Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1893-08-09
AN OLD-WORLD MECHANIC.
BY GEOFFHEY wINTERwooD.

We know the Sicily of Theocritus-
an cEchartei isle from its singing pine
rllaos 10 its snnny-sea banks; we know
his warming, brilliant, luxurious Alex
uudriu; but it seldom happens that w
think of either as the Sicily, the Alexan
Crir # Archimedes. And yet the immor
til gcomcter-kInsman to King Hiertt
Iuy IN / Is Youth have conversed will
tine immortal Idyllic poet in the porti
ruuS uf Syracuse, or have been be
iIenCcd by him, as a felIow-islander
1T tie gorgeous court of the PtOlemies
Whether or not these two ever met
lie pages of TheOcritus contain for III
special historic interest as preservins
some details of the landscape and O
ihe people that caught the eyes O
Archimedes, when he was not vet toe
absorbed in his speculations TO be un
conscious of what was going on about
lin. In the third century before
Christ, more truly even than in the
days of Cicero, Syracuse, on the morn
Iug side of Sicily, twas the greatest
OG Greek cities, the most beautiful of al
cities, basking in year-long sunshine,
Tor ''never a day passed in which the
sun did not appear" 1t was indeed a
quadruple city, each of the four quar-
tcrs OF which was considerable town;
and for generations thsre had been
accgmulating within its walls such
spleudOrs OF painting and statuary,
such glorious works OF art and crafts
man hip, that the plunder which
grnccd lie triumph of Marcellus, when
-!rtcHsc fell during the second Punic
war, fired lhe imagination of the prnc-
teal Romans and gave them the first
impulse towards due appreciation of
Greek genius.
The modern city stands as one quar-
ter Of the ancient stood, on the Island
of OrtyGiu-a low boss of rock a mi e
long 10y half n mile broad The am
pie tableland to the north-oLce the
AchradIDa quarter-is now uninhabit-
ed and almost uncultivated, and the
Wild pear trees (achrGdes), which are
said 90 have given the pace its name
in the carly days of the Dorian settle
meut are once more flOurishing in the
area that Archimedes defended with
such marvellous skill against the feet
and IegIOnGrICs of AlnrcClius. One
broad street, with many cross WAYS,
u Al ecu -ENtAl tAhA Laly bAl tue IOltlI0
turf covers the pavement VIII Oh led 10
the great agora, tie beautiful Dnrti
Goes, the magnificent temple of J tpi-
ter, the noble Frytancum, with Is cole
rn;ed stntue OF the poetcsS S'pi ho.
Some blocks OF the famous seu -wall
may still Ee seen at intervals along the
low cltf7, and The sight of them suflires
TO corjure up the galicys Of Rome and
the destru, tive pay of the hugh en-
SlLCs ui ''ihe great mechRli e"
Hct,It was Archimcdcs lived in TIE days
OF lA,o"ritus and good King Hierto.
Let MS IN fancy walk with him down to-
the southern end of Achradina. We
shall pu7s on our way the old quurries
where tie dead sleep IN cutgcombs hol-
lowed out OF t! e limestone-where vet.
It may be, II water shall Lave filtered
through to their restiug-pluces, moro
than one Syracusan may lie turned to
stone and unchanged through the ceu-
tGlles. As we pass we shall think Of
those Cihrr qnurrics in the NcapOlis
quurter-tAOse living tombs of perpen-
dIcular rock where the criminal, of
Sicily are confined, and where thew
pour IN vain their prayers and
th, II lmprccu.Ions into ''tEe stone
nr Of DIonvsius" From thus angle
f the s,a-vail we see below
Us the bridge and clustered roofs of
Oitygia. loudcr Is the ancient
temple Of Dana. On the south
y Csieru extremity of tie island Is the !
g reIt fresh water fountain of Arethusl,
only separated from tie salt sea by a |
barrier Of stone Pleasant to Greek |
IS the water OF this legendary fountain, |
'or 1t comes under sea from the high |
auds of Peloponnesus; in proof
whereof if you drop a cup in the be-
owed home river Alphcius it will be
brown up on the mar gin of this magic
veil. But observe here, on the high
st rocky curve of the island, the
enplC OF Minerva, with It's gold and
worry doors of worldwide fame; and
notice on the ridge of the roof the
LiCld which serves as landmark to
mariners steering for the great bay or
he lesser port.
On the landmark side, near the cit
del, there is busy crowd, and one
lCars the confused sound of voices and
ne clattcr of hammers. 1t is the ship
'rights busily mt work finishing the
lnge craft which King Hero intends to
all IhC Ayr0cWSGR. The skill and
ingenuity of Archimedes are needed
zero; but before We descend to the
lot us take a glance inland
t the IdyllIc region which Theocritus
owed so we'll. We need but go a lit
lo way beyond the gates to come to
hc shndoHy garden, within sound of
he sea and the barking of tie dogs in
ne town, where one moonlight night
imiotha, with her handmade Thestylis,
erfOrmed her incantatlOn beside the
urning braZier to recover her run
gate DClphis by means of strong en-
auutments.
ny magic wheel, draw home to me the man I
lOy,i'
mt little farther is the vineyard,
uth ITS heavy clusters red as flame,
nd on the wall sits little lad making ,
locust-cGge of reeds and daffodil !
ak, too absorbed TO think of foxes
r to have any care of either his own :
,tchcl or Of the ripe grapes he has
cen set to watch. Bevond the salt !
ps of Lysimclcia one may come ,
Ton the wattlCd Grass rooted hut of {
.e poor old fisherman vhG dreamed ,
e caught hinge fsh-a very sea-mon {
rr-p!atcd thick with gold. 1t would I
ed u free day in the hills, however, !
b bring MS to the high pastures, and |
.o piping goathCrds, ami the cavern |
AlnaryIlis, from the ferns and ivy q
HglCs Of which one dcscrics far be
v the dErried fishing coble watching
r the funny shoalp. /
Bown in the shipyard bv the citadel i,
.nds the huge vessel of King Hero, h
nit of great pines from Etna las I
any rs would have sufliced for sixty n
emes." The hull hns taken SIX 3
Dnths to build and is plated with b
ID. The difficulty that now arises is @
@ manner IN which so huge u mass is "
be launched, but by means of 81
stem of puilcys, or as some say by an r:
iptation of the screw, the great no r.
iu,c draws it into the sea. In six (,
nths more it is completed wits. it's II
eu;y banks Of oars, It's oi, ut tuwGrs.
caiapnlts, it's f5h-tanhs snd water fe
terms, Its oh ,mbrrs flCored with mo- "
e. its rooted gard, N and fet,-L. nj -