Smyrna times., 1870-09-21
Damon and Pythias.

About one hundred years before Christ I;v.
eu Damon aud PythiaS, Pythagorean PbiIo.
oPneI>' VINO mad gone from Athens to Sicily
on n pressing invitation of Dionvsiu. c,IInI
Iyt'nt ot Syracuse in orier tn tna,.L tL1
rudc inhabitants Of that fertile island rho ar,g
ana ana Se.enreS. Falling underthe di.pI.a.,Y,@ nI
1"G y rant Damon was conicmncd 10 d,,tL
@ gu" ''ic iI'ne Ior ms execution appointed Anx-
60, ~ zee MS "IIe and children once more he
-; ms cA cuIlon' he asked the King for per
uiiH>ioh Ms 20 visit them. The KIM I'm, ,vnr,.I
hat assurance 90 you give me thar ,o wi VII
rei4'n VIII give you my friend PyfLi,. >
! HaIi "a Damon, Tor security The Kinoa.tnj
9Ihi1S II he were willing to become the tonJs :
"ah o. Damon. and to die i'm his r!,,a ,,,,
Vlael ne dld not return? Yes" .tid pt,L,
la>' l WI! stand for him, and if he doa. ,'l,,
return on the day appointed, suffer death in
nls Pi'ee: Well, said the King, thi, is
Sti4ihee' but Damon you are at liberty to 90
an4 visit your tam y, and if you do not return
IS suppose you will not, justice will not loose
her victim. - NV iooSe
Damon hurried home to embrace his f,n;.,,
ana to communicate to them the ,aJ ;,t''U5
gehce' that IN few days he must return 70
syracuse to sutterdeath. When his wifi, learn,
gu '"c State OF thlnas-that he had violated M
Ia" thdt he was condemned ty a mere yvb;m
OF Dlony>lus, and that his friend PvtL;oS L.I
become bondSmaG, she Insisted unon M, ,,,r
ret"i "lng. She reasoned with him. and Jal
SouShl hln by the affection he bore TO her and
t, lsl vuIureh not to- return. But all her en-
uod'.e' were IN yam. Would you have me
'iolate my TREND Pythias 2 said he. No
10 l "ould dlSplse myself IN that caSe-but |
shali return and relieve our friend and maintain
my honor even at the expense Of INV o,yn iif, r
Damon remained at home, oS we NAV inar-
me a. long as he could. at length. amid no
aooS ana tears OF his wife aud children. he tore
away from those he loved The execution waS
70 Iakt place at noon, and his prngrrss was I'M
P'u5d by bad !olds and high waters. and on tbn
u"S appointed he was still twenty miles trnm
Idcu'e Dut he rose early in the morning
@"r aL' a. l'le sun was approaching the meridian,
;ne Si'i'tS Qi the city We're in view Hasten
ir-,,t t' ne Iou'lu large multitude gathered in
'front.' OF the prison. The tyrant was tHero
seated on PLATFORM to witness the novoltv ~
que ! man dNlng for another! The hour for exc
tullon tll n ID nearly expired. All; ;" says the |
yrAnt, where is your friend Damon? Djd I |.
"ot zen yol that he would not return?' But" .
says FythlaS, : he will return. if he is alive
know he will not dSappoint me. | know him /
an ma ne would rather die than break his word. =
ne tyiant then looked at the sun dial. and if
was Just noon. Now, said he to the execu.
.iohgr' proceed. Pythias laid his head on
ne "IocN' me axe was raised, and its sharp
'dge cleaning in the sunlight. When Iol
here IS movement in the crowd. "Stop'
,%ayS the tyrant, till we see what this means 7"
| | mere St@ot Damon, painting and covered with
lust. lie had come in time The tyrant was
80 80 much struck with this proof Of friendshin,
hat ne pardoncd them both, and requested
'crnl'>lon to- join their fraternity 1t is well
'hown tnata popular aud widely extended So
l1gty the : Knights OF Pythias, is founded on