The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-03-27
DIR. F1IRBANKS' LECrURE.
Immortality in Greek Art--A Valuable
Contribution to the Subject.

Immortality in Greek Art--A Valuable
Contribution to the Subject.
Last evening very select audience
gathered at the classical room in Phelps
hall to hear Dr.. Arthur Fairbanks give
the third lecture in the course now be-
ing presented on THE Idea of the Fu-
ture Life in Greek Art" This course
has been greatly enjoyed by those for
tunate to be present The lectures have
been Illustrated by stereopticon Views,
which have shown some rare charts
and photos taken in Greece and are Of
marked value to the student of this fas-
cinating department of Greek classical
literature
The lecture last evening while not
aiming at being a popular presentation,
was yet of most interesting and in
structive character.
Dr.. Fairbanks said in part:
There are two types of monuments
or tombstones which the Greeks erect
ed in memory of their dead The ear
lier type represent the dead as heroes,
or in some cases even as demigods.
These are large and many times quite
majestic but all have rather stiff ap-
pearance. The other type reveals the
dead more nearly "a life size, more as
| common people in the common occupa-
tions Of life.
The Greek monuments are all bas-
reliefs, Steele is the technical name.
They are generally erected TO the men,
ory of young men or young women sell
dom for old people or those who have
run the full course of their earthly
career.
The symbols found upon the monu-
ments are interesting, Many cannot be
traced to their origin. For some reason
the serpent is the most common and
conspicuous Of these symbols, together
with birds and pommegranates the
two latter being used as sacrificial of
ferings. Another symbol was a cap,
which was supposed to be worn in the
lower world. Again picture of d
horse was worked into the monuments,
| often only the head then again the
whole animal. This had something to
do with portraying the character of the
man, usually as hero, or a man del
fed. There are many attendants upon
the dead, often kneeling in the act of
worship. Many of these are relatives,
husbands and wives, brothers, are
there; often these in other bas-relefs,
are seated around in a natural way or
perhaps presenting some gifts or best
wishes to the deceased Many times the
dead are shown in a pensive attitude,
holding their chin. as if in sorrowful
meditation.
The epitaphs, too, have received
| much attention by scholars" DR..
Fairbanks compared them in one re-
spect to the modern species They are
OF a very low order Of literary merit.
Some of them are interesting, being in
the form of greetings and dialogues
with the passer-by. The tomb
stones usually represented the dis
trict from whence the dead came The
scenes depicted are frequently taken
from that of the PERSONS actual life.
The soldier is fighting, A woman is
holding a jewel box. A mother is at
tended by a maid holding a baby.
But the idea of the future life is not
so strongly and powerfully brought out
as il was in the glorious period of
Greek ora tory in the fourth and fifth
centuries, when poets, soldiers and ora
tors all We'd with each other in vivid
pictures of the life beyond