I Shall Give You One More Sepulchral Inscription On A Marble,
Which Is Now Placed Over The Gate Of The Church Belonging To The
Convent Of St. Pont, A Venerable Building, Which Stands At The
Bottom Of The Hill, Fronting The North Side Of The Town Of Nice.
This St. Pont, or Pontius, was a Roman convert to Christianity,
who suffered martyrdom at Cemenelion in the year 261, during the
reigns of the emperors Valerian and Gallienus.
The legends
recount some ridiculous miracles wrought in favour of this saint,
both before and after his death. Charles V. emperor of Germany
and king of Spain, caused this monastery to be built on the spot
where Pontius suffered decapitation. But to return to the
inscription: it appears in these words.
M. M. A.
FLAVIAE. BASILLAE. CONIVG. CARISSIM.
DOM. ROMA. MIRAE. ERGA. MARITUM. AMORIS.
ADQ. CASTITAT. FAEMINAE. QVAE. VIXIT
ANN. XXXV. M. III. DIEB. XII. AVRELIVS
RHODISMANVS. AVG. LIB. COMMEM. ALP.
MART. ET. AVRELIA, ROMVLA. FILII.
IMPATIENTISSIM. DOLOR. EIVS. ADFLICTI
ADQ. DESOLATI. CARISSIM. AC MERENT. FERET.
FEC. ET. DED,
Freely consecrated by Aurelius Rhodismanus, the Emperor's
Freedman, to the much honoured memory of his dear Consort Flavia
Aurelia of Rome, a woman equally distinguished by her unblemished
Virtue and conjugal affection. His children Martial and Aurelia
Romula deeply affected and distressed by the Violence of his
Grief, erected and dedicated a monument to their dear deserving
Parent. [I don't pretend to translate these inscriptions
literally, because I am doubtful about the meaning of some
abbreviations.]
The amphitheatre of Cemenelion is but very small, compared to
that of Nismes. The arena is ploughed up, and bears corn: some of
the seats remain, and part of two opposite porticos; but all the
columns, and the external facade of the building, are taken away
so that it is impossible to judge of the architecture, all we can
perceive is, that it was built in an oval form. About one hundred
paces from the amphitheatre stood an antient temple, supposed to
have been dedicated to Apollo. The original roof is demolished,
as well as the portico; the vestiges of which may still be
traced. The part called the Basilica, and about one half of the
Cella Sanctior, remain, and are converted into the dwelling-house
and stable of the peasant who takes care of the count de
Gubernatis's garden, in which this monument stands. In the Cella
Sanctior, I found a lean cow, a he-goat, and a jack-ass; the very
same conjunction of animals which I had seen drawing a plough in
Burgundy. Several mutilated statues have been dug up from the
ruins of this temple; and a great number of medals have been
found in the different vineyards which now occupy the space upon
which stood the antient city of Cemenelion. These were of gold,
silver, and brass. Many of them were presented to Charles Emanuel
I. duke of Savoy. The prince of Monaco has a good number of them
in his collection; and the rest are in private hands. The
peasants, in digging, have likewise found many urns,
lachrymatories, and sepulchral stones, with epitaphs, which are
now dispersed among different convents and private houses. All
this ground is a rich mine of antiquities, which, if properly
worked, would produce a great number of valuable curiosities.
Just by the temple of Apollo were the ruins of a bath, composed
of great blocks of marble, which have been taken away for the
purposes of modern building. In all probability, many other noble
monuments of this city have been dilapidated by the same
barbarous oeconomy. There are some subterranean vaults, through
which the water was conducted to this bath, still extant in the
garden of the count de Gubernatis. Of the aqueduct that conveyed
water to the town, I can say very little, but that it was scooped
through a mountain: that this subterranean passage was discovered
some years ago, by removing the rubbish which choaked it up: that
the people penetrating a considerable way, by the help of lighted
torches, found a very plentiful stream of water flowing in an
aqueduct, as high as an ordinary man, arched over head, and lined
with a sort of cement. They could not, however, trace this stream
to its source; and it is again stopped up with earth and rubbish.
There is not a soul in this country, who has either spirit or
understanding to conduct an inquiry of this kind. Hard by the
amphitheatre is a convent of Recollets, built in a very romantic
situation, on the brink of a precipice. On one side of their
garden, they ascend to a kind of esplanade, which they say was
part of the citadel of Cemenelion. They have planted it with
cypress-trees, and flowering-shrubs. One of the monks told me,
that it is vaulted below, as they can plainly perceive by the
sound of their instruments used in houghing the ground. A very
small expence would bring the secrets of this cavern to light.
They have nothing to do, but to make a breach in the wall, which
appears uncovered towards the garden.
The city of Cemenelion was first sacked by the Longobards, who
made an irruption into Provence, under their king Alboinus, about
the middle of the sixth century.
It was afterwards totally destroyed by the Saracens, who, at
different times, ravaged this whole coast. The remains of the
people are supposed to have changed their habitation, and formed
a coalition with the inhabitants of Nice.
What further I have to say of Nice, you shall know in good time;
at present, I have nothing to add, but what you very well know,
that I am always your affectionate humble servant.
LETTER, XIV
NICE, January 20, 1764.
DEAR SIR, - Last Sunday I crossed Montalban on horseback, with
some Swiss officers, on a visit to our consul, Mr. B - d, who
lives at Ville Franche, about half a league from Nice. It is a
small town, built upon the side of a rock, at the bottom of the
harbour, which is a fine basin, surrounded with hills on every
side, except to the south, where it lies open to the sea.
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