Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-10-21

were to be- naturally. the principal char
acters. "Acte" was the frst piece OF his
torical fiction OF any value produced by
that Dumas whom his admirers delight
peared In book form In 1899. But there
exists a copy that was published In Brus-
sells which bears the date 1SsS The frst
Paris edition appears 10 be dated 1888 as
to some copies and 1870 as to others.
But II " not sufficient to say that BEN
Hur" II very like "Acte" and that "Acte"
reads like "Quo Vadis." Such a state
msnt in order 10 have value. must Be
supported by concrete examples. Very
well. then; let us take the chapter de-
scribing the chariot race In "Ben-hur
and a chapter describing the same thins
in "Aote" and let us compare the Two.
l had at nrst thought to work the deadly
parallel by putting the two side by side
| in parallel columns But Wallace's scene
is so much longer than Dumas that the
similar portions would hardly come oppo-
site each other, and this article must have
a space limit So give parts OF the chAriot
race from "Acts" only.
THE CHARIOT RACE"
Next day ali Corlnth decked itself In
festal array from earliest dawn. The
chariot races, though not the most ancient
of sports, were the most solemn, being ceie-
brated in the presence of the images OF
gether during the night into the Temple OF
Jupiter, which rose near the gate Of the
harbor of Lschasum, that Is 70 cay, on
the east side of the town, had to traverse
the entire length OF the city IN order to
reach the circus. which was built in the
opposite quarter. within sight of the har-
Dor OF Crissea. The procession started at
ten in the morning. that is to say, toward
the fourth hour OF the day according to
the Roman division of time. The Procon-
sui Lentulus led the way, mounted in a
chariot and wearing the garb OF a tri-
umphant general; then, behind him. came
troop Of youths OF fourteen or fifteen
years old, all sons of knights. riding mag
nificent horses adorned with scarlet and
gold saddle cloths. Behind these came the
I competitors for the prize OF the day, Luz
cius at the head Of them, as the winner
OF the previous day, clothed in a green
tunie, mounted in q chariot of ivory and
gold. and driving with purple relns a mag
nihcent team of four white horses. Upon
his head, where one looked in vain for the
| wrestling crown, glittered a dAxzling cir
Gle like that with which painters surround
the face OF the sun; and, by way OF further
addition to his resemblance to that deity,
MS beard was sprinkled with gold dust.
! behind him came young Greek from
Thessaly proud and handsome as Achil-
les. clothed In 4 yellow tunic. and driving
4 NHaAAoh ny TOUR Uldck
stesds. The last two consisted of ar
j Athsnian who claimed descent from AL
] eibiade4. and a Syrian with a SUN tanned
race. The nrst of these two wore a blue
tunic and let his long. dark and psrfumed
locks ioAt In the wind: the second was
clad In q sort OF white robe tied close ID
, the figure By = Persian Eirdls band. IKE
the sons OF fshmaai; his head Was sur.
J rounded by a white turban as snarkIIno
as the snow that shines on the summit ~
; Sinai. VI
Toward midday the process,op a.chst
the entrance TO the hlppodrone This =,
an Immense building two thousa nd "a, A.
length and eight hundred broad. m a.
m ode was q wall six feet HIN which ~
tended the entire length Of The hutia,,a
With the exception OF a passass niS.
enough for four chariots at each END. ~
waA was surmounted by affairs Sbr,nss
and empty psdsstals awaiting the sta,rs,
OF the gods which would ocouDv thsr, ~,
this solemn occasion only. One and %, -.
hippodrome was o0oupisd by the hsrr,sr'
OF starting places. the other by rhs sns-n
tators' benches. AZ each end o. the wi
were the triangular turning posts. nhicl
had to be doubled seven times to make N,
the length OF the oovrss agreed upon-
The drivers had. as We have sssn. as
! stunned the oolors OF the various parties
which divided Rome at this time; and. a.