The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-12-14

however. l had had my brief Italian
vocabulary translated Into Greek and
with n little French added, | got on
very we'll
looked up DR. George w. Elder
kin. secretary OF the American School
for classical studies at Athens Ho
Is brother OF Rev. y. S Elderkin of
Ogden and is most entertaining gen
tleman to meet. especially in far-off
Greece. He very kindly showed me
about to various points of interest in
Athens, especially those where his
thorough knowledge of Grecian au-
uquities was an advantage The Am
erican school adjoins the British and
Is finely situated on hill overlook
Ing the city. The interior. with It's
magnificent library and commodIoU5
students apartments, is sumptuouSiy
furnished and decorated with bits II
antique Statuary, while the grounds
without are surrounded by n huge
stone wall and also contain statuarN.
Among the latter should be mentioned
n broken-nosed marble relief OF Geo
AIDE of fable fame The inscrmtion
says something about some Greek I'M.
mortal OF the second and third cen.
tury and my friend Elderkln stoutIy
repudiated the allegation, but after all,
there can be no mistaking the grave
features of the Hoosier play wright
The ruins of ancient Athens have
been described too often and too well
10 need anything on the subject from
me. They are still grand and impos-
Ing despite the ravages of time and
the wanton and ignorant destruction
OF man. | climbed the Acropolis re.
peatcdly to inspect the wonderful Par.
thenon, with It's neighborlng ruins and
also to look off across the site OF the
ancient city to picture If possible
something of what stood there In the
centuries gone by
In one direction the great marble
stadium CLEANS brightly from It's set
ting in the green surrounding hill
sides-a beautiful and costly restora-
tion Of the ancient amphitheatre
which seated $4,000 spectators Near.
or 10 view, the few remaining columns
of the Temple of Jupiter stand out
In isolated grandeur To the left and
still nearer, Is the famous arch of
Hadrlan, while around to the right
almost under the Acropolis walls. are
| the ruined theaters of Herode5 At
t1cuS and Dionsos- Some of the fine
marble seats still retain their backs
and foot rests. while across the bot
| tom can be traced the names of the
| old Greek mobiles who occupied them
two thousand years ago. Farther on
| and across the valley which lies be.
| tween can be seen the elaborate monu-
| ment Of PhllopappoS. its statues NUT
| ilated or missing. but still an lmpos-
! Ing memorial
| Directly in line with tho entrance
| TO the Acropolis and perhaps half q
mile distant Is the semi circular stage
or terrace which was at one time the
assembling place OF those who would
listen to the great orations History
and the archaeologists says but little
regarding this remarkable structure,
some of the stones of which are 13
feet long and half as high and wide,
At the back is the so-called Bema or
orators stage
Beyond this and a little to the right
is the observatory SuTmounting a
rocky peak and just below, the Hogla
| Marina with Its little stone church.
By the way, | was walking about on
the rocks by the church one day and
| in stepping down from path worn
| in the stone my feet suddenly slipped
| from under me and | came down with
bump which sent me hurtling 10
the street some feet below. Return
ing 10 examine the phenomenon |
! found glazed surface about two feet
wide and extending downward 10 the
street. but could see no reason for It.,
Last night in going over another guide
book, | found that the place is that
10 which. as the book states. has been
connected a superstition relative 10
women whom Providence has not
! seen At 10 increase their families -
If the Greek women have been slid
ing down that rock for 1000 years or
more no wonder its surface is polish
ed, and no wonder l nearly dislooated
my back In trying to walk down IT.
| To get back TO the Acropolis, one
looks beyond the Hegia Marina to-
ward PiraeuS and its harbor and re-
| turning to the immediate foreground
sees below. the famous rock of the Ar
eopagus Beyond this some distance
and somewhat TO the right is the beau
! tiful Temple OF Theseus, the best pre-
served specimen OF ancient architec-
! ture in Greece If not in the whole
world One should visit these ruins
repeatedly in order TO permanently
| impress them upon the mind.
| visited the various museums of
the city, two Of which are world-fam-
Gus for the priceless antiquities they
contain Everything of this nature
| in Greece is absolutely free TO the
public. including the AcropoliS. If
the latter were in any other country
Of Europe, they would have a high
fence around 1t and charge you two OF
three francs to enter. From Greece
| expect to go to Turkey.
Respectfully, a. w. HADLEI.