GALLIA ROMANA

Keiser 1968 ; Le Roy Ladurie 1995 ; Fiches/Veyrac 1996, pp. 241-268 ; Gros 1996, pp. 370-371, 440-441 ; Le Roy Ladurie 2000 ; Lemerle 2005, p. 87 ; Lemerle 2013-2

The passages in italics were added by Platter subsequently to the period in which the rest of the text was written (1604-1605). The building identified as a temple is in reality the place of worship in the Sanctuary of the Fontaine

« Als wier hinab kamen, besahen wier den überauß alten, heidnischen tempel, welcher der göttin Dianae zugeeignet wahre, templum Dianae, andere les[en] Hadriani, genant; ist ettwas zerstört, aber doch zu anfang von solchen schönen, großen, weissen quadersteinen erbauwen worden, daß man nitt vermeint, daß solcher bauw in disem schönem thun hette können also lang verbleiben, dorab sich höchlich zeverwunderen ist, unndt ist noch vor wenig jahren gantz gewesen, ehe man ihn zerstört hatte. Diser tempel Dianae, bey der statt brunnen gelegen, ist vierecket unndt so kunstlich erbauwen, daß nichts doran zutadlen. In den seülen sindt runde fenster unndt örter, da die Römer ihre götter hingestellet hatten. Es sindt auch viel adler do gesehen worden, daß Römisch Reich bedeütende, yetzt sihet man noch ettliche da, aber ohne köpf, welches die Wisigothi gethan sollen haben, damit deß Römischen Reichs gedechtnuß außgetilget wurde, unndt man sehe, daß der römische leib enthauptet seye worden. Der altar ist auch noch in der kirchen, darauf man der Dianae geopferet hatt. »
= “Coming down, we saw an extremely old, pagan temple which was dedicated to the goddess Diana. It is generally called the 'Temple of Diana', but some call it the 'Temple of Hadrian'.
It is rather damaged, but it must have been beautiful, made as it is with large, white, stone blocks; one cannot help thinking that it is a wonderful thing that a building as beautiful as this has remained so long it place, especially since, only a few years ago, it was still undamaged and intact. This Temple of Diana is near the town's fountains; it is square in shape and so artistically built that there is nothing to add to it. Between the columns, there are round windows and places where the Romans installed their gods. In the past, many eagles, symbolising the Roman Empire, could be seen here; a few still remain in place today, but they are headless. It was the Visigoths that did this to commemorate the fate of the Roman Empire, as it was clear that this had also been beheaded. There is also an altar in this church on which sacrifices were made to Diana.”