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 430 THE DECLINE AND FALL heat of the climate is tempered by the vicinity of the sea and mountains, by the plenty of wood and water ; and the produce of a fertile soil affords the subsistence, and encourages the pro- pagation, of men and animals. From the age of David to that of Heraclius, the country was overspread with ancient and flourishing cities : the inhabitants were numerous and wealthy ; and, after the slow ravage of despotism and superstition, after the recent calamities of the Persian war, Syria could still attract and reward the rapacious tribes of the desert. A plain, of ten days' journey, from Damascus to Aleppo and Antioch, is watered, on the western side, by the winding course of the Orontes. The hills of Libanus and Anti-Libanus are planted from north to south, between the Orontes and the Mediterranean, and the epithet of hollow (Ccelesyria) was applied to a long and fruitful valley, which is confined in the same direction by the two ridges of snowy mountains. ^^ Among the cities, which are enumerated by Greek and Oriental names in the geography and contest of Syria, we may distinguish Emesa or Hems, Heliopolis or Baalbec, the former as the metropolis of the plain, the latter as the capital of the valley. Under the last of the Caesars, they were strong and populous : the turrets glittered from afar ; an ample space was covered with public and private buildings ; and the citizens were illustrious by their spirit, or at least by their pride ; by their riches, or at least by their luxury. In the days of Pagan- ism, both Emesa and Heliopolis were addicted to the worship of Baal, or the sun ; but the decline of their superstition and splen- dour has been marked by a singular variety of fortune. Not a vestige remains of the temple of Emesa, which was equalled in poetic style to the summits of mount Libanus,^* while the ruins naepPtfiei'm.i Koi SdvSpecri xap-rroy ae'ffir. V. 92I, 922. This poetical geographer lived in the age of Augustus, and his description of the world is illustrated by the Greek commentary of Eustathius, who paid the same compliments to Homer and Dionysius (Fabric. Bibliot. Graec. 1. iv. c. 2. torn. iii. p. 21, &c. ). [The date of Dionysius is still disputed, but he probably wrote under Hadrian, and certainly at Alexandria. See Leue's article in Philologus, 42, 175 sg^.] 8s The topography of the Libanus and Anti-Libanus is excellently described by the learning and sense of Reland (Palestin. torn. i. p. 311-326). Nam diffusa solo latus explicat, ac subit auras Turribus in caelum nitentibus : incola Claris Cor studiis acuit. . . . Denique flammicomo devoti pectora soli Vitam agitant. Libanus frondosa cacumina turget, Et tamen his certant celsi [leg: celsi certant] fastigia templi. These verses of the Latin version of Rufus .A.vienus [1084 sgg.] are wanting in the Greek original of Dionysius ; and, since they are likewise unnoticed by
 * Emesae fastigia celsa renident.