ISBN: 9781150061004

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustra… Plus…

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1801 Excerpt: .the lichens which coat the rocks, giving them an appearance of being painted. Knocking at the ancient oaken doors, a girl admitted us, and a few steps brought us among the crumbling ruins. Amid them, in cleared patches, oxen were ploughing, where once knights trod in armed mail. The This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1801 Excerpt: .the lichens which coat the rocks, giving them an appearance of being painted. Knocking at the ancient oaken doors, a girl admitted us, and a few steps brought us among the crumbling ruins. Amid them, in cleared patches, oxen were ploughing, where once knights trod in armed mail. The castle, when intact, was of prodigious extent and strength. The donjon tower is the only part now remaining at all perfect. The fury of the revolution Geology of Central France, p. 140. 172 LE PUIT DE L'ORACLE. of 1792 fell heavily on the rest of the buildings, and the extraordinary strength of the existing tower alone explains its preservation. In the great square adjoining it is a huge shaft, called the Puit de l'Oracle, which we ascertained to be 129 feet deep. At the depth of twenty feet it opens out into a complete labyrinth of passages and chambers, which must have been used for terribly dark purposes. Tradition relates that a temple dedicated to Apollo formerly stood near the shaft, and that from the murky depths of the latter the oracles of the god were delivered. This is in a great measure confirmed by the discovery of a huge stone mask which covered the opening of the shaft. This mask is preserved in a room near the castle gates. The features are rude but imposing; the mouth is wide open, for the purpose of giving free passage to the awful sounds which were uttered by crafty priests beneath. Its situation was in keeping with the myth relating to the original oracle. This was in possession of Themis, who kept it at the bottom of a fearful and mysterious chasm, guarded by the dragon Pvthon. Various Roman inscriptions have been found among the ruins; one runs thus: Tiberivs Clavdivs Cses. Avg. Germ. Pontifex Max. Trib. Potestate V. Imp. XI. Pater. Pat. Cons. IV. The Books, , Auvergne-Piedmont-and-Savoy~~Charles-Richard-Weld, 999999999, Auvergne, Piedmont, and Savoy; A Summer Ramble, Charles Richard Weld, 1150061006, General Books LLC, , , , , General Books LLC<

ISBN: 1150061006

ISBN: 1150061006