Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-02-21

u0ry-H0M Fables DccO0hS RS'
DR.. Octave Delepierre, the learned
Secretary of Legation TO the King OF
the Belgians, has published work en-
titled Historical Difficulties and Con,
tested Events. in which he plays sad
havoc with those popular fables Of his
tory and tradition, in which the modern
world has heretofore placed implicit coz
6dence. The first delusion to WHICH De
addresses himself is the
COLOSSUS OF RHODES.
In the elementary works in Use IN the
Fpolish and American schools the Colos-
sus of Rhodes is represented as statue
with gigantic limbs, each leg resting on
the enormous rocks which face the en-
trance to the principal port of the Island
of Rhodes. and ships in full sail passed
easily. it is said. between his legs. Thus
a. the narrative Of historian Rollln, OF
several French dictionaries, and even OF
some encyclopedias. The real truth
about the Colossus, according to Dr.
Delepierre. is that about the year 3Oo'
before Christ. the RhOdians, after success
fully defending themselves against
Years siege. commanded Chares 10 erect
a memorial 10 the honor of their deity
and this statue was erected on an open
space of ground near the great harooT,
where the fragments were seen and ad-
mired by travellers for many years after
It, destruction. ToWard the end of the
second century after Christ, the Colos-
sus was reconstructed under the Empe-
ror Vespasian. but of similar dimensions.
The fable Of the ancient statue, between
whose gigantic limbs ships in full sail
were believed TO have passed, originated
apparently, at the time o. the CrGsades,
when the inhabitants amused themselves
by relating 10 the new comers all sorts
Of incredible stories Of their past gran
deur
BELIsARIUS.
The romantic tale of Belisarius, the
-. -ueror of the Vaudals, deprived OF
his 20 ht by the Emperor Justlnlan, and
.compsllOd to beg his bread in the streets
&c Consteatinople, was mentioned By nc
contemporaTy historian, but 1t has been
rsneated ace after age, and Marmontel :
novel propagated the fiction in every
I,nousge of Europe The real fact, az
recorded by Gibbon, Is, that BelIsariu'
was guarded for a year as a prisoner Il
his own palace. His innocence OF tn,
treason of which he had been suspected
became acknowledged and his freedom
"a others were restored: but death re
moved him within year OF hls liberia
4iou. lie was never blind nor beggar
THE ALExANDRIAN LIBRARY.
Whether the Alexandrian Library
contained 1900 volumes or OS,OOO, l
Is tslerably certain that this immens
collection. made by the Ptolemies, va
NOT as is commonly supposed, destroye'
NV me Arabs in the seventh century, bu
became a prey TO the flames when Jullu
Cesar. who was besieged IL that G
Aiexandria in which the museum stood
ordered the feet to be set on tre. On
story has it that the books were ordere
"a be distributed In the various baths a
Alexandria, to be burnt IN the stoves
and that they lasted six months, but
would have puzzled the Egyptians
heat baths with parchment Anothe
action was. that at the taking OF Baby
Ion the books were thrown into the rive
Ennbrates. and the number was so grea
hat they formed bridge over who
foot messengers and horsemen wei
across.
POPE sOAN.
GMpFnpAnn
deceiving her contemporaries to the el
tent of eleyating herself to the Pont
6eal throne? According to the wide
4pread versions. female Pope, disguise
asa man. was elected in the year 10
and assumed the name OF John VIZ
and subsequently died in giving birth
z child. This is clearly 4 legend, .
most probable explanation Of which
that Pope John XII, among many co
cnbipes. had one named Joan, who e
ercised such an empire over him that
some time it might be said it was S
no governed. His love for her went
W rat he gave her entire cities, a
la ar. :. I'd the Church Of St. Peter
uesPon> ol .u d of golden chalices, IN orc
erTsses ,% .ham 30 At her feet, and we are t'
- rbat - sbe died IL child bed.
th~' S"0 1'S ~ y AND ELoISE.
80 80 he two lovers, Alb
The hisIoiy E. u n ,0elepierre takes
he true as q whole, but oe CONTENDS S,I =
the celebrated letters imP, 'e1 10 Il biI ),
we're not written by her at aN'' anu. anu u
L. touh in Pere le Chaise, at tAfiS'
sI,ogether a modern construction.
WILLIAM TELL.
The tale of William Tell Is p
oonpeed to be nothing more nor
,bap northern saga, that had On
sdopted and repeated from generation
saoeration. The revolution which to
,,Iacs 10 Switzerland in 1907 gave rise
ihe legeud of the Swiss hero, and ir
that time to the present, writers b
continually epdeavOred to expose its
sound basis, but the public equally