Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1889-01-14
9J1onth' q Column.
The Seven wonders of the World.

''Grandpa, said Irwin, as they wer
setting by the open CRATE one winter even
ing, ''Grandpa, will you please tell m
about the Seven Wonders of the World
Our teacher told us to-day that we ongh
TO know all about them"
''Perhaps you had better ask you
brother Fred, who has just left college, t
tell you about them
''He don't know, grandpa, for 1 did as
him, and he said such an inquisitive bo
as 1 am was one of the greatest wonder
that he knew anything about"
THE HANGING GARDENS.
''Well, one of the ancient Wonders
was the Hanging Gardens at Babylon. "
''Did they hang in the air, like thu
Brooklyn bridge?" inquired Irwin.
sob, no; they were connected with thu
royal palace, and were about four hundred
feet square at the bottom, being support
ed on several tiers of open arches, bull
one over the other; and the top, which
was about seventy-five feet high, was
covered with large mass Of earth, from
which grew flowers, shrubs and ever
| large trees"
''How did the people water the gar
dens?" inquired Irwin.
'There were fountains and large res
ervoir on the top, supplied with water
| from the river Euphrates. This river ran
through the city of Babylon, and the two
portions of the city were connected by a
strong bridge. The high gates and broad
walls are mentioned in the Bible, and the
walls were noted for their height and
thickness and strength
THE PHARos.
''What was another of the Wonders,
grandpa?"
''Well, the Pharos at Alexandria was
the first light-bearing tower that we have
any record of. 1t was built of white stone,
and stood upon a craggy rock on the
island of Pharos, near Alexandria in
Egypt. 1t was three hundred feet high,
and its light could be seen for many miles.
Josephus states that its 'beaming sum-
nit might be seen for three hundred
shades, or forty English miles
E'Who built the Pharos?''
cit was twelve years in building. Sos
tratus was the artisan, and he immortal
lied his name by inscribing it upon the
Pharos; but it was erected under the
reign of Ptolemy Philadelphus, B. G. 332,
the same king who commanded the Sep
tuagint of the old Testament to be under
taken in the Hellenic versions. The
PharoS, or lighthouse, was Illuminated by
huge wood-fires. Before this time mari
ners were warned at night of their ap-
proach to land by wood fires that were
built on prominent headlands."
THE STATUE OF JUPITER.
''Well, grandpa, what was the next of
the Wonders p"
''The Olympian Zeus, or the colossal
statue of Jupiter at Olympia, which was
the last great work of Phidias. 1t was
seated statue, made of ivory and gold,
and, including the throne, was ffty-tive
feet in height. Its temple was built on
the model of the Parthenon at Athens.
Jupiter was considered the king and faith
er of the gods, and was supposed to have
universal power in the earth and air. He
gave the rain, the thunder and the light
ming, and the storm and the calm were
supposed to be under his control. This
statue was erected between B. G.. 1873 and
1872 and in A. d. 361 it continued to re-
ceive the homage of Greece. Epictetus
says that sit was considered a misfortune
for any one to die without having seen
the masterpiece of Phidias.' The worship
of Jupiter was universal, though his name
varied with the country that sacrificed to
him. You perhaps remember that when
Paul went to Lystra he found temple to
Jupiter before the city. Jupiter was gen
orally represented as seated on a throne,
holding thunderbolts in one raised hand,
a scepter in the other, with an eagle at his
feet
TEMPLE OF DIANA AT EPHESUs.
''Irwin, do> you remember that when
Paul was at Ephesus riot was created
by Demetrius among the craftsmen?"
Eyes. grandpa; he was afraid the peo-
pie would believe Pauls words, and then
his trade of making silver shrines would
be gone"
''And what did they cry?"
''The mob cried, Great Is Diana of the
Ephesians. -
eyes, the Temple of Diana was built at
the common charge of all the Asiatic
states. 1t was 425 feet long, 225 feet
broad, and was supported by 1877 columns
of Parian marble. Each column was 60
feet high, and each furnished by differ
ent king. This temple was burned on the
night of AleXander's nativity, and was
then rebuilt. Diana was believed to have
fallen down from heaven, and the public
games were connected with her worship.
was the month of May sacred
to her, and a large mandatory grew up
at Ephesus of portable shrines of Diana,
which were sold to strangers and carried
with them on journeys, or set up TO wOr-
ship in their homes"
''You have told me about four of the
Wonders, grandpa; and if you are not |
too tired 1 would like to hear about the
rest of them"
The COLOSSUS Ot KHODES.
81 am only too glad to see you interest
ed in your studies, and will speak of the |
Colossus of Rhodes. This was gigantic |
brass statue of Apollo or the sun-9od. |
1t rested on moles on each side of the |
beautiful harbor of Rhodes, and vessels !
passed between its brazen legs. 1t was
over one hundred feet in height, and there
were winding stairs by which it was as
cended. The statue held in one hand a
light for the direction of mariners, and it |
was completed $50 years before Christ
It was thrown down presumably by an
and never rebuilt; but the
fragments of the statue remained 900 |
7ears. At length a Jewish merchant bot
he brass, and loaded 900 camels with it,
The value of the brass was estimated at
$3.50 ,OaO. At the present time the harbor
If Rhodes is nearly spoi lied, and this isl
md has many times suffered severely
rom earthquakes
THE MAUSOLEUM.
''Do you know, my son, what the word
came from?"