Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-11-07


with wreaths and garlands of flowers,
and the company of singers chanting
the solemn professional; there a gay
throng of jewellers in wedding process
sion, eScorting the bridal pair to the
beautiful Nymphaeum, near the river
side, great circular, dome-covered
building, rich in columns and statues,
and with cool, FLASHING fountains-an
institution with special accommoda-
tons for the celebration of nuptials;
or, again, down the great street there
might come some victorious general,
returning in triumph from his foreign
campaign-slaves, soldiers, sovereigns,
all following his triumphal car Thus
came the great Caesar himself, while
the city resounded again and again
to cries of loyalty and alteration.
Some Of Its GIores.
About the middle of the city
another broad street, also coonnaded,
extended from the river to the noun
tain. In this street, near the river,
was located the Nymphaeum, men
crossed the great street was created
the "Omphalos."
This altar was the center Of the
city and was devised in imitation Of
that at Delphi, which had been erected
by the ancient Greeks, supposing
Delphi to be the center of the world.
Here was a sitting statue of Apollo.
the patron god of the Seleucids.
Outside the eastern gate for a dis
lance of two miles King Herod of the
Jews built continuation Of the great
street
Herods street also had rows Of
columns and was paved with marble.
1t traversed the portion of the city
known as Herod's suburb.
From the western or Daphne gate,
a great highway extended for some
six or eight miles through the suburb
Of Heracles 90 the noted Grove of
Daphne. This road skirted the low
foothills. At frequent intervals there
were fountains, and on both sides were
the magnificent villas of the nobility
of Antioch.
An abundance of good water con-
tributed to the joy and pleasure of
the Seleucid capital. Not only was
there the River Orontes, but great
aQueducts brought a copious supply
of clear, pure water from the noun
tains. Two large aqueducts entered
the city from the east and 4 greater
number from the west, bringing the
waters of Daphne to the gardens,
fountains and baths of the city.
Scene of Terrible Earthquakes.
Typhon, the terrible NEUROLOGICAL
dragon who was so fiercely at war
with the god Zeus, is said to have
been buried in the mountains around
Antioch after having been struck down
by a thunderbolt. The old name Of
the River Orontes is said to have been
Typhon. The struggles and twistings
of this monster under the mountains
were held to be the cause of numer
Gus earthquakes along the Orontes
valley.
However fanciful this explanation
and again the whole region has been
devastated by fearful earthquakes.
One ancient writer says the founda-
lions of the earth were twisted, and
that great cracks were opened in the
earth and people were swallowed up
alive.
Ten earthquakes have been emu
merated which occurred between $50
B. G. and the Sixth century A. d.
Since that date there have been many
more, and even at the present time
! frequent tremorS are felt along the
Orontes valley.
The two most destructive earth
QuakeS occurred in the reignS of Ira
jan and Justinian. In the former, it
| is said that even the pe~ple on Mount
Casius trembled and the fountains
and rivers underwent great changes
In the latter there was great loss Of
life. Large crowds of people had
| gathered in the city to celebrate the
Feast of the TRANSPORTATION. The
loss OF life from falling walls and
flames was put at 100000. After each
| of the early calamities Antioch was
rebuilt, but after the great destruction
| by the earthquake in Justinian'S reign
| it never again rose to its former
beauty or Importance.