The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-08-21

notice merely because of it's name. 1t
has nothing else in common with the
powerful city of the Greek Republic,
nor with the splendid but corrupt
town which ST. Paul knew, and which
is now called old Corinth, though
only few houses and the ancient
ruins mark the spot. Somewhat more
imposing in appearance is the old
town of Megara, best known to us
from the numerous jests and gibes
perpetrated at her expense in the
writings Of fAthenians. Finally Athens
and her Acropolis come into view and
another hard days ride is at end. II
we could come as the crow flies, the
distance would have been only 81
miles, but the railway ticket calls for
1877, the other fifty miles being made
by following the shore line.
Unlike Rome ancient and modern
Athens are very separate. AS the
railway enters the town from the
West. you have old Athens on your
right, the new on your left and
straight before you. As you stroll
up and down the strets OF today you
miss the surprises Of classic ruins
that await you at any corner in Rome
1t is true that in Southern-central
PARTON YOU DO occasionally meet
ruin but it belongs not to the Greek
but to the Roman Athens. The prin-
cipal exception to this statement is
the temple OF Jupiter Olympus whose
stately columns come into sight from
the boulevard of Queen Amalie.
Modern Athens makes traveller from
the West feel very much at home de-
spite the strangeness Of the language
around him. Everything is new, for
the city has been built since it was
made the capital Of tho kingdom of
Greece in 1885 after the European
powers had compelled the Turks to
evacuate the country. At that time
we are told that there were scarcely
800 houses here. We miss in Athens
then this products of that age OF
building which in Italy produced
Bramante, Raphael, and Michael
Angelo. There are represented here
three ages; Republican Greece with
the buildings on the Acropolis, Roman
Greece of the time OF tho Emperor
Hadrian with few ruins scattered
since 1885. To these must be added a
few small churches from the period
| Of the Byzantine empire.
The Athens of the Acropolis alone
is of interest to the classical student.
| Ono is lost in admiration for the
genius of people who could produce
buildings which even in their ruined
state, show forth their past splendsr.
The Parthenon is century stone on
the long march OF civilization. 1t
is the product Of the splendid age Of
Pericles, being built under his direc-
ton by the architects 1ktinus and
Kallikrates and was decorated under
the supervision of Phidias himself 1t
then represents the best that Greece
could offer.
| Scarcely less attractive are the
ruins of the Erectheion which is sup
posed at least to have been begun in
tho same age. Its most conspicuous
feature is the portico Of the Carya-
tides. whose roof is supported not by
regular columns but by figures OF
maidens. The effect is gracefulnes,
itself. These buildings with the mas
sive Propylaa and the small temple
of Athena Nike are all that is left on
the summit OF the Acropolis. Near
it's base is the Thescion or temple OF
Hercules and Theseus, which is said
to be the best preserved structure in
all Greece that has como down from
the classical period. The Arsopagus
Hill Of Mars, is disappointment tc
me, since had pictured it as a hill
after the type OF the Acropolis itsel
and had hoped to see some traces o
the old criminal court building where
sat tho most sacred of ali Athrniar
courts. 1t may be that, at tim'
when the city was crowded arouul
the bases Of these two hills, this va!
the logical position for public build
ing OF this character. An interesting
spot in this nsighborhood is th'
prison Of Socrates, a thres-roome'
, chamber dug into the rock OF the bill
r of Philopappus. The hill OF the Pny!
where in ali probability Demosthene
!, delivered his caustic orations agains
Philip, presents a splendid exampl
, of wall built by the pre- Hellenic
: Pelasgians. The great size OF tn
g hswn stones in this wall recall som
e questions in ancient engineering
: which arise as we look at the pyrs
= mids of Egypt. -,
most Interesting Athenian build
9 ing is the Stadion or building devote
2 to athletic games. This OF cours
e was to be found in many OF the town
o of ancient Greece, notably at Olympi
$ where the most celebrated OF 3
: Grecian games were celebrated. Bu
s in Athens, the site has not only bee
d eXcavated but patriotic Greek frol
j. Alexandria is having the building II
l. erected in Pentelie marble and it
5 proposed to renew here the Panhell'
d ME as international games. In 1S9
It America won more than her share {
a the honors in the first modern cell
n hration of these games. Near I'll
Stadion flows, or ought to flow tt
V celebrated Ilissus. In fact neither I
e the Athenian water courses is no
If running. Can it be that they wei
D 30 insignificant when they were wri
le ten OF in such lofty styls'
n The water problem is most ser
l. Gus one for the city today. Sever
rt times prospecting has been dor
,e looking to the bringing Of water fro
is greater or less distance. One effo
n at least was to lead the waters Of ol
% Of the Pelopannesian mountain di
,e tries. At present the city uses
b, aqueduct built by Hadrian from NJ
,e Pentelicon. Athens owes her pos
to ton as capital Of the kingdom rath
te to a reverence for the past than
ip any special claim that the mode
q town could have presented. Situate
b as it is in the poorest district OF t
of country, it's commerce consists wht
ne ly of imports. Yet, Athens today,
to in her palmiest days, leads Greece
interest for education. It is the vi