New-York tribune., 1880-04-11
An EVENING WITH DIR. 80HLIEMANE.

uRRs-MRs scHIIEMAYN REC1TING HOMER TO
HER cUYsTs-pEIoPs AND BRIsEIs. ANDR0.
MACHE AND AGAMEMNoN.
lPRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
ATHENS, March 16.-I had been several weeks III
Athens when party of Americans arrived, some OF
whom intended TO visit the ruins Of ancient Troy
and Mr. g., the Baptist missionary, kindly under
took to procure them an interview with Dr. Schlie-
mann. The result was an invitation to the house Of
the latter for all the American travellers in the city,
the Doctor saying, in his blunt way 81 viii give
them from half-past to half-past s, my tea hour
and ut half-past go to bed" Ii IS needless to say
that We all accepted the invitation, aud were
prompt in our attendance.
We were ushered into bright room. partaking OF
the character of study, library. museum and sitting
room, the walls being covered with book shelves,
pictures photographs, and testimonials of member
ship to nu1 orous societies, geographical, archeo-
logical, ETC.; while tables covered with books and
papers, glass cases filled with ques, ancient jars
evidently in process of and articles OF
modern make for the comfort of the occupants
filed the room. AS soon as the intrOGuctiOns were
at an end, DR.. Schleimann, without n moments
pause. TO take seat plunged in medids res BY
showing the gentlemen diagrams and maps Of the
excavations in Troy, the MSS for his forthcoming
book, "Ilios," and other matter, while his wife
two Who finding the Doctor well surf ounded, con-
cludcd to try the chance of picking up a few grains
of instruction by joining the lesser circle. DR..
Schliemann is q short, bald-headed, rOund-faced
German, speaking with thick nasal voice, as If
his eyeglasses pInched his nose too hard, and quito
fast except when he attempts to repeat Homer, at
which times he shutters and stammers and backs
up" in q way that recalls the school-boy. Mrs.
Schlienann is Greek Of exceedingly pleasant
features and graceful manners. She is so artlcss
and unassumlng that one is tempted to think she
has always led quiet home life belief soon dis
sipated by seeing her admirable skill in entertain
ing large circle at once. To Our inquiries as to
what led her husband to dig up old Troy, she said
in her pretty English, because he believes so
whatever Homer says" And even as DR.. Schle-
mann believes In the blind bard, so
does DR.. Schiemanns wife believe in her
husband. She has always been at his
side in all his labors except for period of his
journ of two months and half, when she was too
i'll to leave Paris Their first stay in Troy of seven
months, she said, was very uncomfortable, on ac-
count of the heat and dust, Homer having rightly
named it L" windy Troy ," and their inability to pro-
cure more than few articles OF food, and those of
the commonest kinds. For subsequent trips. how
ever they provided themselves with everything
necessary beforehand. When asked how she em-
she answered, 81 was busy from G in the morning
until dark; for was my husbands FIRST assistant
and there were others under me. We had tho over
sight of the diggers, keeping them busily at work.
taking charge Of all articles discovered, and mark
ing them with the number Of metres of depth ut
which they were found.
DR.. Schleimann next invited us into room con-
tanning his antique treasures, at which his pretty
wife was quite disturbed. and begged tho ladies In
low voico to excuse the looks OF he apartment, for
since her husband always kept It locked the serv-
ants could not get in to sweep and dust Here we
saw the cup with two handles, which the Doctor
considers the greatest OF his minor discoveries and
he was for q moment disposed to be rufHed when one
of the gentlemen present inadvertently expressed
doubt rs to the acknowledgment of ITS correctness
by some Of the German universities, but quieted
himself by assuring the doubter that the univers-
tics, Mr. Gladstone and oil, now granted the truth
of the Identification The treasures in this room
Of jars, owl-headed, pigshapcd culinary utensils
of all kinds and numerous other ourosties wero so
great that we remained standing an hour more, and
whenever the ladies made movement toward the
stting-rOom the Doctor would cry out, /" One thing
more ladies'" which would at ence bring them
back. Meanwhile tea was passed around, the serv-
ants assisting being Pelops and Bfises, for the wor
thy master gives Homeric names to all his household
at their birth il possible, if not ut their entrance
into his family. His wife calls Glaux Mnerva's
sacred bird whilo his children are AndromaChe, o
little Greek of seven years, and AgamemnOn. flax
en-haired boy four or five years younger.
We asked Mrs. Schliemann If it was true, as COM
monty reported in America that she could repeat
all of the Odyssey. "Oh, no." she replied "only
detached portions of both Had and Odyssey" On
being questioned which she preferred, she replied
with decision, "The Had; it is 80 much grander.
although woman holds higher sphere in the
Odyssey" She also expressed her conviction
that the two were not by the author.
We then begged her to repeat some of
the lliad for our pleasure, and as several
joined in tho request she asked simply, "Do
you really wish it ~ and bong assured that did,
most gracefully complied, giving us at our request
Andromaches parting with Hector, and never since
the days Of the blind bard have those immortal
recited several times. inteTuptiDg herself to ex.
claim on the beauty of the lines. She told US that
she learned these portions 20 please her husband,
who loved to hear her repeat Homer, and well he
might. One OF the company asking how many lam
guages she could speak, she modestly answered.
=" AS poorly as / speak English, Ave." We were nll
by this time grouped about her in the sittingroom,
while the Doctor seemed rummaging in his treas
ure-hOuse, and Mrs; SchlIemann told us much about
her husbands habits. He rises summer and Winter
at 9. jumps upon hts horse and rides to Phalerum
for plunge In the sea, returning for his ca dH lait
at 8. when he deyotes hnSelt to business till lunch
himself to his now book, dining at o, and in the
evening his wife reads aloud to him until $50,
when be retires. We looked at the clock IL was
long after the Doctors bedtime aud we FASTENED to
make adieus, but were detained by his entrance
with his hands full of terra-cOtta votve Offerings,
dug up from Troy. which he distributed to his
guests as souvenirs Of the delightful evening he had
given them. When we tried, however. to express
our pleasure and thanks Mrs. Schliemann assured
us we gave equal pleasure, since her husband was
delighted to meet his countrymen, he being q nat
uralized American CITIZEN and prOud Of his citi-
zenship that his children have caught his spirit and
little Andromache says, If paDa is an American.
why must be one too"
Travellers will soon find Dr. scbliemann with his
family settled In their new house Of fentelic mar
bic, with life-szed statues Of the Oympian gods,
stationed upon the roof and rooms ornamented with
the mural decorations and floating figures Of
0nnr IL aAndA