The Monticellonian., 1916-09-21

nasalneentIy seulptured. The entaDla-
| ture presents row of egg patterns
surmOunted by consoles with scanthuS
leaves, with number of small lions
and bulls carved on them. Higher up
are tooth patterns and small roses,
then Greek key design. On the up
per cornice, above each column, there
are some lions heads. with gaping
jaws, which served as an issue for the
rain water.
The part from the tooth pattern to
the top Is only half the total height.
yet when | stood on the ground in
front of one of these great blocks of
exquisitely carved stone, which had
fallen from its lofty height. | could
hardly reach up and touch the lion
jaws. How the Romans ever lifted
these massive blocks to their lofty pO-
sition above the capitals of the columns
is mystery. The Romans, prodigal as
they seem to have been, never invested
real money in the provinces. The
wealth with which this wonderful tenn
pie WIS built WAS raised in Syria it
self Yet today the Turk eXaeting in
his demands. derives but pittance
| from this fertile district.
The temple of Baeehus. which is the
best preserved of Syrian ruins. is quite
apart from the great temple of Jupi-
/ ter, Helos. Baal. or the Sun. The
finest thing about this temple is the
front door solid stone, 43 feet high and
just half as broad. Hospitality with Il
al no Of 40
is carved in the most intricate and
lacelike designs. Next to the door is
Il charming beadwork and leaf design.
Then a twisted rope and Il conventional
vine and wheat design. Then more fill
gree that might have been carved with
Il tool as fine as Il cambria needle. and
some figures of satyrS and bacchantes.
not so conventional The door posts
are nearly two feet wide. and the
whole is made up of sculpture that
would grace even England's master
piece, Melrose Abbey.
The great size and stability of the
temples inspire confidence in the
climber. A stairway leads to the top
of the celia walls-the solid walls OF
the temple proper-which project for
80 feet above the ground.
Where Oracle Was Housed
This smaller temple is 227 feet long
and about half as wide facing the ris-
ing sun, and formerly approached by
fine staircase, which was destroyed
when the Arabs built Il fortress and
wall in front of the earlier temple. OF
the AZ columns which once surrounded
it, only 16 remain in place, yet from
the back the temple seems almost com
plete On the south side one of the 80
foot columns has fallen against the
side of the temple. but so securely are
its drums elamped together that it re
mains whole although it has smashed
Il hole in the wall.
The keystone above the doorway
dropped 50 far after the earthquake I'm
1859 that pier of stones was neces-
sary to hold II in place, but the stone
has now been raised to its original 20
sition, and the familiar carving of the
Roman eagle with long garands in its
beak can be seen. 1t was in this temple
that the oracle of Baalbek was housed
and the secret passage by means Of
which the priests entered the statue to
proclaim the fate of the land can still
be seen.
~~~~o--Sc~-eo-~-oo~-o---o-o 100000
good taste of usefulness will chancn
them SO that they will never be con
tent 10 be dolls again. They will cease
To new. The tiatness is truly leaving