Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-08-26
GREAT IN HISTORY
And WondrousIy Beautiful Is the
City of Lisbon.
Portuguese Capital Has Had Many
Names Through the centurIes-
Was Last Stronghold Of the
Moor in That Country.

Lie way VI udIne, especially
well-known name, is interesting to
very many people outside the ranks Of
the confirmed etymologist. The strange
way in which, through the centuries,
a name, gradually changes and
changes until 1t has really changed
cut Of all casual recognition, yet never
quite parts from its original, has a
fascination all its own. Lisbon Is
very first-class example. No ole, Off
hand, would think Of connecting the
name with Ulysses, and yet your ETY.
mologist dives into the subject and so
connects 1t without apparent difficulty.
Every one, Of course, knows the legend
that Lisbon owes its origin to Ulysses.
1t makes no difference that the myth
cal city founded by the great wan
derer is declared by StrabO to have
been rather In the mountains Of
Turdetania, in the extreme south OF
Spain. Such contentious never make
any difference to well-established
tidUitiOH. anu 81 lhc OiuSSt huAnS W
which the city ever was known. that
is to say Olisipo, came to be writ.
ten Ulyssippo. This on Phoenlcian
lips, says the authority, appeared
as Alissubbo, or the friendly bay.
Then came the Romans, changing the
name, but sealing their appreciation Of
the happy situation Of the beautiful
city on the heights above Tugas by
calling II Felicitas Julia. After the
Romans came the Moors with their
Al Aschbuna. still carrying out the
same idea, and after the Moors, the
Portuguese, with the Alissubbo Of the
Phoenician carried step further,
and appearing as Lissabona. From
that to the Lisboa or Lisbon Of today
is but step.
And what history there is in It I!
It carries one safely through the cen
turies, touching lightly on the story OF
Phoenician, Roman and Moor as
each, in turn, held sway along the
shores of Friendly bay. Lisbon, In
deed, was the last stronghold Of the
Moor in Portugal, and the story OF
how King Alfonso / laid siege to 1t
through many months, in 1147, and,
at last, with the aid Of English and
Flemish cruisers on the way to Syria
captured 1t, Is one of the great ro-
mances of history. Other landmarks
and epochs in the history Of Lisbon
are the burning Of the city by the
CastilIan army of Henry II, in 1873
Its period of splendor and greatness
In the sixteenth century, when the
Portuguese empire was spreading 1t.
self into India and Africa; Its long
years Of humiliation from 1880 to
1910, when Lisbon was provincial
town under Spanish rule; its release
from the Spanish bondage; the great
earthquake of 1855; and the grand
rebuilding of the city under the IA
nous Caravalho.
Caravalho had a gracious task
LlSDOu udS dlWdyS ocSh Auhuvoo Ava
the beauty Of Its situation, and few
who write about Portugal today fall
to attempt, once again, to convey the
beauties Of its blue waters, its white
red-roofed houses, the wonderful yer
dure Of It's gardens, and over all the
"peerless blue of southern sky"
''The eyes rest" says one writer
upon a succession Of amphitheaters
built up with tier upon tier OF houses
great and small, which the sorcery oi
Lusitanian sunlight transhgures Into
the semblance of city Of palaces anc
many mansions built up Of marbles
of delicate and varied hues." The
westernmost of European capitals
spreads itself in leisurely fashion ovel
its II hills, extending for more thar
five miles along the shores OF the Ia
nous Rada de Lisbon. and for more
than three miles inland. Beyond the
narrow channel leading out OF tht
Rada through which flow the wa
ters of the Tagus lies the open sea
and some 800 miles away over thu
horizon to the west are the Azores
Christian Science Monitor.