Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1893-10-06
DARING OF DINOCRATES.
Tho story OF the Geniu, Who Was the
Architect OF Alexandri'.

The Story OF the Genius Who Was the
Architect OF Alexandra.
dnocrates was Macedonian, the
rssseps of his time, q genius of dnr-
ing design, and, it is to be hoped,
quite out of accord with the popular
feeling of his day in his craving for
self advertisement. He had perhaps
contracted the corrupt practice from
Herostratus Cor E~atostratus), 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 earth uakes might
not ruin, had been placed in q 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 east about for device
by which he could gain his audience
and likewis,, fatter his sovereign.
Now there was one weakness, g. IL
may have been a noble yearning, in
the great eonqueror'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 Jupite, Ammon, and the
crafty sycophant Dinocrates deemed
that he would best flatter 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 q Nemean lion over his
shoulder, and fiourishiug a 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-advertis 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 ked
him what next he proposed to do.
al have laid out Mount Athos." re-
! sponded he, 'to be sculptured as one
! block, and to be hewn into the fa h
ion OF the limbs and features of
your majesty"
'In your left hand l have designed
a city of 10, 90 inhabitants, and into
your right have conducted all the
rivers of the mount. and formed them
into sea, from whence they flow 30
the ocean Thus, 81 e, shall q
memorial be left worthy OF your
! greatness" Alexander was amused
at the audacity Of the man, and dis
missed him; nevertheless ne remem-
bered him when he wanted to build
Alexandria, and the tradit on of its
planning is quite in keeping with
the theatrical character CT the clcvcr
! fellow.
He cast his Macedonian cloak
down as tho design, giving it u cir
cular border full of plaits, and pro-
Jecting into corners on rightand left, "
as Pliny says, and made the new port
the sweep of the neck and the Pharo5
and Lochias promontories the jewel
ed clasp.