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This house was a large and curious building, and was supported by
many pillars, which Solomon built to contain a multitnde for hearing causes,
and taking cognizance of suits. It was sufficiently capacious to contain
a great body of men, who would come together to have their causes determined.
It was a hundred cubits long, and fifty broad, and thirty high, supported
by quadrangular pillars, which were all of cedar; but its roof was according
to the Corinthian order,
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with folding doors, and their adjoining pillars of equal magnitude, each
fluted with three cavities; which building as at once firm, and very ornamental.
There was also another house so ordered, that its entire breadth was placed
in the middle; it was quadrangular, and its breadth was thirty cubits,
having a temple over against it, raised upon massy pillars; in which temple
there was a large and very glorious room, wherein the king sat in judgment.
To this was joined another house that was built for his queen. There were
other smaller edifices for diet, and for sleep, after public matters were
over; and these were all floored with boards of cedar. Some of these Solomon
built with stones of ten cubits, and wainscoted the walls with other stones
that were sawed, and were of great value, such as are dug out of the earth
for the ornaments of temples, and to make fine prospects in royal palaces,
and which make the mines whence they are dug famous. Now the contexture
of the curious workmanship of these stones was in three rows, but the fourth
row would make one admire its sculptures, whereby were represented trees,
and all sorts of plants; with the shades that arose from their branches,
and leaves that hung down from them. Those trees anti plants covered the
stone that was beneath them, and their leaves were wrought so prodigious
thin and subtile, that you would think they were in motion; but the other
part up to the roof, was plastered over, and, as it were, embroidered with
colors and pictures. He, moreover, built other edifices for pleasure; as
also very long cloisters, and those situate in an agreeable place of the
palace; and among them a most glorious dining room, for feastings and compotations,
and full of gold, and such other furniture as so fine a room ought to have
for the conveniency of the guests, and where all the vessels were made
of gold. Now it is very hard to reckon up the magnitude and the variety
of the royal apartments; how many rooms there were of the largest sort,
how many of a bigness inferior to those, and how many that were subterraneous
and invisible; the curiosity of those that enjoyed the fresh air; and the
groves for the most delightful prospect, for the avoiding the heat, and
covering of their bodies. And, to say all in brief, Solomon made the whole
building entirely of white stone, and cedar wood, and gold, and silver.
He also adorned the roofs and walls with stones set in gold, and beautified
them thereby in the same manner as he had beautified the temple of God
with the like stones. He also made himself a throne of prodigious bigness,
of ivory, constructed as a seat of justice, and having six steps to it;
on every one of which stood, on each end of the step two lions, two other
lions standing above also; but at the sitting place of the throne hands
came out and received the king; and when he sat backward, he rested on
half a bullock, that looked towards his back; but still all was fastened
together with gold.