Page:Travels & discoveries in the Levant (1865) Vol. 1.djvu/361

Rh inscription to be placed on the proscenium is prescribed to be as follows:— "Aratokritos, the son of Aristias, being Stephanephoros, [dedicates] to Apollo the Scene and the Proscenium."

Now it is a curious coincidence that over the doorway of the church at Christos is a fragment of architrave on which is inscribed in majuscule characters:—

This fragment was noticed by Ross, who remarks that it was probably part of a dedication inscribed on some monument in the vestibule of the Temple of Apollo. With the aid of the decree relating to Aratokritos, it is obvious that the words in the fragment must be restored ; and there can hardly be a doubt that the architrave of which this is a remnant actually formed part of the proscenium dedicated by Aratokritos.

It is possible that further excavation to the south of the church of Christos would bring to light some trace of the theatre mentioned in the inscription, with which the Hellenic foundations explored by me may be connected. When I first saw this inscription, it was built into a tomb in the modern cemetery. As it was inserted upside down, the letters were in some places nearly effaced, the copying it was a very painful and tedious process, and occupied me several days.$136$