PAULUS DONIA. - the last King of MACEDON, and displayed to the ROMAN People during the Triumph of MILIUS, the Conqueror of MACEThe Whole accumulated Treasures of ASIA ftated to have finally centred in ROME, and Inftances enumerated of the aflonishing Wealth poffefed by fome of the private Citizens of that Republic. Of thofe Treafures, a confiderable Part diffipated by their unbounded Profligacy; a ftill more confiderable Portion fell to the Lot of the GOTHS, VANDALS, and other barbarous Nations who plundered ROME; but by far the most confiderable Portion was buried, during the Times of Tyranny and Turbulence, that marked the Reigns of the latter Emperors, in that Earth from which it originally came. HE extent of the dominion and the TH magnitude of the spoil obtained by Alexander, exciting not lefs the ambition than the avarice of his captains, for a long time engaged them in the most unrelenting hostilities, and became the occafion of deluging Afia with new torrents of blood. The final result of those contefts contefts for wealth and empire, it is well known, was the firm establishment of Ptolemy on the throne of Egypt and its vast dependencies; Seleucus, on that of Syria, with all those rich provinces of Afia that formed the Perfian empire; Caffander, on the throne of Macedon and Greece; and Lyfimachus on that of Thrace, Bythinia, and all the remaining territories won by the fword of Alexander. It may, indeed, be reasonably fuppofed, that no inconfiderable share of the coined money in the treasury of Babylon was diffipated in the courfe of the violent ftruggles of the contending parties, but still the great mass of bullion remained unviolated; and each competitor carried away to his respective dominions fuch a proportion of gold and filver vafes, ftatues, and other ornamental furniture of the fuperb palace of Babylon, as might be mutually agreed on. But Ptolemy, the most powerful, from intereft, talents, and kindred, (for, he is with great reafon fuppofed to have been the brother of Alexander,) feems to have obtained the largest share; fince, without it, he never could have executed thofe ftupendous projects, kept up that magnificent court and K 2 thofe thofe expensive establishments, and maintained thofe vaft armies and fleets, whofe number we have before recapitulated. One particular project, indeed, that of reviving the trade of Egypt with Arabia, India, and the higher Æthiopia, could not fail of being attended with circumftances the moft aufpicious to his révenues; and bringing fuch an influx of wealth into that kingdom as it had never witnessed under the most potent of her ancient fovereigns. Near the close of a long and glorious, though, during its early periods, turbulent, reign, this wife prince, to prevent the court-cabals and jealous contentions ufual at the decease of great Eaftern monarchs, refolved to affociate with himfelf in the imperial dignity his fon Ptolemy Philadelphus ; and it was at the grand proceffion, which took place at the coronation of that august prince, that all the wealth of Egypt in thefe articles was difplayed. The particulars of this pompous festival are related by Athenæus with a minutenefs which there is no occafion for me to imitate, my object being, principally, to prefent in order before the reader's view the coftly remains of the Affyrian and Perfian grandeur, and I may also add that of the the ancient Pharaohs; not only that portion of it which was plundered by Cambyfes, but, in all probability, much of that which the brave, but unfortunate, Nectanebus, the last of her proud dynasty of native fovereigns, carried away with him into Ethiopia, when he fled before the ravages of Darius Ochus; and which might have floated back to Alexandria in the reflux of the revived commerce of Egypt with the empire beyond the cataracts. A feries of tents, the hangings of which were fabricated of the richest materials which the looms of the Eaft could furnish, the gold and filver brocades of Perfia, the fine linen of Egypt, and the delicate cottons of India, compofed the royal pavilion. It was adorned with numerous ftatues, fculptures, and emblematic paintings, allufive to the grand occalion; the elaborate work of the most exquifite artists that Greece could produce, The pillars that fuftained the pavilion were of maffy filver, and fhields of gold, suspended on high in every part of it, proclaimed at once the magificent and warlike genius of the fovereign of Egypt. An artificial cavern, funk in a remote part of the pavilion, was affigned to the comic, tragic, and fatyric, actors, who there feafted upon gold plate and drank out of gold cups, and who, occafionally iffuing from their recefs, alternately entertained the company with the display of their refpective talents. On the roof glittered two golden eagles, the ancient banner of Perfia, and probably from that nation adopted by their victors; each eagle fifteen cubits in height. Along the fides of the pavilion were ranged one hundred fofas, adorned with rich embroidered coverlets, and of which all the folid parts were gold; the feet having the form of sphinxes. Before each of these sofas were placed golden tripods, or footstools, two for each; while on one fide of the fofas were placed one hundred gold dishes, with golden phials for lavation; and on the other as many golden veffels, richly fet with jewels. The whole value of the plate thus exhibited to view, our author informs us, amounted to ten thousand talents. No adequate conception can be formed of the grandeur and brilliancy of the proceffion. Numerous victories, with expanded wings of gold, |