Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1896-04-09
DISCOVERIES AT PoMpEl,.
Perfectly Preserved Roman Mansion Dug
Out by Sig. COzza-

Out by Sig. Cozza-
Hampered continually 5v
strained condition of its budget, :.
italian government is CARRYING on ex-
cavations at Pompeii and this locality
remains an inexhaustible field. of dis
ccvery. Under the direction of Sig.
Cozza, engineer in charge of the excG-
vations, whole Roman mansion has
been discovered lately, the decorations
and furniture of which are in perfect
state of preservation. This house was
very important town. 1t occupied a
whole isola, or city block, in the north
ern part of the town. The inside yard,
as was customary, is in rectangular
shape, very large and surrounded on
its four sides by a portico supported
by ID Corinthian columns. Between
these columns were found nine white
marble vasques, four tables resting Oh
base decorated with chimera's legs,
and nine statuettes of Bacchus, fauns
and cupids. The walls are richly Or
namented. The different rooms, which
open on the atrium, are embellished
with frescoes of the highest interest.
On the walls of the main hall is frieze
outstretching with the most exquisite
taste and spirited execution. 1t rep
resents scenes of everyday life. with
winged cupids as performers. Many
subjects of similar style have already
been found in Pompeii, but none SO
well preserved and of such delicate re-
fnement.
One of these scenes represents
wreath shop;" on one side the maxi
ing, on the other side the sale of the
wreaths is figured. Further is a full
er's workroom" Two women are
treading on the cloth, which is lying in
a large bucket; little farther are seer
two cupids stretching wet cloth on
drying loom. Another cupid shows
to the forewomen the work to do. At
the right of this composition. and end
ing it, are two women folding the dry
cloth which has been brought to
them.
A goldsmith" shop is not less inter-
esting. A cupid is at the desk weigh
ing on a scale ajewel which a rich lady
customer, seated facing him, has just
selected, while the cupids are hammer
ing on a delicate anvil silver and gold
objects. Next is chariot race" This
fresco gives a wonderful idea of the
circus performances. Standing on
their narrow chariot, drawn by ante
lopes are four drivers. Dressed with
colored vests, like our modern jockeys,
they are pressing their speedy teaIas
and striving with desperation. Besides
the graceful frieze mentioned above
three separate fresco panels constitute
the main decoration. Their dimen-
sions are about square meter, that is
to say, a surface of about ten square
feet. They represent. various episodes
of the Theban legendary history.
The first one shows the infant Her.
cules smothering the snakes which
Juno in her jealous anger has sent
against him. This episode appears
on a beautiful coin of Crotona and is
well known to those familiar with
the medallic history of the American
revolutionary period. Taking his in
SEPARATION from the antique, Benjamin
Franklin caused medal to be struck
at the Paris mint on which Young
America is personified by the child hero
in his cradle strangling the two SER
pcnts.
These snakes represent Burgoyne's
and Corvallis armies. On the reverse
of the said medal are the dates of their
humiliation, coupled with the glorious
names of Saratoga and Yorktown. In
the Pompeiian fresco Jupiter is seated
on throne and contemplating with a
radiant smile the infant hero's exploit,
while Alcmena, his mother, hidden be-
h
guished, semi-admiring eyes the prog
ress of the struggle. The idea of the
infant Hercules strangling two serpents
is symbolical to the victory of Light
over Darkness, of Good over Evil, and
of free and united Hellas over barbar-
ism and tyranny. This painting is par
ticularly interesting, as it may be q
copy of the famous composition by
Zeuxis mentioned by Pliny.
In the second picture Amphion and
Zethus are represented taking revenge
on Dirce, who, after causing her mother,
Antiope, to be repudiated by her father,
Lycus, married him in her stead. They
are in the act of tying her to the tail of
a wild bull
The staying of Penthea is painted
on the laSt pducl. luCcuScu ny OfoHy
sus, whose worship this king has pro-
scribed in his dolninions, the mother
and sisters of Penthea have joined the
Bacchantes- They have caught the I'M
fortunate while he is watching them
and, intoxicated with mad frenzy, they
kill him with their thyrses.
Generally all the pictures of impor-
lance exhumed at Pompeii are trans
ferred to Naples, but an exception has
been made in favor of the newly-d;s
covered frescoes. They can be admired
at the site of their finding.-Philadel
l.bia Evening Telegram.
BlAtne's Old Horse.
There died the other day at z. Ii.
.ireely's farm. in Trenton, Me-. char
acter once well known in diplomatic
circles in Washington. This individual
was none else than James G. Blaine's
cid saddle and driving horse, Denman,
-bo haViur re.ohad tho advanced