Thurs 13 [13 April 1899] Off at 8 to Epidaurus [Epidavros], 31/2 hours
drive. Bare bare hills, tinkling flocks of goats and sheep an
occasional white clad peasant and the great walls of a Pelasgian fort
crowning a hill. Poppies, anemonies, hawthorn. Scarcely any water
and no trees. Lunched in the great theatre at Epidaurus, a fine great
place holding 16000 people, almost perfect. We experimented in the
acoustics of it and found we cd hear Papa perfectly from the top line
of seats. Below all the foundation of the great temple of Asculapeus,
the Lourdes of ancient Greece, with the Stadium beyond it. After a
most excellent hot lunch, Papa and I walked up to the Roman
reservoir and so to the ruins of the Temple which we made out with
difficulty, Greek, Roman, Propylea, great temple, temple of Artemis,
Roman baths and colonnades, half moon shaped seats for the
patients, a tiny Roman theatre and the foundations of the Tholos,
many concentric circles with lovely scraps of moulding lying by -
Polycleitus the younger made it. To the Museum where were many
pieces of the great lion cornice of the Tholos. So we drove home,
making tea at a roadside house and climbing up to a great Pelasgic
fort on our way back. Home before 7. Talked to Dˆrpfeld and dined.