The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-02-03
GOLDEN AGE OF GREECE
C. w. SEYMOUR DELIVERS AN IN
TERESTING LECTURE AT CEN
TRIAL HIGH SCHOOL
Carried His Audience Back to the
Time of Pericles, and Gave an
Entertaining Account of the Life
of That Great Warrior.

Charles W. Seymour delivered the first OF
his series of lectures under the AUSPICES Of
the Taylor Memorial association and the St.
Paul Teachers association before large au-
dience last evening in Assembly hall OF the
Central high school
his subject, "Pericles or the Golden Age
of Greece" and took the audience back to
ancient Greece 500 years before Christ, and
dweh at length on the ancient classics OF
Greece at the time of Pericles.
He gave a popular idea OF the condition
of Greece during the fifth century B. c., and
the quarrels and contests for supremacy be-
tween the little states of Sparta and Athens
the destruction Of Athens by Xerxes and the
appearance Of Pericles ten years later
cratic government by overthrowlng the power
OF the areopagus and the establishment of
popular assembly composed Of the citizens
OF Athens, not only made Greece one OF the
greatest centers of civilization the world has
ever known, but 1t made her the greatest
of nations of the time.
The speaker paid high tribute to the re-
forms adopted and established by Pericies for
the benefit Of his people. He was among
the FIRST if, indeed, not the hrst to COLOMBO
the poor. With him it was a constant fight
against poverty The highest encomium which
could be paid to Pericles, the reformer. was
that the greatness of the nation was due to
his astuteness as a politician and a humani-
tartan. The Athenian assembly was court
of the people, and the humblest citizen could
there find redress against wrongs or perse-
cution. Greece, at the time OF Pericles, had
the nearest to a model form Of democratic
government He put into effect the idea of
employing the poor in public works; also that
of educating the people through art, which
INTELLECTUALLY was at the time unrivaled by
any of the other notions Of the world.
The rebuilding of the Acropolis was one OF
the greatest feats accomplished by him. The
completion of the structure was the marvel
of the age. The Athenians, being a jealous
people the achievements Of their leader
brought down misfortune upon his head, and
various intrigues at the capital city for a
short period put him out of favor with the
people. The temple was nominally in four
parts, with the shrine Of the virgin goddess in
center. The pillars were OF the choicest
marble and the statues and images were
made of ivory, and their drapings OF rolled
gold. 1t required eight years to complete the
temple, and at times the treasury was empty
The smaller states other than Athens con-
tributed most to this support, and this fact
caused the people Of these states to rebel.
The Athenians argued that Athens being the
gateway to the nation, guarded 1t against
the usurpaton OF foreign foes, and the in
public veal.
The lecturer spoke at length OF the oppo-
sition to Pericles, OF his matriIn onial ventures
and of his career as general Of the Athenian
army. His grand ideals for the uplifting OF
his people found life in generations and ma
lions which lived after him.
His last words on his death bed were.
s'There is nothing in my life that ! prize
higher than the thought that no Athenfan
ever put on the cloak Of mourning through
any act Of mine.