The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-07-29
An Ancient Guidebook 70 Greece.

Some two years ago. Mr.. J.. G. FRAZER pub
lished through the Macmillans a translation
OF Pausaniass Description Of Greece. en-
riched with notes and commentaries drawn
partly from the researches Of other scholars,
ancient and modern. and partly from the OBJ
servations made by the translator himself on
the sites Of the places Described. Some Of the
most interesting Of these notes have been thrown
together In a mail octave volume Of some -four
hundred pages issued by the same publishers
and entitled Pdusdnids, for the benefit OF those
readers who have not seen the elaborate and
! costly work Of which they formed q part. We
should not be surprised, however, II many
readers whose attention Is directed 10 this
llttle book should resolve to acquire the six
volumes which comprise Mr.. Frazer's transla-
ton OF the Hellenic travellers description OF
Greece as It was In the second century Of our
era. OF no other part nj the ancient world has
a picture at once 80 minute and so trustworthy
survived, and, doubtless, II we had been free
to single out one country in one age Of which
we should wish a record to be preserved our
choice might have fallen on Greece in tho age
Of the Antonines. The great epoch OF HELEN
Ism, indeed, had long been over. but In the
sunshine Of peace and imperial favor Greek
art and literature had bloesomed again. New
temples had sprung up; new images had been
curved, new theatres. and baths, and auue-
ducts ministered to the amusement and luxury
Of the people. Among the new Hellenic writer's.
who proved that tho literature Of their country
was not dead sven in the sixth century after
sophocles, the names Of Plutarch and Lucian
are especially conspicuous.
II was In this Indian summer OF the ancient
world, when the last ~gleanings Of the Greek
genius were harvested. that Pausanias, a con-
temporary Of Hadrian and Of the Antonines,
wrote his description Of Greece. IL Is pointed
out by Mr.. Frazer that he came in time, but only
Just in time. He was able TO describe the
stately buildings with which In his own life
time Hadran had enbellisbed Greece, and the
hardly less splendid edticcs which, even whilo
Pausanas wrote. another muniicent patron
OF art Herodes Atticus. was rearing at eoms
Of the great centres OF Greek life and religion.
Under all this brave show. however, tho de-
cline had set In. About a century earlier the
Emperor Nero, In the speech In which he an
nounoed at Corinth the liberation Of Greece.
had lamented that 1t had not been given him to
confer the boon In other and happier DAYS,
when there would have been more people to
profit by i; a s0p pI,, nsSy year. Ate. this
world IN general, and Greece IN particular. had
been depopulated by tho civil brawls and wars:
the whole Greek . MAINLAND; he s, sSid; could now
Der that formerly .Megara alone had sent 10 face
the Persians at Platpa. Dio Chrysostom tells
Of Thebes Law deserted. and that only a single
statue stood erect among the ruins OF the ancient
market place, To this state Of things Pau
sanias himself is the best witness. Again and
again he notices shrunken or ruined cities.
deserted villages. roofess temples, shrines
without images and pedestals without statues,
and played Q part In history, IN his own He
time horde 1t nortreru barbaxianAI The omI