The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-08-19
Temple Of Diana ct Ephasaa.

magpihcence, at the period OF the birth
Of Christ. The same rank was held by
an earlier temple than that which az
listed at this time. Xerxes, the Persian
king, who destroyed the idol temples
wherever he came, spared that Que on
account Of its extreme magnifcence and
grandeur, but it was set on fire, on the
night Alexander the Great was born,
and burned to the ground. This uas
done by man named Erostratus, who
confessed that he had done the deed 10
immortalize his name By the destruction
Of this wondcrfsl building.
To baulk him, il was decreed that
his name should Beyer be mentioned; !;
but such decree served enly 10 make
his name more memorable. Alexander
offered TO rebuild the temple, on con-
dition that the Ephesians wosld allow
his name to be placed in front; bnt this
offer was respectfully declined. The
materials saved from the fire were sold,
and the women parted with their Jewels;
and the money thus raised served 10
carry on the work till other contributions
came in. These were sent most liber-
ally from all parts, and in a short time
amounted to an imn,ense treasure.
The new temple stood between the
city and the port, and was built at the
base Of mountain at the head of
marsh, which situation is said by Pliny
to have been chosen as less liable to
earthquakes. It however had the ef-
feet Of doubling the expenses; for vast
charges were incurred m making drains
to convey the water that came down tho
hill into the morass and the Caystsr.
IL is said that in this work 50 much
stone was used as exhausted all the
quarries Of the country. Tosecrre the
foundations Of the ccuduits and sewers,
which were to support the weight Of "a
prodigious > structure, PliDy says that
there were laid beds Of charcoal, we'll
rammed, and over them others Of wool
and that two hundred and twenty Cor
as some copies read, one hundred and
twenty) years elapsed before this grand
temple was completed by the contribu-
tions Of all the cities Of Asia (Properil
Il was four hundred aud twenty FIVE
feet IN length, and two hundred and
twenty 10 breadth, supported BY one
hundred and twenty-seven pillars sixty
feet high, OF which thirty.six we're pg-
riousiy sculptured and the rest polished.
The pillars were said TO have been tho
gifts of rs many kings, and the bas-re.
lieis on one of them were wrought by
Scopas, one OF the most famous Of an
cient sculptors; and the altar was
almost entirely the work Of Praxitoles.
The hrst architect and he who appears
to have planned the work, waG Dino-
crates, who built the city Of AIexas-
dria, and who offered 70 crave Mount
Athos into . statute OF AlexAnders
There are many coins extant wAirh
bear the different Roman cmpsSors, ssd
exhibit on the reverse the temple, with
frontispiece Of two, four, six, and
even eight columns.
II was despoiled and burnt By ths
Goths, In the reign Of the emperor
Gailienus. The glory Of kphssus and
ITS temple must, however, bare bsss
dimmed before this BY the progress r
Christianity. The city depended for
its wealth upon its temple, which -
traeted from all parts multitudcs n
worshiPPers. ihe people knew this;
and hence their clsrsor on the preaohiag
OF the gospel BY 81. Paul, and the eiIsGf
o. the representation madeby DemstsinS,
The city aud temple rose and ilourisks1