was of beryl, which Pope transfers to the inside of the building. Chaucer says of the interior that
Every wall Of it, and floor, and roof, and all Was plated half a foote thick Of gold.
This gold was covered, as grass clothes a meadow, with jewelled ornaments
Fine, of the finest stones fair That men read in the Lapidaire.]
From the arched roof Pendent by subtle magic many a row Of starry lamps and blazing cressets, fed With Naptha and Asphaltus, yielded light As from a sky.--WAKEFIELD.]
[Footnote 60: Addison's Vision: "A band of historians took their station at each door."]
[Footnote 61: Alexander the Great. The tiara was the crown peculiar to the Asian princes. His desire to be thought the son of Jupiter Ammon, caused him to wear the horns of that god, and to represent the same upon his coins, which was continued by several of his successors.--POPE.]
[Footnote 62: Dryden, Ode to St. Cecilia:
A dragon's fiery form belied the god.--BOWLES.]
[Footnote 63: As a warrior and a man of letters; for skill in both capacities was supposed to be due to Minerva.]
[Footnote 64: Prior, in his Carmen Seculare, says of William III.,
How o'er himself as o'er the world he reigns.]
[Footnote 65: A concise and masterly stroke, which at once sets before us the mixture of character, which appears in that extraordinary man, Julius Cæsar.--BOWLES.]
[Footnote 66: "In other illustrious men you will observe that each possessed some one shining quality, which was the foundation of his fame: in Epaminondas all the virtues are found united; force of body, eloquence of expression, vigour of mind, contempt of riches, gentleness of disposition, and, what is chiefly to be regarded, courage and conduct in war."--Diodorus Siculus, lib. xv.--WARTON.]
[Footnote 67: Timoleon had saved the life of his brother Timophanes in the battle between the Argives and Corinthians; but afterwards killed him when he affected the tyranny, preferring his duty to his country to all the obligations of blood.--POPE.
Pope followed the narrative of Diodorus. Plutarch says that Timoleon did not strike the blow, but stood by weeping, and giving his passive countenance to the assassins. Some of the Corinthians applauded, and some execrated his conduct. He was soon overtaken with remorse, and shunning the haunts of men he passed years in anguish of mind.]