen Digits high, and projects a Foot and a half beyond the Bottom of the Shaft of the Obelisk, to the Breadth of nine Foot, and as many Digits: ’Tis carv’d on all Sides, as is also the Pedestal, which is covered with curious Statues cut in Basso Relievo. The Sculptures on the North-side of it, stand in two Ranges, the lowermost of which contains eighteen Statues, and two Cap-stands, which are turn’d round with Iron Crows by four Men, and wind the Ropes, which are drawn through Pullies, round the Cap-stand, and so draw the Obelisk along the Ground. In the same Range is engraved the Obelisk in an upright Posture, as it now stands, with three Statues, one of which, as the Inhabitants tell you, represents the Master, and the other the Servant, whom he design’d to correct, if a third Person had not interposed, because he had erected the Obelisk in his Absence. In the upper Range there are also the Figures of two Cap-stands, with the same Number of Men working them, and labouring with those below them, to drag the Obelisk. The Wreaths of the Ropes in particular, are very nicely cut. If the Reader could apprehend the manner in which this cumbersome Pillar was erected, I believe he would judge it was done the way, as Marcellinus describes. There was nothing wanting, says he, but the Erection of the Obelisk, the Accomplishment of which, without the greatest Danger, could scarcely be conceiv’d. You might see, says he, a vast Wood of Scaffolding made of tall Beams: At the Top of these were fix’d large, and long Ropes, after the manner of Threads in a Weaver’s Loom; which by their Thickness and Closeness to one another, darkned the Air. These Ropes at the Bottom were fastned round the Obelisk, which being leisurely drawn into the Air, many thousands working at the Cap-stands, was at last fix’d upon its Basis. I believe there are at present Engineers at Constantinople, who could do the same thing. I am induc’d to think so, by what I observ’d of a Pillar on the Side of the fifth Hill, which was almost equal in Magnitude to this Obelisk. I saw this Pillar taken off its Basis, and laid upon the Ground in the following manner. Round the Pillar, though at some Distance from it, they fix’d in the Ground near to one another large Poles, much taller than the Pillar, at an equal Distance from each other. At the Top of these Poles, they laid others across them, which were fasten’d to them in the strongest manner, and to which were fix’d the Pullies, through which the Ropes slipp’d, which reach’d from the Bottom of the Shaft of the Pillar to the Top, and were fasten’d to it: The Ropes were so thick, both length-ways and cross-ways, that at some Distance the Scaffolding look’d like a square Tower. There were many Cap-stands on all Sides fix’d in the Ground, which were turn’d by infinite Numbers of the strongest Youth, till they had mov’d it from its Basis, and laid it prostrate with the Earth. They afterwards laid it upon strong Carriages, the Wheels of which were bound with thick Iron, and brought it safe to the third Hill, and set it up as an Ornament to the Mosque of Solyman the Emperor. But to return to the Obelisk; on the West-side of the Pedestal was the following Inscription in Greek:
To raise this Four-square Pillar to its Height,
And fix it steddy on its solid Base,
Great Theodosius try’d, but try’d d in vain.
In two and thirty Days, by Proclus’ Skill,
The toilsome Work, with great Applause, was finish’d.
And on the other Side was this Inscription in Latin, which was somewhat defac’d, but I could read it, and is as follows:
Difficilis quondam dominis parere serenis
Jussus, & extinctis palmam portare Tyrannis.
Omnia Theodosio cedunt, sobolique perenni:
Ter denis sic victus, duobusque diebus,
Judice sub Proclo, sublime elatus ad auras.
On the South Side of it there are two Ranges of Statues, the lowermost of which has engrav’d upon it four Chariots, two of which are drawn by a Pair, and the other by four Horses, with a Driver to each of them. In the upper Range are two Equestrian Statues, three Footmen, three Togati, two Obelisks, and four square Pillars. On the North Side of the Basis are engrav’d four Ranges of Figures, which contain thirty five Statues in Gowns. On the West Side there are two Ranges, the lowest of which has nine Statues in a suppliant Posture, making Presents to the Emperor, who stands in the upper Range, with sixteen Statues about him. The South Side has two Ranges; upon the lowest are cut ten Statues in Gowns, in a petitioning manner; the upper contains twenty Statues, all in Gowns, except four in a fighting Posture, arm’d with Bucklers. The East Side, on the lowest part of it, has three Ranges; the lowest Range contains sixteen Statues of Men and Women, dancing and playing upon Instruments of Musick; above which are two Ranges more, in which appear little more than the Heads, which I look upon to be the Spectators. The highest Range has twenty Statues, six of which are divided from the rest by Pillars. The middle Figure holds a Crown in his Hand. Upon the Basis are four square Pieces of Brass carv’d, which being plac’d in a quadrilateral Figure, the whole Obelisk bears upon them. ’Tis engrav’d from Top to Bottom with Ægyptian Characters.