On The Side Of The Same Mountain, More
Southerly, At The Distance Of Half A Mile, There Is Another Still
More Copious Discharge Of The Same Kind Of Water, Called La
Source Du Temple.
It was conveyed through the same kind of
passage, and put to the same use as the other; and
I should
imagine they are both from the same source, which, though
hitherto undiscovered, must be at a considerable distance, as the
mountain is continued for several leagues to the westward,
without exhibiting the least signs of water in any other part.
But, exclusive of the subterranean conduits, both these streams
must have been conveyed through aqueducts extending from hence to
Cemenelion over steep rocks and deep ravines, at a prodigious
expence. The water from this source du temple, issues from a
stone building which covers the passage in the rock. It serves to
turn several olive, corn, and paper mills, being conveyed through
a modern aqueduct raised upon paultry arcades at the expence of
the public, and afterwards is branched off in very small streams,
for the benefit of this parched and barren country. The Romans
were so used to bathing, that they could not exist without a
great quantity of water; and this, I imagine, is one reason that
induced them to spare no labour and expence in bringing it from a
distance, when they had not plenty of it at home. But, besides
this motive, they had another: they were so nice and delicate in
their taste of water, that they took great pains to supply
themselves with the purest and lightest from afar, for drinking
and culinary uses, even while they had plenty of an inferior sort
for their bath, and other domestic purposes.
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