The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-12-31
SICILY IN HISTORY.

as is Cairo, ILL.,, with an area of 5000
square miles, has more earthquakes
and more big events in the progress
of mankind crowded into its history
than any other island of Europe.
Sicily was not always an island.
Once it was part of an isthmus con-
meeting Italy with Africa. Then the
Mediterranean was two seas--one to
the east and the other to the west of
Sicily. When the Atlantic cut Africa
from Spain, the same convulsion
made Sicily an island.
1t is a strange island on which all
races of the world have commended
for mastery, and on which all have
left their imprint.
Before Solomon was writing love-
sick poetry to the queen of Sheba.
the Canaanites (Phoenieians) had
established trading posts on this
island. Soon after came Greek mer-
chants and traders.
Then came the Phoenician mer-
|chants transplanted to Carthage, and
the first deadly conflict between the
Aryan and Semitic races for the
lrulership of Europe-for the mastery
of the world, even to this day--was
Joined on this island. The conflict
ing forces appealed to Baal, Moloch
and to Zeus.
The Greek fought both Cartha-
genians and Romans. In the end.
the Romans beat both, but the
Greeks remained dominant in Sicily
under Roman overordship.
During this thousand years the
great city of syracuse was the clear
ing port for the sea commerce of the
world. Into this city were gathered
The best and choicest of the science.
art and culture of the world. There
every vice peculiar TO the nations
along the Mediterranean was har-
vested and made commonplace.
Hannibal fought in Sicily to
'avenge the death of his grandfather.
In Sicily lived the mathematician,
Archimedes, inventor OF the screw
.pgmp and the authority on fortifica-
tions.
a'rsm Sicily came Pyrrhus into
Italy to beat the Romans. There
.vca and ruled the great Timoleon
end there, also, once sat Damocles of
'aa Hanging Sword. st. Paul put in
at syracuse on his way to Europe.
o. course, you have read Cicero's
oration against Verres. That rascal
was the projenitor OF our Abe Ruefs
and Bath House Johns, and of Eng
lands Warren Hastings.
Verres was grating in Sicily, and
Cicero prosecuted him in a Roman
High Court.
If the Semitic races lost a foot
hold in Sicily before the coming Of
Christ, they made a second grand
effort to secure it when the Roman
empire began to fall OF its own rot
tenness.
Saracens crowded into the island
when their brothers invaded Spain.
They were fought back by the armies
of the emperors of the Roman en-
pire of the east, but they held on two
hundred years.
The Normans moved into Sicily
when William invaded England, ana
under the Norman rulers all religions,
all races and all things were toler-
ated.
The Sicilian, then, is more Greek |
than Roman, and has in him a dash
Of the Saracenic, along with a blend
Of Norman blood.
In the island are the ruins of dead
nations, the traces of dead religions
and the monuments of dead civlliza-
tons. There are Greek temples in
Sicily more near absolute preserva-
ton than any edifice in Athens
There are remains of Roman theaters
hat are as they were 1000 years
ago, having only rents torn in theI
stone seats by earthquakes.
Among the people there are Gus
IONS that come down from the cere-
monies OF Carthage such as the
strong hand of Fleubert draws in
colors Of fire. In their language you
will find the soft memories of the
Attic speech, with the broader cry of
the Bedouin.
The Sicilian, then, has long line
Of ancestors and glorious history,
and who knows but the man this
selling you vegetables from
he wagon NAV have as forebears.
Athenians like Aristides, Cathagen-
ans like Hannibal. an Arabian emh
,r a Norman duke.
Desplse not the lowly Sicilian to-
lay in his great sorrow, for once his
syracuse was the capital city of the
world, in all that was best in science,
Lrt. wealth and commerce. Com