The road from Messina to Taormina, Goigopiit, goes along the seashore. The bay and beach of Calabrai are constantly in the eyes. We walked quietly, because those who accompanied me often walked together. At about twelve o'clock, when it became very hot, Cornimo suggested that I turn off the road and head into the mountains, have lunch with some R'a Rotheiso, his friend, at whose place we would find - he said - a wonderful dinner, darkness and a good shelter reg Gag a zlezra, that is, sleep after lunch. We turned and headed into some tavern. Kornimev’s acquaintance was not at home; but his wife, a nimble woman of about thirty, got busy, fussed about, and immediately prepared us scrambled eggs, a roasted hare, and rather bad noodles, like soup. I had ham with me, and I ate quite well. I lay down to sleep on the straw under the shade, asking my guide not to move, because I wanted to spend the night in Taormina. Everything came true as desired. Cornille paid, while trading, quarreled with the hostess; they shouted for a penny as if it were a question of thousands; but my treasurer showed his zeal for my interests, and I did not interfere in his business; I just asked him not to refuse a boppa tapa, which he asked for without question and for everything: the same as ours for vodka, or, as they say nowadays, for guy. The heat subsided; We had a lot of fun, got out onto the high road, and again we saw the sea, again the Calabrian shores in the distance; finally they were no longer visible. Not ten miles from Taormina, two young men in large hats stood right next to the road, leaning on their guns; Cornille galloped straight towards them; I don’t know what they said, only when I caught up with them, they took off their hats and bowed to me politely. One of them wished me a good journey: Vop howavto, vpog Rgtare! I bowed to them and thanked them for their welcome. When I later asked Cornelio, what kind of people are they? he answered: “This is the Satret of the Duke of Salerno, the guards, or his protectors, but they are friends with the robbers and often at one. We climbed, or better yet, climbed into Taormina at night. There was nothing to look at. I don’t understand how a horse can climb such a steep slope: it seems that this path was created only for goats. I stopped at the pharmacist's house and immediately went to bed. The next day, in the morning, as soon as I could look around, I went out into the street: the smallest town; it barely has four or five thousand inhabitants; but there are many churches, according to the number of the population, because there are thirty-three of them with the monasteries. ‘Taurominum was famous under the Greeks and under the Romans. Converted to Christianity, its inhabitants bravely defended themselves against the Saracens. The writers claim that the siege of the city lasted about twenty years, and it was the last of the Sitzim cities to bear the yoke of the innocent. Then the time came for him to be vigilant, and in 968 Khaliye Almoez ordered to ruin him to the ground. Since then he could not recover, and remained as we see him now. However, from the remains of the walls, and from the Gothic inscription preserved on them, it is clear that the fortified cities were renewed in 1130, although in a much reduced size: the new walls are far inside the old ones, which is also evident from the preserved foundation of the latter. The city was built on a stone cliff, between ravines, and one might say over an abyss; A number of terrible rocks hang above him, and seem to constantly threaten him with their fall. One rock has retained its ancient name: Moshe Repege (Venus Mountain), and the other Moorish name: RomePa 4e! agacelt.
The ancient theater is the oldest of all the Greek theaters left to us: it was built on a cape jutting out into the sea. Its remains are majestic, and the view from them is delightful: on one side Etna ends the horizon, on the other Mount Calabres, and between them the sea flows! In some places there are still columns; but the steps of the theater, hewn in kain, are already covered with earth. several porticoes are completely central, and decorate the landscape located between them. In the middle of the gallery, intended for spectators, another one is visible, arranged on a ledge: most likely for women. Indeed, a law was issued (I don’t remember which Emperor) which prohibited women from being between men in theaters, and special places were assigned for them. In the midst of all this, herds graze, completely destroying Saratsiv. I sadly left these wonderful remnants of antiquity, and I confess that once in Greshian I saw the ruins of the great Binoje and the interesting theater of Taormina.