Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-08-15
EPIRUS
Greece Lays Claim To A Most His
torio Province.

Sea which continues SOUTHWARK 10 Iio
eastern shore of the Ionian Sea, the
exit of the Adriatic, has been a seeth-
ing cauldron Of radical strife from the
time of the Persian and Roman en-
pires to the peace conference OF 1sls'
says a bulletin of the National Geo.
graphic Society.
The bulletin calls attention to the
fact that the subsistence OF the con-
troversy between Italy and the new
kingdom Of the Serbs, Croats, and Slo-
venes over Fiume, seems merely to
transfer the center Of interest south
ward to the historic Epirus, now part
of Albania, which Greece wishes re-
stored to her domain.
Five centuries before Christ Epirus
was set off like little island, apart
from. Alexander's vast domains, with
Macedonia and Hellas and the Ionian
Sea as its boundaries" the bulletin
continues. 1.-THE name, meaning main
land was given it to distinguish 1t
from the Grecian islands which fringe
it's coast line.
Corinthians, Athenians and Spart-
ans looked upon the Epirotes as bar
barians, though Aristotle believed
Epirus the original home OF the
Hellenes. Today the major portion of
the ancient area is comprised in AL
bania, among the youngest and least
known Of all the states Of Europe.
IAN oracle and a woman won for
Eplrus wide renown in the ancient
world From prehistoric times mes
sages Of the gods were received at
Dodona through the rustlings OF the
leaves on an oak tree where Zeus was
supposed to lurk; and from Epirus
came Olympias, mother Of Alexander
the Great, whose sons renown does not
overshadow her own major part In the
history of her times.
Ruins Of the Dodona temples were
discovered within the last half century
a few miles southwest Of Janina- Ac-
cording to local tradition the first
message was delivered by dove
speaking with human voice from a
tree top. Priestesses were called Pele-
aides, or doves.
Rivalry between the oracle Of Zeus
at Dodona and that Of Apollo at Delphi
became keen. Priestesses Of the for
mer invented new ways Of receiving
messages, including interpretations OF
the murmurs Of brook, end the
sounds Of a metal-tipped whip as the
wind drove Il against a bronze tripod.
"Croesus was supposed to have con-
suited the Dodona oracle about his
proposed campaign against Cyrus. king
of the Persians. He acted upon the
more flattering prophecy at Delphi
which promised he would destroy
great kingdom The prediction was
verified the kingdom destroyed was
his own.
Few biographies Of women are more
fascinating than that Of Olympias.
She was the daughter Of a king OF
Epirus who traced his ancestry to
son of Achilles. She married Phillip
III, OF MdCeQOH I1el Sitli oSSSi pS'A-'o
an amazing compound Of the devoted
mother, the barbaric passion OF
Cleopatra, and the astute stateman=
ship of Maria Theresa. Plutarch gives
vivid description Of her fantastic
snake dances. Estranged from Phillip
because of his inf1delity. she was sus-
pected of having a part In his murder.
"Pyrrhus, descended from Alexan-
der's aunt, waged a war with Rome
and made Epirus a power in world
politics for a brief period. century
and a half after his death the Romans
annihilated the forces Of Perseus at
Pydna and the punishment meted out
to Epirus for its part in the war was
the destruction Of 70 Of her principal
cities and enslavement Of 100000 of her
citizens. The kingdom never recover
ed from that blow.
"Epirus is extremely mountainous.
From ancient times to the present day
it's cattle and horses have been noted
and it was famous for peculiar breed
of dog, the Molossan."