Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1902-01-03
ERRORS OF HISTORY
fiCTiONS THAT FOR CENTURIES 4AVE
POSED as FACTS

Why the Colossus OF Rhodes Could
Net E;nse Svnnncd The IIsrbor-T!,t
Force of LcoEisins at ThcrmO,,yI:c.
The William Tell Myth.
There have been woven into history
many interesting stories that time aud
investigation have proved myths, but
i'll spite of the efforts Of the iconoclasts
these mistakes of history still pass
current With many people.
Probably one of the most affecting
literature is that described in the oft
repeated story of the blind poet Milton
debating "Paradisc Lost" to his dauSh-
tcrS. DR.. johnson. however has been
quoted as denying it. He said. further
more, that Milton never even permitted
his daughters to learn to read and
write.
y favorite "picce" with western and
southern sehooIb0ys on recitation ANA
exhibition days WAS q set of verses tell
ING of the heroic stand of Lconidas and
his brave 300 at Thermopyln. The
Able Rarthclcmy who asserted that
ioct, wrote that, according to Biod0ruS.
Ieon;das had 1,0G0 Hlen under him anI
that Fausanias gave the number Of lie
oNld9S army as l2,O00.
D.a Caesar say to III" plot:
WHY DO you fear: You have Caesar
on boaid.'
Many trustworthy historians declare
that Caesar never used the words
quoted.
The inside of cigar box covers arc
sometimes oInamentcd with Il picture
of the Colossus of Rhodes. With ships
in fun sail passing between the out
stretched legs of the gigantic statue.
These pictures reflect the popular and
what for centuries was the historical
idea of the Colossus which was ac-
counted one Of the seven wonders Of
the world. 1t may be interesting to
know that all drawings Of the statue
are purely imaginary and, what is
more, are modern. not ancient, efforts.
The Colossus was erected in 3O5 B. g.
The most trust worthy OF ancient ac
counts Of it is contained in manu-
script dating about $50 3. c., in which
the height Of the statue is given as 100
feet. The entrance to the harbor OF
Rhodes is $50 feet across. SO that it
was manifestly ini!,assible that the legs
Of the Colossus should span the en-
trance to the port or That ships should
sail beneath it.
AS a matter OF fact the Colossus was
not built across the harbo.. but on an
open space of ground near it; but, for
all that, it was wonderful statue.
People whose sympathies are easily
aroused have Wcpt over the wrongs
of Belisarius, the conqueror Of the
Vandals. who, many We're taught.
begged his bread at the city gates"
after having commanded victorious
armies and been Of much service to
the state. The good old general was
inquest ionably an unfort unate and
much abused man, but there is no
proof that he begged his living st the
city gates or elsewhere Yet Van Dyke
engraved him and David. the great
Frenclnan, painted him, and tra@e-
dies and romanccs were written
around him in til" belief that he cid sit
at the city gates Il forlorn and discon-
solate object with palm outstretched
for aims.
The facts are, conspiracy against
the Emperor .JuStinian being discover
ed, two Of BvliSarius officers confessed
hnder torture thai the old general was
i'm the plot. He was condemned with
cut further hearing, his property Sc,
gucstrated. and he suffered inprison-
mcnt for six months. His innocence
being established. Relisarius was re-
leased. and he died about a year later.
But that he ever was reduced to the
extremity OF begging is declared to be
absolutely untrue.
The schoohook tale Of William Tell
shooting an apple from his sons head
is also without foundation in fact
Tells name doesn't even appear in the
chronicles Of Zurich, and the most an
cient writing in which the story is
mentioned bears date some 900 years
after the event it pretendS to describe
The story is a variation OF an Ole Scan
dnavian saga. A similar bit of his
tory" is related OF William Of Clouds
ley in England in the twelfth century
II is denied also that Emperor
Charles V. OF Spain ON his abdication
adopted the habit Of a monk and occu-
pied himself in the manufacture of
clocks. 1t is declared that he never
ceased to be emperor de facto. and he
never surrendered control of affairs of
state
Coming down to later times. the peo, |
pie Of three different countries claimed !
three different men as inventors of the |
steam engine. In America there is a
popular belief to this day hat Robert
Enlinn luilt the firSt SuGnnS nn no !