| Transcript |
JO CONSTANTINOPLE AND ITS ENVIRONS.
Bosphorus signifies " the traject of the oxf the passage being so narrow that such
animals swam across it, and hence it is sometimes spelled Bosporos. But the fanciful
mythology of the Greeks assigned a more poetic derivation of the name. They assert
that IS, having assumed the form of a cow, to escape the vigilance of Juno, in her
solitary wanderings swam across this strait, and consigned to fame the tradition of
the event by the name it bears. One promontory preserves the name of Jason, who
landed there in his bold attempt to explore the unknown recesses of the Euxine. Another retains that of Medea, for there she dispensed her youth-giving drugs, and conferred
upon the place that reputation of salubrity which still distinguishes it. The narrow pass,
that divided Europe from Asia, was also the transit chosen by great armies. Here Darius
crossed, when the hosts of Asia first poured into Europe, and the rage of conquest led
the gorgeous monarch of the East, from the luxuries and splendour of his own court, to
penetrate into the rude and barbarous haunts of the wandering Scythians. Here it
was that Xenophon, and his intrepid handful of Greeks, crossed over, to return to their
own country. Here it was that the Christian crusaders embarked their armies, to rescue
the holy sepulchre from the infidels; and here it was that the infidels, in return, entered
Europe, and destroyed the mighty Christian empire of the East
The accompanying illustration exhibits the scene of these events, and so commemorates the deeds of remote and recent ages. The strait is here not more than seven stadia,
or furlongs, across; and, as Pliny truly says, " You can hear in one orb of the earth, the
dogs bark and the birds sing in the other; and may hold conversation from shore to
shore when the sound is not dispersed by the wind." In particular seasons, during the
migration of fish, boats are seen, extending in a continued line, and forming a bridge from
side to side. The rock on which Darius sat is still pointed out; and, if a stranger
occupy the rude seat at such a moment, it will powerfully recall to his imagination those
times when mighty armies crossed and recrossed on a similar fragile footing.
The events connected with Roumeli Hissar, or the Castle of Europe, are of
surpassing interest. When the fierce Mahomet determined to extinguish the feeble
Roman empire, and transfer the Moslem capital to a Christian soil, he found two
dilapidated towers, one in Asia, and the other in Europe, which had been suffered to fall
into utter decay. He re-edified that on the Asiatic shore, and, having been allowed to
do this without opposition, crossed over and rebuilt the European castle also, so as
completely to command the navigation of the straits, by occupying two forts on the
most prominent points of the nearest parts of it. When the emperor remonstrated
against this violation of his territory, he was tauntingly but fiercely answered, that " since
the Greeks were not able to protect their own possessions, he would do it for them;"
and he threatened to flay alive the next person who came to remonstrate. To establish
his usurped right, he prohibited the navigation of the strait by foreigners. The Venetians refused to comply with this arbitrary mandate, and attempted to pass; but their
vessel was struck by a ball from one of those enormous cannon which Mahomet had
caused to be cast for the destruction of the Greek empire : the crew were beheaded,
and their bodies hung out of the castle, to deter others from similar attempts. The |
