Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-07
sOnErHING ABOUT COLOsSI.
Dimensions OF the Gseaf statues or
Ancient Times.

New York Commercial Advertiser.l
Colossi, of which the Bsrtholdi
statue is now the most important in the
world, were more common on the
globe before the birth of Christ than
to-day. The ancient and famous mari
time countries about the Mediterranean
sea literally teemed with them. The
Colossus Of Rhodes, erected by Chares
of Indus, in honor of the sun, is one
Of the best known to ancient writer's,
and was one of the seven wonders of
the world. 1t was Of brass, cast in
separate pieces, and was twelve years
in process OF erection, being completed
$50 B. 9. Ii was statue Of Apollo,
and is vsriously estimated to have been
90 feet, 80 cubits, and even los cubits
in height. Its weight was 10000
pounds. Standing as il did, with leg
extended on each side of the harbor,
vessels under full sail could enter be-
tween them. A flight Of winding stairs
led to the top. The cost was 300
talents, or very nearly half million Of
dollars. Sixty years later it was
thrown down by An earthquake, where
it lay until A. d. G53, when the
Sarscens, the csptors Of Rhodes, sold
it to a Jew, who transported Il to
Alexandra on the backs Of 900
camels. Rhodes, which now has
population of only 10000, in the
height Of its prosperity had over 5000
statues, Of which 100 we're colOssi.
The Bartholdi statue is $50 feet high
and weighs 900 tons. The statue is
composed Of 2l4 pieces Of bronze.
Bavaria, the great female statue at
Munich, personificsting that country,
until the Bartholdi statue, was said to
be next in size to he Colossus Of
Rhodes. 1t is S. feet high, with
pedestal 100 feet, and is cast from the
brvnze Of Turkish and Norwegian can
non. The figure is partially draped,
holding sword. At its side reposes
the Bayarisn lion, the guardian Of the
kingdom. The figure is hollow and
fitted with stairs. There are twelve
characters in bronze, and the monu-
ment was six years ia preparation,
being unveiled August 7, 1850. It
Was erected by King Louis |. aud
modelled by Ven Schwantheler, and I'M
til our Goddess of Liberty was erected
was considered the most remark ible
statue of modern times.
The other remarkable statue Of re-
cent years is thst OF San Carlo Boz
romeo at Aroma, near the south end Of
Lake haggicre, in Northern Italy. IL
was erected in 1907, and stands on
hill on o pedestal forty feet high. the
statue itself is Go feet high. the
head, feet, and hands were cast in
bronze; the remainder Of the statue
was formed by laying sheets Of ham
msred copper on pillar of masonry.
Three persons may stand in the head.
Colossal statues were numerous in
Egypt. Legions Of them were raised,
mostly of the hardest stone, many
from so to 60 fee: high. The most
celebrated are the ststues Of Memnou,
in the plain Of Thebes, at Koumel-
Sultan. The two statues, one Of which
is the celebrated vocal Memnon, one of
the wonders Of the Old World, were
originally 60 feet high aud made Of
coarse grit-stone. Both are seated on
thrones, and represent the Monarch
Amensphis I'LL, probably about 1900
b. G. The peculiar characteristic Of
the vocal statue was its giving out at
various times . sharp metallic ring.
The reason for this sound Is variously
ascribsd to an artifice Of the priests
who struck the Sonorous stone Of which
the statue Was made, to the passage of
currents Of air through the cracks, or
the sudden expansion of aqueous par
ticles under the SUMS rays. 1t be-
came silent about 1900 years ago.
In Greece, Phidias's colossal statue of
Jupiter l440 Il. Co. was "tbe wonder
of the world" at that time. 1t was Of
gold and ivory, and the masterpiece Of
the author. He had previously made
statue Of Minerva, of tho same mate
rial, SO feet high, and also 4 famous
bronze Of Pallas Athene, at Athens,
the plume of whose helmet and the
point OF whose spear, like Liberty's
torch, were landmarks for incoming
sailors. Lisippus, in the time of Alex
snder the Great, over 300 years 3. c.,
erected . statue 60 feet high, which
fabius, during the second Roman war,
was anxious 10 take to Rome, but was
prevented by its weight.
Ancient Rome bad o bronze statue Of
Augustus in the Forum; one Of Nero
in marble fully 100 feet high, from
which the contiguous amphitheAtre is
believed to have derived the name Of
+" Colosseum" and bronze statue Of
Apollo and one OF Jupiter upon the
Capitol. made from the srmor Of the
Ssmniles. They we're colossal In size,