The daily sentinel., 1910-01-28
HERE'STHESTORY
Of DAMON AND
PYTH|AS

The following is a brief sketch
of the powerful and beautiful
story depicted in the great
drama, damon and Pythias,"
TO he presented in three acts and
eleven scenes, with special seem
cry throughout, and costumes
that are both magnificent and
historically correct, on next
Monday and Tuesday evenings at
the Majestic theatre by some
thirty talented local people:
Damon and Pythias lived in the
days, long before the dawn of the
Christian era, when Syracuse. an
cient and wonderful city on the
island of Sicily. was in the height of
her glory and power. Damon was a
senator. philosopher. a statesman.
Pythias was valiant soldier. These
two men were lifelong friends. Syra-
cuse was ruled as a republic. Dio-
nysius, general, just back from a
victorious campaign dreamed of an
empire with him the ruler. Aided
by Damocoles, Procles and other sub
seryient to his will, he takes the
citadel. has the senate dissolved, and
himself crowned as king. Damon
rushes into the senate house Just as
Dionysius Is being made king, de
hounces him and the traitorous SEN
ators, and in his fury attempts the
me OF Dionysius. He is overpowered
and Is sentenced TO die on the block
by Dionysius. As he is being led
away Pythias is met and when he
learns what has transpired. he begs
the tyrant to grant his friend n re-
spite that he may 20 to bid farewell
TO Hermien. his wife and child. in
their villa some miles from the city.
before he dies. Dionysius refuses,
Ihen Pythias offered himself as a
hostage for Damon's return, declar-
ing his Willingness to die in Damon's
stead II the latter does not return
WITHIN few hours. A greater dem
ohstratlon OF friendship was never
made. Maryeling, Dionysius accepts
the otfer and Pythias, who was that
DAY to marry the fair Calanthe. is
placed in the chains in Damon's
place while Damon, at liberty for
four hours, hastens to his homo by
the sea. His wife, grief stricken
begs him not TO return. His slave
Luculus. kills his horse to prevent
MIN returning. Damon, furious
when he finds his horse dead. kills
MS faithful slave. halls IA traveller.
drags him from his horse and mount
ing starts for Syracuse fearing that
MS friend and hostage, Pythias. may
have already met death. In the
meantime, desiring to show tl.at
such friendship could not exist be-
tween two men, the tyrant employs
every vile to try to get Pythias to
show fear. to denounce Damon and
10 make break for liberty. Ca
iahtne, Pythias's sweetheart, in the
cell In the presence of Dionysius who
Is disguised as priest, urges her
ioVer 10 break his bond and flee with
her. Pythias refuses and calmly
awaits with perfect confidence In his
irlend. The hour of the execution
arrives. Damon has not returned
Pythias Is brought to the scaffold
Heartbroken Calanthe still has hope,
Pythias is ready to die. He still he
neves in Damon. Dionysius glosts
In rendish glee over Damon's failure
10 return. The goodbyes are said.
suddenly just at the last moment a
horseman is seen in the distance COM
ing with the speed of the wind. II is
Damon. He has saved his friend
Dlonysius, overcome by this unheard
OF deed OF friendship, pardons na-
mon, and restores Pythias to his
sweetheart and thus the play ends,
giving to the world one of Its great
est dramas based on the true and
historical story of friends ship and on
which story the great order of
Knights of Pythias is founded. There
are numerous other beautiful and
powerful scenes depicted on the
stage that space does not permit to
be referred TO here.