The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1919-06-19

WHOSE mountains Greece was
Graded, may again come under
Heller ic rule if the demands
of Greek representatives CT the peace
conference are granted. Here are
found the first evidences Of that Greek
culture which later permeated the
world. In tie Valley of the Chara-
covista, undec the very shadow OF
Olytzika the terrible Tomaros of the
ancients, ruins speak their tale to the
archaeologist of a civilization ante
dating that Of the Greece. of today,
says the Kansas City Star.
Here, myth )logy has it, Zeus, re-
leased from Chaos. wed DiOne, the
fecund earth, and from their mating
came the beautiful Aphrodite. On
this spot now rest the ruins of the
sanctuary of Aphl Odite, overlooking
the crumbled temple and vOtive monu-
ments, and hidden midst the oaks and
olives that have e-meshed the val
ley, no doubt Is the sacred spring,
whose murmCrings, controlled by the
divine Dione and AphrOdite, were in,
terpreted by tie temple Oracles.
On the side of the hill, to the south
Of the citadel, which stood on a prom
ontory in the center of the valley,
have been found the remains Of
majestic theater, its walls shrouded In
vines and trees.
There, on the site of the Acropolis,
from which all the plain is spread
out before the traveller, Ulysses called
up the souls IF the dead.
From the fateful oaks of DOdona,
towering above the temple and the
alter, Minerva chose the mast of the
beautiful ship ArgO. and to the god of
Dodona Achilles poured out his liba'
tons.
Kings Descended From Achilles.
The kings of the Molossians, one of
the many tribes into which Epirus
was divided, asserted direct descent
from Pyrrhus, son of Achilles, who
settled there after the sack of Troy,
leaving the kingdom to his son Mo-
lOssus. 1t was not till the time of
Alexander the Great that these many
tribes were banded together into one
nation. Then Alexander, an uncle of
Alexander the Great, was made king
over Epirus by Phillip H., father of
Alexander the Great, and brought all
the tribes together. the little country
becoming a united kingdom in the
fourth century b. @.
Since, its history has been tragic.
The scene of continuous turmoil, 1t
imprudently espOused the cause of
Perseus in lag B. e., and, devastated
by the conQuering Romans, was an
nexed to the province of Macedonia.
Except for inter-tribal vendetta. there
were few changes Till the thirteenth
century, when it was seized by Michel
Angelius Comenus with the taking of
ConstantinOple by the Latins.
After two hundred years of Latin
and Byzantine rule, with Albania, 1t
reverted to the control of native
princes, under whom tribal feuds in
creased in terocity and savagery.
And, weakened by It's years Of inter-
nal fighting, 4 was an easy prey to
the Turks IT. the fifteenth century.
Bloody 7uIe of the Turks.
For while iawlessness was Quelled,
but, with the beginning of the decline
Of the Turkish empire in the seven
teenth century, the old rule of blood
returned till at the beginning of the
present century Turkey was unable to
promise safety to travellers within Its
borders.
Its hills were filed with lawless
bands whose deprcdations the Otto
man rulers we're pOwerless to curb.
Hiding in the Businesses of the Pin
dus mountains, brigands would swoOp
down upon pack trains, or upon the
valley farms, and be back in their
lairs before the police could arrive
tains they were safe.
Theirs was the life of the Scotch
Highlanders of tie time of the
Stuarts. Clan spirit increased as the
yoke of the Moslem was lifted, and
the law of retaliation was the only
effective governmental instrument.
Blood for blood was the rule, and
thousands died In clen feuds.
Inspectors of schools founded by
wealthy Epirotes took their lives In
their hands when they made their
tours and t,cir visits were always
kept secret. The French consul hardly
dared 60 out Of sight of his home.