Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-04-29
THE FABLES OF HISTORY.

THE FABLES OF HISTORY.
DIR. Octave Delepierre. the learned
Secretary of Legation to the King of the
Belgians, has published book entitled
Historical Difficulties and Contested
Events" The first delusion to which
he addresses himself is the
COLOSSUS OF RHODES.
In the elementary works in use in the
English and the American schools, the
Colossus of Rhodes is represented as q
statue with gigantic limbs, each leg
resting on the enormous rocks which
face the entrance to the principal port
of the Island of Rhodes, and ships in
full sail passed easily, it is said, between
its legs. This is the narrative of the
historian Rollin, of several French die
and even of some encyclope-
dias. The real truth about the Colossus
to DR.. Delepierre is that about
the year BOG, before Christ, the Rhodi-
ans, after successfully defending them
selves against a years siege, commanded
Charles to erect a memorial statue to
the honor OF their deity, and this statue
was erected on an open space of ground
hCdi lhC = hol wi, ITO tldk
ments were seen and admired by travel
ers for many years after its destr:' ctiOn.
Toward the end of the second century
after Christ the Colossus was recon-
under the Emperor Vespasian,
but of smaller dimensions. TIE fable
of the ancient statue, between whose
gigantic limbs ships in full sail were
believed to have passed, originated ap-
ranfly of tho TINA nf fhn rnS0Hn
when the inhabitants of Rhodes amused
by relating to the newcomers
all sorts of incredible stories of their past
grandeur.
BELISARIUS.
The romantic tale of Belisarius, the
conqueror of the Vandals, deprived of
his sight by the Emperor Justinian, and
to beg his bread in the streets
Of Constantinople, was mentioned by
no contemporary historian, but it has
been repeated age after age, and Mar
novel propsgated the fiction in
every language of Europe. The real
fact, as recorded by Gibben, is that Bel
sarius was guarded for year as q pris-
oner in his own palace. His innocence
Of the treason of which he had been
suspected became then acknowledged,
and his freedom and honors were re-
stored; but death removed him within q
year of his liberation. He was never
blind nor a beggar.
THE ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY.
Whether the Alexandrian Library
54 900 volumes or 400, 900, it is
certain that this immense col
ection made by the Ptollemies was not
IS is commonly supposed, destroyed by
he Arabs in the seventh century, but
became prey the flames when Julius
Caesar, who was besieged in that part
# Alexandria in which the museum
TODD, ordered the fleet to be set on fire.
)ne story has it that the books were
'rdered to be distributed in the various
,aths at Alexandria, to be burnt in the
toves, and that they lasted six months
'ut it would have puzzled the Egypt
ans to heat baths with Parchment
Another fiction was that at the taking
# Babylon the books were thrown into
he river Euphrates, and the number
vas SO great that they formed bridge
ver which foot passengers and horse
nen went across!
POPE JOAN.
Is it true that woman succeeded in
eceiving her contemporaries to the ex-
ent of elevating her to the Pontificial
hrone? According to the widely-spread
ersion, female Pope, disguised as a
nan, was elected in the year S55, and
ubsequently died in giving birth to a
hild. This is clearly a legend, the
explanation of which is, that
'ope John XII, amongst many concu-
ines had one named Joan, who exer-
ca1 crrah -;
ome time it might be said it was she
rho governed. His love for her went
D far that he gave her entire cities, and
the Church of st. Peter of
rosses and of golden chalices, in order
, lay them at her feet, and we are told
nat she died in childbed.
WILLIAM TELL.
The tale of William Tell is pronounced
, be nothing more or less than North
rn sagO that has been adopted and re-
eated from generation. The revolution
'hich took place in Switzerland in 1907 |
ave rise to the legend of the Swiss |
ero, and from that time to the present |
'riters have continually endeavOred to !
xpose its unsound basis, but the public, |
Iually pertinacious have insisted on |
on its truth. The story was
OF known until two centuries aft er the |
opposed event, and the chronicles of
he Middle Ages, so eager after extraor-
mary facts and interesting news, are
ltirely ignorant of it. Tells lime tree
/ the centre of the market-place at |
ltdOrf, and his cross-bow preserved in
lie arsenal at Zurich, are not more valid
roofs than the pieces of true cross which
'e exhibited in thousand places.
PETRARCH AND LAURA.
Petrarch was a great poet and great
olitician, but he was not altogether the
latonic lover some have represented
i'm to be. With regard to Laura all
doubt, obscurity and hypothesis. All
aces left of her were so faint, even in
le century in which she lived, that
)ubts were entertained of her exist
ice. Baldelle, is obliged to confess
lat the poet was by no means faithful
his divinity; but that another, whom
: loved after less ideal fashion, pre-
nted him with daughter. who after
ards became the consolation of his old
re. Laura has made far more noise in
le world during the past four or five
INJURIES than she ever did in her own
me. ....u
,u JOAN OF ARC. .
We are now asked to believe that Joan
Arc was not burnt at Rouen, as Isl
said, but that soma other
lknown creature was sacrificed in her
cad. This is the weakest of DIR. Del
'ierre's positions. He takes as bis prin-
pal authority some professed discov-
les by Pere Kignier, according to
hich the contract of marriage between
lie Robert des Armoises, chevalier,
it'll the Maid of Orleans, has been dis
vered. When the victim was led to
e stake, large mitre was placed on
,r head, which concealed the greater
Irt of her face, and huge frame COW
ed her person.
CHARLES v.
The generally received belief of
larles V. is that, after this abdication,
retired to a convent, adopted the
.bit of monk, and occupied himself