[A] The Society of Antiquaries in London.
THE
PREFACE
OF THE
TRANSLATOR.
IT is customary upon a Translation to give some Account both of the Author, and his Writings. The Author Petrus Gyllius, as he stands enroll’d among the Men of Eminency, and Figure in polite Learning, I find to be a Native of Albi, in France. He was in great Reputation in the sixteenth Century, and was look’d upon as a Writer of so good a Taste, and so comprehensive a Genius, that there was scarce any thing in the polite Languages, which had escap’d him. As he had a particular Regard for Men of distinguished Learning, so was he equally honour’d, and esteem’d by them. Francis the First, King of France, the great Patron of Literature, and who was also a good Judge of his Abilities, sent him into Italy, and Greece, to make a Collection of all the choice Manuscripts which had never been printed, but in his Passage it was his Misfortune to be taken by the Corsairs. Some Time after, by the Application and Generosity of Cardinal d’Armanac, he was redeem’d from Slavery. The just Sense this munificent Patron had of his Merit, incited him, when my Author had finish’d more than fourty Years Travels over all Greece, Asia, and the greatest Part of Africa, in the Search of Antiquity, to receive him into his Friendship, and Family; where, while he was digesting, and methodizing his Labours for the Service of the Publick, he dy’d in the Year 1555, and in the 65ᵗʰ Year of his Age.
Although it was his Intention to have published all the Learned Observations he had made in his Travels, yet he liv’d to give us only a Description of the Bosporus, Thrace, and Constantinople, with an Account of the Antiquities of each of those Places. In his Search of what was curious he was indefatigable, and had a perfect Knowledge of it in all its Parts. He had also translated into Latin Theodore’s Commentaries on the Minor Prophets, and sixteen Books of Ælian’s History of Animals. Petrus Belonius is highly reflected upon, in that being his Domestick, and a Companion with him in his Travels, he took the Freedom to publish several of his Works under his own Name: And indeed such a flagrant Dishonesty in acting the Plagiary in so gross a manner, was justly punish’d with the most severe Censures; since it had been Merit enough to have deserv’d the Praises of the Learned World for Publishing such valuable Pieces, with an honourable Acknowledgment of the Author of them.
I have no Occasion to vindicate the Worth and Credit of my Author, whose Fame will live, and flourish, while the Characters given him by Gronovius, Thuanus, Morreri, Tournefort, and Montfaucon are of any Weight. These Great Men have recorded him to future Times, for his deep Insight into Natural Knowledge, his unweary’d Application to the Study of Antiquity, and his great Accuracy and Exactness in Writing.
In the following Treatise, the Reader has before him a full and lively View of one of the most magnificent Cities in the Universe; stately, and beautiful in its Natural Situation, improv’d with all the Art and Advantages of fine Architecture, and furnished with the most costly Remains of Antiquity; so that New Rome, in many Instances of that Kind, may seem to excell the Old.