Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1859-03-31
WHEE
THE INTELLIGENCER.
A visit to Athens,
Prom the New York Evening Post.l

iaifer day never saw, not even in Ameri
ca, while after hurried breakfast and with ex-
cited imaginations we hastencd to the ruins of
Athens. On that bold rock before US was once
seated the grandeur of the "City of Minerva''-
the Acropos-within whose bounds stood the
magnificent Parthenon and the Pandroscutn.
besides many of those buildings with which
Pericles so beantified the city 1t was for this
point we were hurrying, but stay, how can we
pass those beautiful columns? How grand =
On inquiring of our guide, he informs us in a
long slng-song narrative, (Which makes me so
angry,) that they are supposed TO be the re.
manning columns of the temple of Jupiter O,ym.
pus-ft emblcms of its fallen crandenr. and
was 1t here that the gold and ivory statue Of the
god was, where these novels, was once the tenn
pie OF Jupiter? 1t is even So for all along our
route the hnts OF the squatters built OF stone
from the ruins, and am told that when far.
mer wants to wall his land he has but to go to
the ruins, where he finds the blocks already
hewn. After little scrambiing over broken
pedestals and scattered capitals, we found our
selves in the presence of the Parthenon; and it
was not till now that its grandeur and extent
became visible. All around us lay It's sculptn-
red stones, while above lowered its splendid
columns Tearing ourselves from this absorb.
ing scene for u moment, We gazed around us
We were IN the centre of lovely, fertile plain,
encircled by range OF blue mountains. On
the one sideluy the struggling remains of ancient
grandeur; while on the other modern Athens
See the fate of cities Like that of man, they
are made ofdust; they flourish; TO dust they re-
turn. a few whitening lines alone now mark
the site ofthc pride of Pericles o4l
But to the Parthenon again; this temple was
dedicated to Minerva, but was DESTROYED in the
ruins of the city by the Persians Pericles, TO
whom we owe that encouragement of art before
unknown0 in 4f4 ID. c., rebuilt it in most
noble manner, its renains now declare. 1t
was in this temple that Phidias renowned stat
ue of the goddess stood; it was f0rty-Six feet
high, and cost about S5T6, 600. This rock of
the Acropols is one perfect mass of ruius-ru
ins, too, that will cope with any i'll the world,
field of stone few scattered olive trees, which
were once the emblems of Minerva. After spend
ing many hours among these interesting remains,
we descended to the CatapoliS, which is now
occupied by the site of modern Athens. There
were many wonderful buildings in this part of
the ancient city, but they are noB almost en-
tirely ohitcrated.- 1t was in this part of the
city that the most magnificent editice of the Gre
clans was situnted. / refer to the temple of
Jupiter Olympus to whose remains have before
referred. Here. too, were those schools in which
the philosophers used to teach their scholars;
not dismal prisons, but beautiful gardens; where
were expounded the most magnihcent theories
of the world. Athens fulfils all my expectations,
with the exception that did not tind as many
sculptured stones and frescoeS rs | had imagin-
ed these, suppose, have been taken by greedy
and it would be hard to say if they
arc not now at betterpurposes than to be detiled
and made stone walls Of The sun is already
tinting the Parthenon with its varied hnes and |
must close this very uninterestipg letter on
very interesting subject.