Page:Historical Works of Venerable Bede vol. 2.djvu/229

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OF VENERABLE BEDE.
157

THE SECOND.

The second is the Light-house of Alexandria,[1]Pharos of Alexandria which was founded on four ghiss arches, twenty paces deep beneath the sea. The wonder is, how such large arches could be made, or how they could be conveyed without breaking; how the foundations, which are cemented together above, could adhere to them, or how the cement could stand firm under the water; and why the arches are not broken, and why the foundations cast in above do not slip off.

THE THIRD.

The third is the figure of the Colossus[2] in the island of RhodesColossus of Rhodes., a hundred and thirty-six feet long, and cast of melted metal. The wonder is how such an immense mass could be cast, or how it could be set up and not fall.

THE FOURTH.

The fourth wonder is the iron figure of Belerophon figure on horseback, which hangs suspended in the air over the city, and has neither chains nor any thing else to support it; but great magnetic stones are placed in vaults, and so it is retained in assumption (position), and remains in balanced measure. Now the calculation of its weight is about five thousand pounds of iron.

THE FIFTH.

The fifth wonder is the Theatre of HeracleaTheatre of Heraclea, carved out of one piece of marble, so that all the cells and

  1. * The cost of this famous tower was equal to £180,000 of our money- It was built by order of Ptolemy Philadelphus, by Sostratus, in the 124th Olympiad, who affixed this inscription:— SOSTRATVS . CNIDIVS . DEXIPHANIS . F . DIIS . SERVATORIBVS . PRO . NAVIGANTIBVS.
  2. The Colossus was erected by Chares, a pupil of Leusippus, across the harbour of Rhodes. After standing fifty years, it was overthrown by an earthquake. It was of so great bulk, that when the Saracens took Rhodes, A.D. 667, they loaded 900 camels with the brass that was remaining of it.