The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-01-29

the populace Of Aries affirmed it's
partially Hellenic origin by its taste
for more refined and intellectual
spectacles than those of the Circus,
and the construction Of their splen-
did theatre was a real labor of love,
if one may judge by the richness Of
its decorations, the delicate strength
and beauty Of its sculptures and the
superb marbles in which they were
executed. This theatre was condemn
ed in 446 A. D., by the Episeopate Of
St. Hilaire, whose priests conceived
it their sacred duty to destroy all
"pagan' monuments, no matter how
great their artistic Or historic value.
whenever these broadminded
churchmen unearthed an antique sta
tue they smashed it into pieces and
dumped the debris into the Rhone.
The more beautiful the statue, the
surer it was to be demolished.) Af-
ter the formal condemnation Of the
theatre, certain pious clerk named
Cyrille led the entire population of
the Episcopate, men, women and chill
dren, in a campaign Of pillage and
destduction, from which the noble
monument emerged in ruins. But what
glorious ruins! If nothing were left
but tine two gigantic monolithic col
umns Of the proscenium, the "deux
bellies collones' described by Romu-
anil, one in yellow marble of Sienna,
the other in green marble from the
Nile, they would amply serve to pro-
claim the former splendor Of the edi-
flee and command the ecstatic al.
miration Of modern beholders.
During the reign Of Louis XIV, two
Arlesians, while digging we'll on
property adjacent to the site Of the
theatre, unearthed an armless sta
tue, which the local savauts pro-
nounced Diana. but which is known
today throughout the world as the
Venus Of Aries. and the city in turn
presented it to the king. 1t suffered
faulty restoration at the hands Of
Girardon. and is now one Of the price
less treasures Of the Louvre.
Beneath the ancient ramparts of
the city, near the Porte de L'Or, in
deserted valley. shaded by cypress
trees and Uttered with the debris of
the ruined sepulo!rres, extends the
Avenue des Aliscamps, celebrated
cemetery of the middle ages, once the
hottest and most carefully guarded
spot in Europe, now the most desc
late. Its massive stone sarcophagl
are yawning and empty as if the
Trump Of Doom had already sounded
for their countless vanished dead,
and its crumblins, barren tombs re-
call Ezekiel's prophetic vision.
Around this mortuary field are clus-
tered myriad ShostIy legends, and
wien the AleSian ereybeards gath
cr oil winter evenings to doze and
gossip in some lrospitable chimney
corner. they tell strange tales of
saints and devils and grim spectral
| bands. unhappy spirits, who return
by night to prowl like ghouls among
the Sunken graves, searching in vain
for earthly bodies that vandal hands
have long since scattered to the
winds. The history Of the Aliscamp,
according to monkish chronicles. IS
mingled from the earliest times with
mysteries and marvel>. Formerly
pagan burial ground, it was dedicated
to Christianity during the reign Of
Constantine, and when the first bish-
ops of Gaul were assembled for the
conservation rites. SO it Is recounted,
Jesus Christ descended in glory from
the skies. accompanied BY a multitude
# angels, ani with his pierced hands
o"t>:"clc':.ni. pronounced the bencdlc-
zion. \ granite boulder marks the