The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1892-12-08
FAMOUS YoMes IN STEAMBOAT.
From Alexander TO the conqueror OF the
Eastern Empire.


Point of Constantinople, is an interest
ing bit of the world. From the Pigene
Mosque to the Delphian serpent one
passes through so many phases of life
and experiences so many new sensations
that he feels himself consciously adj
vancing in civilization. To the student
of contrasts there is satisfaction in two
famous tombs here. which, with more
than seventel N hundred years between
them, still challenge comparisons for
represent
In the new museum, not far from the
Sublime Porte, rests the so.called sarco-
phagus of Alexander, discovered last
year at Sidon. Perfectly preserved,
archaeologists incline to believe II q
work executed by command Of Alex
ander the Gneat for the body of a friend.
The skull found within II Is that of .
young man; the angle of the jaw still
obtuse, the teeth almost perfect Who
ever he was his tomb was worthy the
mob lest in Greece. Colossal, perhaps
ten feet long by six high, it dwarfs the
OF her fine specimens in the hall It's
roof is sharply pitched, the marble
chiseled into scalea Around the edgcs
are set repeated heads OF the sun god.
his face surrounded by the sacred rays;
and between each two heads Is
the head Of o ram When the
book, soon to be published at
Paris, describes the treasures found
at Sidon we may know the meaning Of
these sy mbolS At each of the four
corners is superb lion couchant, his
head and forepaws reaching over the
side. One pcdiment presents battle,
the other hunt ng scene. Near the
top of the sarcoph agus is broad band
Of vine leaves and grapes Below this
is a complicated Greek border, and two
or three lines of finely cut holdings.
Still below are the superb high reliefs
of the sides and end s. These, as on the
pediments, are battle and hunting
scenes. The men are Greeks and Per-
slams, distinguished by features, weap-
ons, and costume In the battle the
dead and wounded lie un Ter the feet OF
the horses and men, each with real
individuality that is awful A wounded
horse, just sinking to earth, lifts his
head with pitiful, wild glare OF terror
The men, mounted and on foot, fight
with passion that quickens the breath
of the gazer. The head Of one war
rior is identical in feature and express
sion with that seen on the coins of
Alexander.
In the hunting scene mounted men
with dogs are coursing deer and fight
ing lions One huge lion has leaped
full at the breast of q noble horse and
torn away piece of flesh; but dog
has set his jaws upon the lions hind
leg. The strength and vigor Of these
figures cannot be described, but the
unique, browning glory of the whole is
color. We have discussed all sides OF
it did the Greeks paint their statues?'
and to some it has seemed desccration
to fancy color against the pure marble.
But no devotee of the Renaissance
itself could look at the sarcophagus Of
Alexander and deny the beauty of
painted marble. The color is indie
scribable. 1t is unknown to an age Of
analine dyes, and only suggests the
lays of Italian art. To say that tho
vine leaves are in violet and faint yel-
low, that the garments and weapons Of
the men and the trappings Of the horsea
show blue and red and green in their
most delicate tints, is worse than use
less, for it may suggest barbarous in
suit to the mrrble. But see the fact
and be convinced.
Away beyond the other side of the
Hippodrome is the tomb of Mahmoud
the Conqueror, who TOOK Constantinople
in 1853 He lies with min of his house.
hold in circular. domed room, whose
eight long window3 let in flood Of
vivid eastern light The floor Of this
death chamber is covered with fine
India mating and proc ious rugs, pro-
tectcd from profane feet by huge heel
less slippers furnishel at the door.
Below the dome is u broad frieze OF fine
arabesques in green. From the top Of
the dome hangs an enormous crystal
chandelier, gift of Queen Victoria to the
Sublime Porte Ga either side the door
is a large gilt French clock given by the
iirst Napoleon. Stran ge trophies these
for MahnoaTs tomb On tho walls
hang priceless green prayer rug from
Mecca, framed painted texts from the
Koran, and a copy of that sacred book
written on cloth in letters so fine as To
-cquire glass for their reading The
Koran is everywhere Half dozen low
stands male OF two crossed pieces Of
wood, completely incrustcd with mother
pf-pearl, hold each its volume wrapped
in red. One OF these is an exquisitely
illu minated manuscript said to have
belonged To Haroun al Raschid. Boxes
of silver or Of pearl stand all along
the wall each with its precious
BOOK And all this is setting for
the nine slrcoptagi Mann, buds,
the largest. is opposite the door. OF
conventional shape, the material In
wholly hidden by tight-ftting cover
of black velvet, magnificently embroi-
dered in solid silver arabesques. At the
head of the sarcophagus il a common
red fcz, such as any common hamal
might wear, but it is adorned by
feather and large and brilliant dia-
mond star To the let of this sarco-
phagns is a smaller rug bearing a small
unadorncd fez and TO the right eight