I observed many of these studied opportunities in this work, of introducing the ground and prospects, to render it more picture-like.
Pausanias in Bœotic. writes, that in the way from Thebes to Glisas, is a space fenc’d round with select stones, which the Thebans call the snake’s head. And they tell a silly story about it, of a snake putting his head out of a hole there, which Tiresius struck with his sword. Just by it, he says, is a hill call’d the supreme, and a temple to Jupiter the supreme, and the brook Thermodon runs under it.
Can we doubt but this was an ancient temple, like what we are describing? It was built by Cadmus, or some of his people, of whom we shall talk more in [chapter XIV.]
I conclude this account with a verse of the poet’s, which I believe was upon a work of the very same nature, as we shall explain by and by.
Quod caput antè fuit, summo est in monte cacumen,
Ossa lapis fiunt—— Ovid. Met. IV.
CHAP. VIII.
A description of the other great avenue from Bekamton, a mile off, which is the hinderpart of the snake, proceeding from the circle. The cove on the midway of it call’d Longstones, or the Devil’s coits. The avenue terminated in a valley. Some animal bones found in a stone, whence a conjecture concerning their age. Of the number of the stones. Solomon’s temple compared with ours. The mechanicks of the Druids called magick. Of the effect of the weather upon the stones.
AFTER I had carefully laid down the plan of Kennet avenue, and not understanding the full purport of it; in the year 1722, I found out this other, extending itself above a mile from the town of Abury, by another direction. It goes toward the village of Bekamton, therefore I call it Bekamton avenue. ’Tis really the hinderpart of the hieroglyphic snake, which the Druids meant here to picture out, in this most portentous size.