The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-01-09
aernIng Star and Catholic Messenger.
NEw ORLEANS. SUNDAY, JANUARY 1870.
JUVENILE COLUMN.
THE STORY OF DAMON AND PYruIAs.

THE STORY OF DAMON AND PYTHIAs.
When Damon was sentenced by Diony-
sius of Syracuse to die on a certain day,
he begged permission, in the interim, to
retire to his own country, to set the af
fairs of his disconsolate family In order.
This the king intended peremptoriiy to re-
fuse, by granting it, as he conceived, on
the impossible condition of his procuring
some one to remain as hostage for his re-
turn, under equal forfeiture of life. Pyth-
las heard the conditions, and did not wait
for an application upon the part of Damon.
He instantly offered himself as security
for his friend, which being accepted,
damon was Immediately set at liberty.
fonished at this action and, therefore,
when the day of execution drew near, his
majesty had the curiosity to visit Pythias
in his confinement. After some converse
tion on the subject of friendship, in which
the king delivered it as his opinion that
|self-interest was the sole mover of human
actions ; as for virtue, friendship, benevo-
lepce, love of ones country, and the like, he
looked upon them. as terms invented by
the wise to keep IN awe and impose upon
the weak" My lord" said Pythias, with
firm voice and noble aspect, " would it
sand deaths, rather than my friend should
fail in any article of his honor. He cannot
fail therein, my lord. I am as confident
of his virtue az / am of my own existence.
But pray, 1 beseech the gods to preserve
the life and integrity of my Damon togeth-
er. Oppose him, We winds! prevent the
Eeagerness and Impotence of his honorable
Eendeavors, and suffer him not arrive till,
Eby my death, l shall have redeemed a life
Ia Thousand times of more consequence, of
more value, than my own more estimabie
TO his lovely wife, to his precious little
|inuocents. to his friends, to his country.
oh, leave me not to die the worst of deaths
|in my Damonw Dionysius was awed and
confounded by the dignity of Ahese senti-
ments, and by the manner. in which they
were uttered. He felt his heart struck by
10 slight sense of invading truth; but it
him.
"a The fatal day arrived. Pythias was
brought forth, and walked amidst the
guards, with a serious but satisfied air, to
che place of execution. Dionysius was
already there he was exalted on a moving
Ehrone, that was drawn by six whi'e
borses, and sat pensive, and attentive to
$he prisoner. Pythias came; he vaulted
lightly on the scaffold, and, beholdng for
some time the apparatus of death, he
Burned with a placid countenance, and ad.
dressed the spectators "My prayers are
heard" he cried;" the gods are propiti-
pus! You know, my friends, that the
yinds have been contrary till yesterday.
Damon could not come he could not con-
Equer impossibilities; he will be here to-
morrow, and the blood which is ehed to-
day shall have ransomed the life of my
friend. Oh, could / erase from your bosom
every doubt, every mean suspicion, of the
Fhonor of the man for whom l am about to
suffer, I should go to my death even as l
would to my bridal. Be it sufficient, in the
meantime, that my friend will be found
noble; that his truth is unimpeachable;
now on his way, hurrying on, accusing
himself, the adverse elements, and the
gods but hasten to prevent hisspeed. Ex-
ecutioner, do your Office" AS he pro-
nounced the last words, buzz began to
rise among the remotest of the people
a distant voice was heard--the crowd
caught the words, and ''Stop, stop the
Execution ~ was repeated by the whole as
sembly. A man came at full speed the
throng gave way to his approach he was
mounted on a steed of foam in an instant
he was off his horse, on the scaffold, and
are safe !" he cried, "you are safe! My
friend, my beloved friend, the gods be
praised, you are safe now have moth
ing but death to suffer, and am delivered
from the anguish of those reproaches
which l gave myself for having endan.
Pale, cold, and half-speechless, in the arms
of his Damon, Pythias replied in broken
accents: "Fatal haste! Cruel impa
thence! What envious powers have
wrought impossibilities in your favor 7
But will not be wholly disappointed.
vive you" Dionysius heard, and beheld,
and considered all with astonishment.
His beart was touched; he wept; and,
leaving his throne, he assembled the scat
fold. "Live, live, ye Incompatible pair -
he cried;" ye have borne unquestiouable
testimony to the existence of virtue, and
that virtue equally eviuces the existence
of God to reward it. Live happy, live
Renowned; and Oh, form me by your pre-
cepts, as ye have invited me by your ex-
ample, to he worthy the participation of so
sacred friendship"