Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-20

consumed twelve years. and through its body
spiral stairway led upward to the head, whence
the spectator could descry the coast of Syria
and the ships proceeding to Egypt in a great
mirror suspended from the neck OF the statue.
THE TEMPLE OF DIANA.
Next Of the seven wonders was the Temple
Of Diana at Ephesus, in Asia Minor, in its time
the great metropolis Of the eastern continent
1t was burned the same night that Alexander
destined to be called the Great was born, and
the priests said the disaster occurred because
the virgin goddess was SO busy attending to the
bringing into the world of the son of the
Macedonian conqueror that she was led to neg
lect the ususal care for her most cherished
shrine. This Diana Of Ephesus, though q
virgin, was considered to have especially under
her superintendeuce the reproduction of the
human race, thus usurping many Of the func-
tons Of Juno, and her worship WAS followed
with an accompaniment Of orgies more than
suggestive Of the alteration Of Venus-so much
20 in fact that they were a scandal to the
world. Erostratus, an obscure person, set fire
to the temple, as he himself confessed. for the
sole purpose OF rendering his name immortal.
His was the Same sort Of morbid ambition for
celebrity as Guiteau's, and doubtless he was
mailman. At all events, the temple was
burned, and although Alexander himself sub
sequently offered to rebuild il at his own ex-
pense, on condition that his name should be
inscribed upon it, the Ephesians declined.
THE SECOND TEMPLE.
They, however, aided by all Of Asia Minor,
erected yet more magnificent temple on the
old site, which was the temple celebrated as a
wonder Of the world. 1t was 425 feet long and
22O feet broad and was supported by 1877
columns 60 feet in height. each one Of which
was contributed by some prince. To build it
took two hundred and twenty years. The main
altar was the work of Praxiteles and Apelles
the other great artist OF that epoch contributed
q SPLENDID picture of Alexander the Great
The materials of which it was composed were
white marble. cedar and cypress, with great
quantities Of gold. 1t contained paintings and
statues OF a value beyond computation. Nero
despoiled the temple of much Of its treasure,
and it was finally burned by the Goshs after
the fall Of the Roman empire.
THE THIRD WONDER.
Third Of the seven wonders was the world
renowned Hanging Gardens" Of Babylon,
erected by Northumberland, king OF Babylonia,
to please his royal Medear spouse Amytis OPP
posite his superb palace. on the bank of the
Euphrates, which ran through the midst O {
Babylon, the monarch erected this wonderful
mound, rising from the plain terrace upon
terrace to the height of $50 feet. Perpend!cu-
lar On one side. 1t rose on its three other sides
IN five pyramidal stages or stories, each so feet
in height, and upborne by huge pillars Of
brick and stone. Each terrace thus suppor ted
WAS a beautiful garden, overlaid with q suffi-
cient depth Of fruitful earth to provide for not
only turf and flowers. but the most noble trees
All the most beautiful things in the vegetable
way known to Babylonia or that it was possible
to obtain from other countries was planted in
these sO-called hanging gardens. Seen from q
distance the forests seemed to have leaped into
midair. Fountains flowed and streams coursed
through artificial meadows. Gardeners did
their utmost TO make the place a workable
paradise. each stage in the ascent differing in
Ear hnn "A
luxurious apartments were scattered here and
there, while fawns and other tanned animals OF
the fields and woods gamboled about From
below a winding staircase led within to the top
whittier the queen could be carried at her
pleasure. This marvel, unparalleled in its
way, was easy OF execution to the king of
Babylon. with tens OF thousands of slaves cap
tured in war to labor for him.
THE WONDERFUL LIaHr HOUSE.
The fourth wonder of the world was the
Light house called "Pharos" erected three
hundred years before Christ by Ptolemy Phla-
delphus, Pharaoh OF Egypt, On long narrow
rock IN the harbor Of Alexandria about mile
on shore 1t is recorded that the architect,
named Sostratus, having cut his own name in
great letters in the solid stone of the building,
covered over the lettering with plaster SO as to
preserve his own fame for all time. Then in
the plaster he recorded, according to the or
ders 81 Ptolemy, the inscription: king
Ptolemy to the gods the saviors, for the ben
ett of sailors" Josephus, the great Jewish
historian who lived in the lifetime of Christ,
records that fire was always kept burning on
top OF the Pharos that was visible at night for
distance Of 40 miles out at sea- According to
some writers the tower greatly exceeded in
height the largest of the pyramids and huge
mirrors we're employed as refsctors; but their
authority 10 not accepted by modern autbori-
ties az reliable. 1t has even been suggested
though the idea has been laughed down-that
the cyclops of ancient myth we're not really
one-eyed giants but simply lighthouses This
theory would seem TO be sufficiently disposed OF
by the fact that Homer speaks Of Ulysses
coming upon the island Of the cyciops in the
night without being aware that he was near
land.
THE PYRAMIDS.
Fifth OF the wonders of the world were the
Pyramids Of Egypt, which still remain as great
. marvel as ever. They were constructed, Of
course, for the tombs Of Egyptian monarchs,
that people having so strong a belief a. TO an
eternal future that they devoted their archi-
tectural attention not 70 building superb
dwellings for habitation in this life, but to the
construction Of mausoleums for their accommo-
dation after death. The pyramid Is but
later modification Of the Babylonian style Of
building, as exhibited in the hanging gardens
and in the Tower of Babel, presently 70 be de-
scribed. Between the two the only difference
10 that in the Pyramids the spaces between the
stories were 30 filed in as to make an even
slope ON the four sides Of the structure from
apex to base. or course the outer masonry of
the Pyramids has disappeared during the lapse
Of centuries and their sides present . series of
steps now. The Great Pyramid, 80 called, is
now only 4S0 feet high, but it was originally 80
feet higher, when 1t ascended to o point, in
stead OF having platform ut its top, 81 feet
square. A curious illustration of the persist
ency of the notion Of Immortality entertained by
the ancient Egyptians il found in
the fact that those who were rich
among them erected many statuss Of them.
selves. Their main object in doing this was
not vsinglory-as was The case with Nebuchad-
nezsar Of Babylon, who believed himself god
and whose licensees in stone were every
where-but they thought that after death the
soul Of each one Of them would seek 10 in
habit statue in the Originals likeness, and il
went without saying the more statues
were available the greater Likelihood
that there would b ono undestroyed 10 take
refuge IN. The feilahs Of Egypt today stili
imagine that the statues Of people sre in