Alas, poor Queen Atlana!
CHAPTER VIII.
POSEIDON’S FESTIVAL DAY.
It was an hour past noon when Hellen left the palace. Soon he was traversing the great roadway among throngs of people, some on foot, some on horseback, some in chariots; and all, like himself, bound for the great temple.
For this was the Festival day of Poseidon, and he must now be honored less from love than from habit. So much had this people fallen.
This great roadway was stupendous of construction. Of thirty feet in width, it coiled about the mountain, spiral-like, from the base to the summit fifteen hundred feet above, in terraces of a hundred feet in height—these terraces being interrupted only about the vast groundwork of the temple, and there being continued in tunnels. In many places the roadway was cut out of the solid rock; and, in others, built over solid masonry in which the arch was a conspicuous figure; whilst transverse paths led from it up and down in numerous available points, causing the mountain to be accessible in every part. In this manner did the ancient Atlanteans testify their homage for Poseidon and Cleito, whose temple surmounted all—whose temple now was so seldom approached even by those considering themselves the most devout.
Along the roadway, with the throng, speeded Hellen until he arrived at the wide transverse road that curved upward to the Grove of Poseidon and through the grove to the great court of the temple.
This Grove of Poseidon, dense in its shade, was planted in cypresses and palms that stood in groups of threes, and about it were stationed columns of orichalcum inscribed with the ancient laws, both civil and religious. The largest of these columns stood in front of the gateway of the great court, and of this more will be said anon. Sufficient for the present is it to add that, as every Atlantean passed it, he was supposed to bow in veneration. Though of late years even this simple observance was falling into almost utter neglect.
Hellen entered the gateway to find the great court quite filled with people. On he pressed to the main portico—that vast portico about which were ranged the golden statues of Poseidon’s ten sons and their wives.[[18]] Here he paused, as did others, to admire the garlands flung about these, as well as gaze upon the scene below, of mountain with encircling zones of land and water, of the beautiful Luith winding to the sea, of that sea spreading blue and serene to the eastward. And Hellen thought that never had a day been so fair, never had the view been so enchanting.
He passed through the portal, and into a spacious hall whose stone ceiling was supported by columns of granite and syenite. From this hall opened the great circular temple proper, its wide portal facing the entering one; and both looking to the east.
Just within this sacred portal, Hellen took his stand so as to face the great altar to the right. As the people entered, they also turned to face both portal and altar, and consequently the east. Of the four cardinal points, the east was held in the most reverence, it being deemed the especial abiding place of the gods.