The Lamar register., 1893-10-07
DARING OF DIMocRAres.
The Story Of the Genius Who Was ths
Architect of Alexandria.

Architect of Aicxandria.
Dinocrates was Macedonian, the
Lesseps of his time, a genius of dar-
ing design. aud, it is to be hoped,
quite out OF accord with the popular
feeling of ais day in his craving for
self advertisement. He had perhaps
contracted the corrupt practice from
Herostratus Cor Eratostratusl, the
scoundrel who had destroyed the
Temple of Diana at Ephesus upon
the first birthday of Alexander, IN
order, as he himself confessed, that
future ages might not be ignorant of
his name, such being his passionate
lust for notoriety that he cared not
whether his fame were good or evil,
says the Nineteenth Century.
Dinocrates had been called upon
to restore this temple, which. in
order that the earthquakes might
not ruin, had been placed in marsh
upon foundations OF charcoal and
goat skins. Our architect, after
completing his work at Ephesus, and
moved by the vivid art of the por-
trait painter, determined to person.
ally interview the great monarch.
and therefore, setting out for his
camp as he returned from his Eastern
triumphs, he cast about for device
by which he could gain his audience
and likewise flatter his sovereign.
Now there was one weakness, or It
may have been a noble yearning. in
the great conqueror's heart; just as
his own reputed father had claimed
the god-like hero Hercules as sire, SO
| Alexander desired it might be proved
| that no earthly parent had begotten
him (Alexander). Some men did.
| indeed, say he was not Philips son.
| but of Nectanobo, an Egyptian image
and lover of Olympias, and. perhaps.
it was to solve all doubt that Alexan-
| der thought he would remove his
| parentage beyond human reasoning.
However, he had not az yet finally
fixed upon Jupiter Ammon. and the
crafty sycophant Dinocrates deemed
that he would best fiatter the great
king by reference to the grand
father. Amounting. therefore, his
body with oil, and wreathing his
temples with Herculean poplar, with
the skin OF Nemean lion over his
shoulder, and hourishing club, he
approached the court of the king
and stood prominently forth in this.
singular garb.
WHO are you?" must have said
his majesty, to which the unabashed
self-advertiser replied. Il am Dino
crates. the Macedonian architect. and
bring to your majesty thoughts and
designs worthy of your greatness !"
When Alexander heard that it was
he who had restored the Temple Of
Diana of the Ephesians, he asked
him what next he proposed to do.
II have laid out Mount Athos." re-
sponded he, Ito be sculptured as one
block, and to be hewn into the fash
ion of the limbs and features of
your majesty"
..In your left hand have designed
a city of 10. 900 inhabitants, and into
your right have conducted all the
rivers of the mount, and formed them
into sea, from whence they flow to
the ocean. Thus, size, shall q
memorial be left worthy of your
greatness" Alexander was amused
at the audacity Of the man. and dis
missed him; nevertheless he rernem-
bered him when he wanted to build
Alexandria, and the tradition of its
planning is quite in keeping with
the theatrical character of the clever
fellow.
He cast his Macedonian cloak
down as the design, giving it a '.cir-
cular border full of plaits. and pro-
lecting into corners on rightand left, !"
as Pliny says, and made the new port
the sweep of the neck and the Pharos
and Lochias promontories the jewell
ed clasp.