Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-07-01


-.ezsion you would infer that Thebes was
a city OF large proportions. Like Lon
don. Paris. New York and other large
cities. IL lay on both sides Of the river.
The city seems 10 have started on the
east bank OF the Nile. The metropolis. or
as we should say cemetery. was located
on the west bank Then a number OF
temples dedicated TO Ammon. the chief
Egyptian god. were erected near the
cemetery. Then dwellings for the priest
followed. then libraries. schools. groves
and lakes. granaries. stables for the sac
rificial animals, barracks for the guards.
prisons; then villages for the workmen,
masonS. painters. builders, embalmers.
Under the new empire the management OF
this city was placed in the hands Of an
official known as Prince OF the west and
general OF the soldiers of the metropolis"
The two parts of the city were probably
connected by a bridge over the river,
though there are now no vestiges OF the
bridge remaining. unless some embank-
ments on the east side may be taken as
such. The two cities formed Greater
Thebes." like Greater New York" and
the whole was surrounded by walls. to
which there were 20 gates, forming alto
gether. I suppose. the largest and most
magnificent city IN the world then, and
one OF the most magnificent the world
has ever seen
ANOTHER DONKEY RIDE
In order 10 reach the places OF inter-
est on the west bank IL was necessary
10 take another donkey ride similar to
the one we took TO Memphis and SAX
kara. OF which I spoke. The weather
was Intensely hot. as we were far TO the
south. SO we rose about o'clock. had
81 early breakfast. crossed the river In a
sail boat-the donkeys did the same in
another bost-we met on the other side.
and then there was a scramble on the
part Of the donkey boys TO have their
donkeys chosen Ny donkey boy tried
hard 10 get me 10 ride a handsome white
conkey-1 the word handsome" can be
used with reference 20 q donkey at all
named scotch Whisky" Just what was
the significance Of the term as applied
90 the donkey. do not know. / suppose
he thought Il would please scotchmen
and perhaps Americans But positively
refused 10 ride a donkey with such a
name aid not care to have any
thing TO do with anything by that name.
not even a donkey. though I think it ap-
propriate that q donkey and Scotch
whisky" should go togther. At least
Il seems 10 me that any man who would
attempt 10 ride Scotch whisky-I mean
the genuine ARTICLES himself dom
key. This Is not intended as any reflec-
ton upon my friend. DR.. Junius w. NIL
lard. leading our party, TO whose lot
Scotch whisky finally fell.
chose q fine looking dark-colored dom
key By the name of Cleopatra" When
I expressed surprise that Cleopatra"
should be a gentleman. the donkey boy
explained that he was named after the
boat. not the queen / believe IL Is Gus
tomary In English to speak OF boats as
IN the feminine gender. but suppose that
IN the Arabic they are masculine. 1 did
not, however, attempt 10 pursue the sub
tect any further Ny whole attention
was engaged in pursuing the procession
of donkey riders and keeping on the dom
key. And thus-donkeys. donkey riders
and donkey boys-ve started out to ex-
plore the old city Of Thebes. on the west
bank OF the Nile.
THE COLOssI OF MENON
The first objects Of interest to which we
came were the Colossi Of Memnon, az
they are called These have no possible
connection with any "Memnon" OF history
or mythology. They were erected BY
Amenophis III, or IL is sometimes spelt
Amenhotep-and were intended to repre-
sent that monarch They stood original
~ In front OF a temple erected BY him,
OF which very little now remains. But
in the Roman epoch they were taken for
statues OF Mennon, son OF Eas and T1th-
onus. who slew Antiiochus. the son VI
Nestor. during the Trojan war. for which
he was himself slain BY Achilles. Hence
the present name. which. as you see. is
misnomer These Colossi differ from the
famous Colossus at Rhodes. That was in
q standing position. These are In sit
ting position The height Of the figure
IN the Colossi Is 50 feet that Of the ped
sstal IS feet. making s. feet altogether.
Including the crown. which has disap-
- 80 -.
The Northern Colossus was called "vo-
cal" because in the early centuries II
was believed TO emit a sound every morn
ing at the rising OF the sun. II Is sup
posed TO have been thrown down by the
earthquake OF r BIC. and deprived Of
it's vocal qualities One Of our donkey
boys started TO climb up In the Colossus.
I presume for the purpose Of initiating
the sound said to have emanated from II,
but as Il would have been an evident
fraud and as We knew that he would
demand the inevitable backsheesh for do
ing 50. we aid not encourage him The
pedestal OF the north statue Is covered
with Greek and Latin inscriptions writ
ter by visitors who came to see the
colossi.
The earliest inscription is dated In tina
18th year Of Nero. The visit Of the En-
peror Hadrfan IN 100 AID. is recorded.
During the annual inundation Of the Nile,
the colossi are surrounded by water.
About seven feet OF soil were deposited
at their base In the course OF the years.
On either side Of the figures on both
Colossi are the mother and wife OF Amen
hotsp. both 50 small that IL is diff3cult 10
discover them
THE RAMESSEUM
A little distance beyond the Colossi g
what IL called the Ramesseum. which
meant the temple OF Ramses III, the
Pharaoh OF the Oppression II is said to
have been the most imposing Of all the
monuments OF Thebes. II was dedicated.
as most Of the ancient temples OF Egypt
were. TO Amnon- It IL built in the usual
style OF such temples. Eith pylon. perl
style and hypostyle- halls, colonnares.
statues. etc / need not attempt any
detailed description Of It I may men,
ton only two or three things Of inter
est IN connection with II. On the walls