Transcription
« Sie fuhrten uns gleich au dem (amphitheatro) schauplatz oder spilhauß, welches ein herlich, groß unndt überauß kunstlich alt gebeüw ist, in einer oval rundung mitt unsäglichem grossen kosten unndt arbeit aufgeführt, ohn einigen kalch ; muß ein sonderbahr kitt zwischen den steinen ligen, daß man nitt sihet, oder es möchten die quaderstuck, welche mechtig lang unndt groß, sonst also auf einanderen gelegt worden sein ; hatt in der mitte ein ablangen, runden hoff, dem gebeüw in der form gleich, (campus Martis genant, darinnen daß volk zusamen kame, wann die Römer ein neüwen raht haben wellen erkiesen). Darinn yetz ettliche heüser in wenig jahren gebauwt worden sindt, darinn auch die leüt wohnen, damitt solcher großer platz nitt umbsonst in der statt ledig standt, welches doch zubedauren, dann man nichts daran abgehen lassen solte, weil es meines erachtens noch daß gäntzist amphitheatrum ist, daß zu unseren zeitten gefunden mag werden, dann es weder die Gothen noch Sarracener yemahlen zerstöret haben. Hatt inwendig zu rings herumb umb den hoff von grossen quadersteinen [64] gehauwne bänk oder stafflen in großer höhe übereinanderen aufgeführet, deren sibentzehen sinndt, ye eine höher dann die andere. Auf der öbristen stafflen übersicht man die gantze statt, also hoch ist sie, unndt hatt vierhundert unndt drey schritt in die runde, andere wellen 470 schritt; glaub, seye yede ettwan zwen schu breit unndt 2 schu hoch. Man kan noch oben rings weiß auf den stafflen oder bänken umb daß theatrum herumber gehen, obgleich woll ettwan 2 monat zevor, als es gar lang aneinander regnete, ein stuck, ettwan 30 schu lang, eingefallen wahre unndt ein hauß, dorinn doch niemandts wohnet, zerschlagen hatte. Ich halte, daß noch zur zeitt bey zwantzig tausendt personen darauf zusitzen, einem ritterspil, kampf, oder waß dergleichen darinnen gehalten wurde, zuzusehen, raum unndt platz genug hetten. Wie es dann die Römer zu solchem endt gebauwen haben, daß meniglich daselbst kente sehen, wie ettwan die ubelthäter von wilden thieren sindt darinn zerrißen worden, oder kämpf von menschen ettwan [64v°] umb ein statt oder landt, ein gantze schlacht zevermeyden, sinndt neben anderen spectaclen unndt schauwspilen gehalten worden, dahär sie den namen (amphitheatrum) schauwplatz bekommen haben.
Zu ruck am gebeüw sinndt drey unndt sechtzig gewelbte bogen, darauff die stafflen gebauwen, unndt kan man darunder trocken regenwetterszeitt gehen.
Außwendig am gebeüw ist Romulus unndt Remus, wie sie von der wölfin geseügt werden, im stein erhöhet geschnitten. Darneben im anderen theil zwen, die mitt einanderen kempfen. Item an einem eck ist auch ein groß bildt in stein geschnitten mitt einem langen hor, dunckte mich, es wehren drey personen an eim leib. In frontispicio fornen werden zwen ochsen köpf eingemauret gesehen. Auf der anderen seiten ein dreyfacher Priapus volans, auf welchem ein weib sitzet unndt ihn im zaum reiten thutt.
Unndt ist daß gantz gebeüw nitt allein gewaltig groß unndt hoch, sonder auch gantz kunstlich unndt ansehenlich erbauwen ; man sagt für gewiß, es seye weder kitt noch pflaster zwischen den steinen, [65] welche, wie zevor auch vermeldet, alle überauß groß sinndt, daß sie von ihnen selber woll bleiben ligen. Man sagt gemeinlich, es seyen zur selbigen zeit risen im landt gewesen, wie man es gebauwt ; ihre weiber haben die grossen stein auf den köpfen zu getragen unndt inmittels die kunklen under dem arm gehept unndt gespunnen. Es ist gemeinlich yeder stein zehen schu lang undt ein schritt breitt, dick unndt hoch, ya auch 12 schu lang undt 6 schu dick. Es ist der schauwplatz gleich neben sant Anthonij porten, hart an der statt mauren, auf keinem bühel, unndt wirt doch vor der statt weit gesehen, ob gleich woll die statt in einem thal liget zwischen siben underscheidenen bergen, die vor zeiten alle in der statt wahren ».
= “They took us straight to the entertainment venue (amphitheatre), or games place, which is a marvellously huge and extremely artistic old building, oval in shape, and the building of which cost an unutterable amount and necessitated immense labour. Some strange kind of cement must have been used to unite the stones, because you can't see it; or else, these rectangular blocks, which are so long and so big, were simply placed one upon the other. In the centre, there is a space, a roundish courtyard, which is built in the same shape [as the outer walls] (this is called the “Campus Martius” and it was here that the people came together when the Romans wanted to elect new counsilors). In this space, within the last few years, several houses have been constructed and there are people living in them; these people could not stand such a large space, situated as it is in the heart of the city, to be left vacant, which is regrettable, and should not have been allowed to happen, since, in my opinion, the amphitheatre is the most complete of all those which can still be seen today. And then neither the Goths, nor the Saracens destroyed it in their time.
The inside space is surrounded by large stone blocks, which are superposed to form benches or steps rising to a considerable height. There are seventeen of these steps and their height varies. The highest step is so high that one can see the entire town from it. The external circumference is 403 paces; though some believe it to be 470 paces. Each block is two feet wide and two feet high. One can still make the complete tour of the theatre walking around the highest step, however two months ago, there was a long period of rain and a piece [of this upper level], about 30 feet long, broke away and fell on an unoccupied house. I would say that in its day, this place, roomy and spacious as it is, could hold twenty thousand people for the tournaments, fights and other things of this type that were held here. This is what the Romans constructed such places as this for: so that a great many people could watch these things: for instance, wrongdoers being torn apart by wild animal, or fights between men over the possession of cities or regions – which were a way of avoiding full fledged battles; there were also many other kinds of shows and games, whence the name of 'entertainment place' (amphitheatre) by which places like this became known.
On the outside this edifice there are sixty-three vaulted arches, on top of which the benches are built and under which one can stay dry when it rains.
The building also houses a commemorative stone image, sculpted in high relief, representing Romulus and Remus being suckled by the she-wolf. Besides this, on two other sections of the wall, there are images of men fighting one another. Similarly, opposite these, there is large image cut in stone: it seems to me that it represents three people in a single body, covered with long hair. On the 'frontispicio', there are two ox heads mounted on the wall. In another place, there is a winged triple-faced Priap, mounted by an old woman holding the reins of a bridle.
The whole edifice is not only impressive because of its gigantic size and height, but also because it is artistically and handsomely constructed. It is vigorously asserted that there is neither cement or plaster between its stones: these, as mentioned, are just so exceedingly large, that they simply stay put. It is also commonly said that, when this place was built, there were giants in the region. The women giants are supposed to have carried these huge stones on their heads and they carried them about, all the while spinning with the distaffs that they carried under their arms. Each stone is, in the mean, ten feet long and one pace broad or thick and one pace high; there are also some which are twelve feet long and six feet thick. This same entertainment venue is close to the Saint Antoine Gate and hard by the city walls, it is not on a hill, but one can see it from far, from just outside the town; and that even though Nimes lies in a vale between seven hills, which, in times gone by, were comprised within the town.”
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