Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-06-10
Try, Pa. SATURDAY MORNING, JUNE 10, 1871
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DAMON AND PYTHIAS.
Inscribed to the order, ssKnights O
Pythfas.s,

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Inscribed to the order, "Knights O.
Pythias."
The story. of Damon and Pythas, which
form the subject of the following poem. i
doubtless familiar to all, and can be brief,
told as follows:
Damon and Pythias were two Pythago
rcon philosophers, natives of Syracuse, or
the island of Sicily, and lived about 4OC
years before Christ. D..
Pythias is said to have been soldier
while Damon was a member of the Assem-,
bly,, and both were fast friends.
Dionysius, tyrant of Syracuse, had con.
demned Damon to death on account of his
resisting the usurpations of his reign. His
friend, Pythias, FASTENED to his eide and
interceded with Dionysius to grant him a
respite of six hours, to take farewell of his
wife and child, who lived outside the city,
and offered to take Damon's place in the
prison as hostage for his sure return. The
tyrant granted this request, and Damon,
mounted Oh a swift steed, FASTENED to take
farewell of his family. While thus engag-
cd, his servant kills his horse, in order to
save his masters life. Damon, finding his
steed powerless TO convey him back to his
mounts him, and burrying forward with
great .rapidity, arrives just as his friend
Pythias il led out to be executed in his
place. His timely arrival stops the execu-
ton, and, on account of this distinguishing
mark of friendship, both are saved, while
Dionysius implores them to allow him to
share their friendship.
In ancient days of Greece renowned
There lived two knights in friendship bound.
A statesman, oft within its walls,
One trod the Seuatc's stately halls.
The othel sought the cause of Mars,
And fought his country's glorious wars.
That wed to state and this to field,
Yet deeper love for each revealed
Thro' strange vicissitudes of life,
Mid foreign and domestic strife,
Through which they with their country passed,
Their love grew stronger to the last.
Their natures met with mutual glow,
AS rivers join and mingling fow
Sharing each others hopes and fears,
Their lives flowed on thro' changing years.
Their homes were mid Sicillas's hills,
Where lofty IEtna awes and thrills
Where Syracuse, with lofty towers,
Sits Empress of the sea girt powers,
Where Grccian armies learned to fear
The brave Sicilian's warlike spear.
And long in story and in song,
The muse shall Pythas' name prolong;
The hero of deed as grand
AS ever graced the heroic land;
Who nobly n ransom gave
Himself, thro' love, his friend to save.
Who on that fatal platform stood,
AS proud rs ever monarch could.
BEFORE the headsman and the crowd,
unmOypH II bowed
Waiting that word which like the knell
of death, the fatal work would tell.
How swiftly beats the hurried breath,
When treadiDg on the verge ofdeath
When all the years oflife combine,
And center in one moments time,
And hurrying seconds swifter roll,
To quench the light within the soul.
Thus Pythias stood upon the brink
or fate, but not with fear to shrink
Theworld dissolving from his sight,
Seemed sinking into endless night
One pang, one thought still lowering nigh,
That in one moment he must die.
But 10 along the distant speck is seen,
That winds around Epipole,
A dim, a distant speck is seen,
Emerging from the woodland green.
Until n horseman's form 1t proves.
1t sweeps away the twilight shade,
And sounds o'er mountain and thro' glade,
As fleet as famed Camilla's flight,
1t speeds along the verger of night,
And nearer as the form appears,
"'Tis Damon = and q thousand cheers
Ring out upon the air around,
Till heaven hath echoed back the sound.
"'Tis Damon :" loud and louder still
The echo rolls from hill to hill
Old Syracuse thy battered walls
Repeated ne'er such laundering calls,
Even when Demosthenes had tried
To level their historic pride.
Just on that awful verge of doom,
When life stood pausing Ger the tomb,
In dread uncertainty of mid
Came Damon on the wings of wind;
And Pythlas saved from death that day,
Still lives, still loves In other elayi
And many Damon saves from shame
Thro' Haighls who take his honoTed name.
This deed, SO noble and 30 great,
Brave Pythids A"ights commemorate
And may the Order still expand,
Like 1oWers upon the desert land,
Until the wilderness rejoice,
And smile with blossoms OF Its choice,
And all mankind In union meet,
Fraternal love aud friendship sweet,
And like the needle and the pole,
A MAGNET drawing soul 60 soul,