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Lydia, unlike most other countries, scarcely offers any wonders for
the historian to describe, except the gold-dust which is washed down
from the range of Tmolus. It has, however, one structure of
enormous size, only inferior to the monuments of Egypt and Babylon.
This is the tomb of Alyattes, the father of Croesus, the base of
which is formed of immense blocks of stone, the rest being a vast mound
of earth. It was raised by the joint labour of the tradesmen,
handicraftsmen, and courtesans of Sardis, and had at the top five
stone pillars, which remained to my day, with inscriptions cut on
them, showing how much of the work was done by each class of
workpeople. It appeared on measurement that the portion of the
courtesans was the largest. The daughters of the common people in
Lydia, one and all, pursue this traffic, wishing to collect money
for their portions. They continue the practice till they marry; and
are wont to contract themselves in marriage. The tomb is six stades
and two plethra in circumference; its breadth is thirteen plethra.
Close to the tomb is a large lake, which the Lydians say is never
dry. They call it the Lake Gygaea.
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