Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-05-25
Nanles. May II.

n Pompeii is that OF a banker
who may be fittingly described as
the Pierpont Morgan of the Summer
capital of Roman luxury.
Ne occupied the most beautiful
palace on the newly excavated, ex-
elusive portion of the Street of Album
dance. which has already been re-
ferred to as bearing a resemblance
to the most luxurious part of New
York's Fifth Avenue, This discov-
cry adds, in a highly picturesque
manner, to the resemblances be-
tween Pompeii and New York pre-
viously noted.
The Pompeiian bankers name Is
believed to have been Lucius Cecillus
Metellus, although there is still some
doubt about the spelling of the name.
on account of the blurs and mutila.
tons occurring wherever it has been
found written.
A fine bust of MeteIlus was found
In the great atrium of his beautiful
house. Strange to say. he had
large, pendulous nose, with a wart on
1t. Otherwise his face indicated
great intelligence. overbearing de-
termination and a keen power tu
enjoy all the good things of the
flesh. Indeed, the furnishings of his
house indicate that there were few
forms Of enjoyment with which he
was not thoroughly familiar.
It appears that at the age of fifty
nine Metellus retired from the aef-
i've pursuit of money-making in or,
der to- devote himself, like Mr.. Nor
gan, to collecting precious objects of
arr from all pI ) of the world. The
Roman and Pompeiian spendthrifts,
however, insisted ON continuing to
borrow money from him at upwards
of shty per cent. on the best Of
security, guch a. solid gold vases
Thus it happened that his inrome
continued to roll up without any
effort. on his part, and he was able
to evote unlimited wealth to buylns
art treasures, without troubling
about their cost. =
surrounding the columned court
ward. or peristylium, of his mousse
WI ia must have been beautiful with
birds flowers. fountains and statu-
arv. there stood series OF puiiu-
ings housing the millionaire al'
treasures.
There was the library stocked
With manuscripts from Greece ana
,,evnt. and 18th the more recent
,roductions of the poets OF Italy
Maor vi these manuscripts nave
Noon recovered by the excaVatorS'
.nd ., 1stitute the most valuable Oh
the latest series Of finds
7bep taere was a hall set apart
+he masterpieces of Greek sculp-
,,re Another building was entirely
sred with arms and armor. sun
ano+bar was given up to dainty ere
at,ons n goa ana precious stones
crowns. tiaras. necklaces glroles'
broocbes, buckles, and thousands OF
oeaut. pieces Of jewelry used by
men and women a ornaments IN
ancient times.
vpttan papyri aud paiimpsests
nboras and crateras of Etrus-
oan Trojan aud Mycenaean work
nsbin. Greek drinking cups OF
gold called scyphi and canthari,
Torasra hgurInes OF all periods,
anrtous statuettes from Chalcedon,
EXAMPLES of sculpture and jew
elrv in the Phoeniclan, cypriote and
craacco. Egyptian styles; polychro
-. marble statue Of Hercules.
venus Bacchus, Silenus and all the
pagan Pantheon, enriched this won
4erfu collection
The accompanying photographs
show few OF the treasures recoy-
ared fru thu halls of Metellus
Tbssc objects represent widely sep
arated periods of Greek art Here
somewhat 4rchalc fresco repre-
senting the Greek hero Theseus kill.
tan labyrinth, and here is a bas re-
lief representing Bacchanaljan
nrocession that is in the most
advanced style of Greek art This
Is worthy OF Phidias
An exquisiteiy embossed helmet
with decorations OF inlaid gold Is
another example OF the finest Greek
style, and wa. probably produced