As we were neither devoured by Cerberus nor hustled by
old Charon into his boat, we returned from the Shades below to the light
of heaven, triumphant like Ulysses or Aeneas, considering ourselves now
among the Pauci quos aequus amavit Jupiter.[99]
Acheron, the dreadful Acheron, is not far from Avernus and is likewise a
lake, tho' call'd a river in the mythology. It is also sulfuric and the
ground about it is woody, low, marshy and consequently aguish.
We next ascended the cliffs of Baiae and we were shown the remains of the
villas of Cicero, Caesar, Sylla and other great names. We then went to the
baths of Nero (so called). Here it is the fashion to descend under ground
in order to feel the effect of the sulfuric heat, which is intense, and my
friend who descended soon returned dripping with perspiration and calling
out: Qui n'a pas vu cela n'a rien vu! but I did not chuse to descend, as
I could feel no pleasure in being half stifled and the grotto del Cane
had already given me a full idea of the force of the vapour of the
Thermes.
We then descended from the cliffs of Baiae on the other side, and visited
the remains of three celebrated temples of antiquity situated on the beach
nearly and very close to each other, viz., the temples of Diana, of Venus
and of Mercury; all striking objects and majestic, tho' in a state of
dilapidation.
