ecided way in which he told Pollux the way he wished to be
conducted proved to the artist that he was thoroughly familiar with the
plan of the city. And when the sagacious and enlightened man expressed
his approval, nay his admiration of the broad clean streets of the town,
the handsome open places, and particularly handsome buildings which
abounded on all sides, the young Alexandrian who was proud of his city
was delighted.

First Hadrian made him lead him along the seashore by the Bruchiom to the
temple of Poseidon, where he performed some devotions, then he looked
into the garden of the palace and the courts of the adjoining museum. The
Caesareum with its Egyptian gateway excited his admiration no less than
the theatre, surrounded with pillared arcades in stories, and decorated
with numerous statues. From thence deviating to the left they once more
approached the sea to visit the great Emporium, to see the forest of
masts of Eunostus, and the finely-constructed quays. They left the
viaduct known as the Heptastadion to their right and the harbor of
Kibotus, swarming with small merchant craft, did not detain them long.

Here they turned backs on the sea following a street which led inland
through the quarter called Khakotis inhabited only by native Egyptians,
and here the Roman found much to see that was noteworthy. First he and
his companions met a procession of the priests who serve the gods of the
Nile valley, carrying reliquaries and sacred vessels, with images of the
gods and sacred animals, and tending towards the Serapeum which towered
high above the streets in the vicinity. Hadrian did not visit the temple,
but he inspected the chariots which carried people along an inclined road
which led up the hill on which was the sanctuary, and watched devotees on
foot who mounted by an endless flight of steps constructed on purpose;
these grew wider towards the top, terminating in a platform where four
mighty pillars bore up a boldly-curved cupola. Nothing looked down upon
the temple-building which with its halls, galleries and rooms rose behind
this huge canopy.

The priests with their white robes, the meagre, half-naked Egyptians with
their pleated aprons and headcloths, the images of beasts and the
wonderfully-painted houses in this quarter of the city, particularly
attracted Hadrian's attention and made him ask many questions, not all of
which could Pollux answer.

Their walk which now took them farther and farther