Origin and history of all the pharmacopeial vegetable drugs, chemicals and preparations with

502 Pages·2011·20.9 MB·English

TWO PILLARS
THEGREATTEMPLEOFCYBELE
The Author's Summary
Two pillars, only, of the colonnade of eighty that graced
thegreatTempleofCybele, stand to-day, halfburiedin the
debris of centuries sole relics of renowned and historic
Sardis.
This,therichestcityofherday,wasseatofEmpireforthe
vast realm of Croesus heir to the fabulous riches of Midas
where he reigned supreme in untold luxury and pride.
Here, later, flourished one of the seven Churches of the
Apocalypse. Cyrus the Great led his cohorts into Lydia,
and left Sardis the seat of a mere satrapy in the Medo-
Persian Empire. The day of decline had fallen on imperial
Sardis.
The treasuresof Croesus vanished hisjewelsandhoards
of gold were forever scattered. The mighty structures
raised in the prime of his dominion to honor names no
longer heard in history or legend, crumbled and moulded to
decay. The very name is but a symbol of the vanity of
riches.
Successive hordes of warriors that have trampled these
Oriental lands are dust. Hillocks of unmarked tombs
shelter alike prince and pauper old and young rich and
poor. Thickly they dot the plains around; retreats are
they now for reptiles homes for crawling things that shun
the light of day. Man, the "Lord of creation," has sunk
into the oblivion of the grave
Blooms the gay, wild, poppy on Lydias hillsides; creeps
the humble liquorice vine throughout the historic valley of
Hermus clothing its fertile reaches twining even between
the stones of the long deserted Roman roadway Sweet
reigns the perfume of the rose that from every brier-tangle
ladens the breeze. Nature in her lowliest guise sets con-
queringfooton the proudest triumphs of King and Empire.
The story of Sardis is but a dot on history's page, scored
by the inexorable pen of Fate for all who have eyes to see.
Speaks not Fate to-day the same message into ears that are
dead? Holds she not the same mirror before unheeding
eyes? Who, inthis America'sdayofpower,andpride,and
luxury casts one backward glance? And what flowers of
thefieldshalltrailoverherburiedgloriesinfaragestocome?

PHARMACOPEIAL DRUGS.