The Heat Of The Thermae And Steam Of The Sulphur Is Almost
Insupportable; But It Has A Most Beneficial Effect On Maladies Of The
Nerves And Cutaneous Complaints.
We then proceeded on our journey to Puzzuoli, the ancient Puteoli, where
are the remains of the famous mole
(Or bridge as others call it) of
Caligula, intended to embrace or unite the two extremes of the bay of Baiae
formed on one side by Puzzuoli and on the other by cape Misenus. We
alighted to take a dejeuner a la fourchette at Puzzuoli, and then went to
visit the temple of Jupiter Serapis, which is a vast edifice and tho' in
ruins very imposing. On wandering thro' the enceinte of this famous temple,
I thought of Apollonius of Tyana and his sudden appearance to his friend
Damis at the porch of this very temple, when he escaped from the fangs of
Domitian and when it was believed that, by means of magic art, he had been
able at once to transport himself from the Praetorium at Rome to Puteoli.
As I said before, the bay included by cape Misenus and Puzzuoli is what is
called Baiae. The land is low and marshy from Puzzuoli to a little beyond
the lake Avernus; but from Monte Nuovo it begins to rise and form high
cliffs nearly all way to Cape Misenus. It was on these high cliffs that the
opulent Romans built their villas and they must have been as much crowded
together as the villas at Ramsgate and Broadstairs.
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