mole is even in course of construction in the Propontis over against its mouth.[1] Passing the Porta Ferrea, as we begin to round the headland, a large mansion or palace comes into view, substituted apparently for the wall in about fifty feet of its length. Fronted along its base with slabs of white marble, the edifice presents a lofty stone balcony overhanging the water,[2] and opening on to it, a central group of three rectangular windows or doors with jambs and lintels of sculptured stone. Above, a row of seven nearly semi-*circular windows indicates the uppermost floor of the building, which is known as the palace of the Boukoleon. Contiguous, to the west, we observe a small but very ornate harbour, formed on quite a different plan from those previously seen. Curved piers of masonry, enriched with marbles, extending from the land, inclose about an acre of water, which is approached from the city by flights of white marble steps.[3] On the intervening quay rests a handsome group of statuary representing a lion and a bull in the agonies of a death struggle.[4] This is the exclusive port of the Imperial Palace,[5] an important segment of which adjoins the wall at this point. Both palace and harbour have taken the name of Boukoleon from the piece of sculpture which so conspicuously marks the site.[6] In this vicinity, behind the wall on the city level, is*
- ↑ Suidas, sb., Anast. In a later age this port was enlarged and defended by an iron grill. Anton. Novog. in Mordtmann, op. cit., p. 55.
- ↑ About fifty feet above it; for a photograph of the existing ruins see Grosvenor, op. cit., p. 388. Also Van Millingen's work and others.
- ↑ William of Tyre, xx, 25.
- ↑ Anna Comn., iii, 1.
- ↑ Zonaras, xv, 25, etc.; Const. Porph., i, 19, etc.
- ↑ Codin., p. 100, says the palace was founded by Theodosius II. The group was probably ravished from some classic site at an early period when the mania for decorating CP. was still rife. The existence of the harbour at this date may be darkly inferred from Socrates, ii, 16; Sozo-*
