The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1892-10-15

story of the contest of Neptune and
Minerva for the supremacy of Athens
The metopes or square spaces between
the beams contained sculpture in high
relief representing the battle of the
Lapithal and the Centaurs. Around
the inner wall was beautiful frieze of
the Panathenaic procession, the Athen-
ians bestowing the veil or peplos on
Minerva. Within this temple was the
masterpiece of Phidias, the gold and
ivory statue of Minerva Some of these
sculptures are in position, many are IL
the British museum. They are to-day
the wonder of all lovers of art. But
the Parthenon, has suffered severely.
1t has been used as Christian church,
as Turkish seraglio, as hospital and
as powder magazine When the We
netians under Morosini bombarded the
Acropolis in 1857 a bomb entering the
Parthenon which was then used as a.
powder magazine, blew out many of
the side columns and left the temple in
its present dismantled condition Yet
in its ruins it is magnificent. The ele.
CANT Ionic temple of the Erechtheum
also adorns the Acropolis. 1t was built
over the spot where legend says that
Neptune struck his trident into the
rock and caused salt spring to gusb
forth. 1t also shattered the sacred
olive wood statue of Minerva, which the
Greeks believed had fallen from heaven
Also on the Acropolis was the beauti.
full little temple of victory. Leading ur
to all this was the splendid gateway o!
Mnesilzles, itself marvellous piece OF
architectural skill.
We descend from tho Acropolis ia
view in the immediate vicinity the spot
which was the center of the city life.
The Agora, where, beneath pillared
porches and amidst very forest OF
beautiful statues and monuments, the
brilliant Athenian world gathered to
discuss politics, society and philosophy.
The Agora is now wheat field, bit
there remain several prominent land
marks with which is associated world
OF history. Ascending a. slight incline
to the southwest we come to rugged
mass OF limestone rock from which pro-
]ects a platform and series of steps,
and out OF the rock the hill of the Pnyx.
This is the bema of Demosthenes, and
from it were delivered some of those
orations which were the masterpieces OF
Grecian eloquence. To the left of this
we notice number of square holes cut
in the face of the rock and find that
they lead into several square inner
chambers This is called the prison Of
| Socrates, where he died so grandly.
| Not very far away toward the Acropolis
we notice low, long rugged mass OF
! rock, beneath which are caves. Stairs
ascend on the northeast side, and we
find cuttings on the top, which is COM
| paratively smooth. This is the hill OF
the Areopagus, or Mars Hill, where an
| ancient court was held, and where later
Paul, the Christian preacher and phil
osopher, stood and discoursed to tho
men of Athens on the God that made
the heavens and the earth, but dwelleth
not in temples made with mems hands,
and that the Godhead is not like mute
gold or silver or stone craven by art and
mans device.
Going around the Acropolis we come
to the colossal ruins of the temple OF
! Jupiter Olympus, whose splendid col.
umns are nearly ninety feet high and
seven feet in diameter at the base.
Only sixteen out of the one hundred
and four remain standing. Twenty
minutes away we reached the ancient
stadium, or depression in the hillside
shaped like horseshoe. Here were
the elegant marble seats, the gift o1
Herodes Atticus, and here were the
chariot races and the games, We pass
on our way back the thcater of Diony-
sus on the side of the Acropolis, the
marble seats still in position and the
very chair of the priest of Elcusis with
his name on it. From the summit OF
Mt. Lycabettus we obtain one of the
finest views in all Greece At it's base il
the American school of archaeology
whose superintendent, DR.. Walden.
stein, has achieved such fine reputa
ton as an archaeolgist. and who is nov
excavating at Sparta.
1t is not possible within the space O.
a brief letter to speak of the trips tc
Marathon, CoEinth, Olympia, DELPHI
and Mycene. Let us rather turn ou
attention to the Greeks of to-day Ii
1880 Greece achieved her independents,
of Turkey. For more than four hun
dred years she was under the heels O.
the detestable Turks
1t is wonder that all spirit was moi
crushed out of her. Since her liber
alton she has achieved wonders. Sixty
years ago Athens was miserable littl,
village; now it is beautiful city O
eighty thousand inhabitants, will
elegant buildings, schools, newspaper
etc. The Greek is bright, energetic
capable. He is a keen man of business
Nearly all the trade Of the Levant i,
in his hands. Greek merchants Ii
London, Liverpool, Constantinopl
have bestowed much Of their wealth
upon their country, ,and many of the fin,
institutions of Athens are gifts O
patriotic Greeks residing abroad. N,
country in the world can surpass Greco
in point of it's schools. That is to say
there is less illiteracy in Greece than i
almost any other country. There i,
what the Greeks call ''the Great Idea.