Not far from an Aqueduct ruinated,
Are the bright mettals of Sun and Moon,
A burning Lamp of Trajan of ingraven gold.
ANNOT.
Monsieur Catel in his second Book of Languedoc Chap. V. saith, that there was a famous Aqueduct, which the Romans builded from the River Gar to the Town of Nismes, which at present is ruinated.
Secondly, Near the Town there was a famous Temple dedicated to Diana, where there is a Spring of water so great, that it seemeth rather a Lake then a Fountain.
Thirdly, I find that the Emperour Adrian caused a Temple to be built in the honour of Plotina Trajan’s wife.
Fourthly, He relateth that Jean Poldo found in the Town of Aix a Marble with this inscription: Plotina Trajanis uxor, summa honestate & integritate fulgens, sterilitatis defectu sine prole fecit conjugem, qui ejus opera Adrianum adoptatum in Imperio Successorem habuit, a quo in beneficii memoriam Nemausi æde sacra maximo Sumptu, sublimique structura, ac Hymnorum cantu decorata, post mortem donata est: That is to say, Plotina, Trajans wife, famous for her honesty and integrity, was barren and left no Children to her Husband, which she perceiving, intreated the Emperour to adopt Adrian for his Son, and to make him his Successor in the Empire, which being come to pass, the new Emperour in acknowledgement of such a benefit, did build her a Temple of a magnificent Structure, and caused it to be Consecrated with Musick after her death.
Fifthly, The said Author saith, that this Marble was taken out of that Temple, when the River of Gardon did so overflow, as we have said.