The Elbert County tribune., 1913-04-11

the privileges of the monks. who submitted after
the capture OF Salonica and agreed to pay
tribute. The republic has, up to this time, been
directed by council elected by the monasteries.
The common seal of this council which is divided
into quarters for that purpose. is in the Gus
tody of the four senior members Mount Athos,
the second most holy place in eastern Christen-
dom, is at the extremity of the peninsula of
Athos, the easternmost peninsula Of Chalcidice
in Macedonia. which projects into the Aegean
and is connected with the mainland by
row isthmus. which was pierced by canal dur
ing the invasion of Xerxes. The monasteries are
scattered the entire peninsula.
A most interesting account of visit to Mount
Athos Is contained In book written in 1887 by
an Englishman, Robert Curzon, who went book
hunting to the mountain. Speaking of visit to
one monksh library, he wrote:
THE library found to be in dark closet
the entrance of the church. 1t had been
locked up for many years. but the agoumenos
(head of the monastery made no difficulty In
breaking the old-fashioned paddock by which the
door was fastened. I found upon the ground and
upon some of the broken-down shelves about 400
to 500 volumes chiefly printed books, but among
them now and then l stumbled upon manu-
script. OF these there were about thirty on vel
lum and fifty or sixty on paper. l picked up
single loose leaf of very ancient uncal Greek
characters part of the Gospel of ST. Matthew.
made bold to ask for this single leaf thing
of small value.
Certainly said the agoumenos. what do
you want it for?'
MY servant suggested tnat perhaps IL might
be useful to cover some jam pots vases of
preserves which l had at home.
"Ohl' said the agoumenos, take some more
and without ado he seized upon an unfortu-
nate thick quarto manuscript of the Acts and
Epistles and drawing out knife, cut inch
thickness of leaves at the end before could stop
him. 1t proved to be the Apocalypse, which
cluded the volume, but which is rarely found in
early Greek manuscripts of the Acts. 1t of
the eleventh century. 1 asked him II he would
sell me any of the other books, and he said
tainy; they of TO him"
One monk whom Curzon talked with in the
course of his journey round the mountain could
remember having He
asked the Englishman whether they all looked
like the pictures of the Virgin Mary. Curzon
had amusing experience with the agoumenos
of another monastery. He tells 1t thus:
"The agoumenos declared his Willingness to
show everything the monastery contained.
" But first, said he. I wish to present you
with something excellent for your breakfast
$50 expressed my thanks for the kind hos
pitality of my Lord Abbot, and he. sitting down
opposite the divan proceeded to prepare
his dish.
This said he. producing shallow basin
half full Of white paste, is the principal and
most savory part Of this famous dish: 1t is COM
posed of cloves of garlic, pounded down with
the oil in just proportions. shreds of fine
cheese and sundry other nice little condiments.
and now It is completed
SNOW. said the agoumenos. crumbling some
bread into ii with his large and somewhat dirty
hands this is dish for an emperor. Eat my
friend my much respected guest. do not be shy