Dead Men, Tell No Tales (2)

"Secondly," the Moon resumed, "It's all depends on the point of view, and who tells the story. Difficulties would occur in writing the history of nations, both ancient and modern. Some of those who flourish at certain day, and to be consider as having reached perfection in civilization and polished manners, will perhaps, be branded in after-times, with cruelty, injustice, and oppression, in having confounded all simplicity of manners, and disturbed the peace of whole nations, by carrying the horrors of war, of murder, and desolation, into regions formerly blessed with uninterrupted tranquillity.

On the contrary, those who really did the evil things, shouted, "We are victims, we were attacked, we know nothing!" Like a child, who broke a plate, because his wishes was not granted, causing his brother, sister, grandfather and grandmother, found their legs bleeding, stepping on glass. The boy ran under his mother's armpit, holding her baby boy, saying, "It wasn't me, the cat did it!"

Later, when the baby boy grown up to be a teenager, when asked about the events of that day, he would be confused, because the boy, who had became an adult, arguing such and such, maybe even denying the testimonies of his brother and sister.

Such is the partiality of mankind in favour of themselves and their own actions, that it is extremely difficult, nay almost impossible to come at any certainty, by reading the accounts that are written on one side only. The simple truth is still perverted, as prejudice, vanity, or interest warps the mind, and it is not discovered in all its brilliancy, till the mists which obscure it are sw ept away by the most rigid investigation.

Fair treatment is indeed necessary, but being careful of the bad side and dreadful intentions of men, is not something should be reproached. The apple would not fall into the sky, but on the head of Isaac Newton, who was leaning against the trunk of the apple tree, and the apple, would not roll far away from its tree. The proof, Newton could still reaching it.

Let me tell you an illustration about a Lion and a Man.

In a certain space and in a certain time, where beasts were allowed to talk with men, a Man and a Lion were discussing the relative strength of Men and Lions. The Man contended, he and his fellows, were stronger than lions by reason of their greater intelligence. “Come now with me and I will prove that I'm right,” said the man.

He took the Lion into a room, where a bust of a man, was placed on a big large marble. "Amazing, isn't it?" The Lion nodded while asking, "Is this place a tomb?" "No, it's a monument, kind of!" said he. The Lion commented, "As far as I know, the word bust, "sculpture of upper torso and head," from Latin bustum "funeral monument, tomb," originally "funeral pyre, place where corpses are burned." Or from Italian busto "upper body," the sense development in Italian probably is from the Etruscan custom of keeping the ashes of the dead in an urn shaped like the person when alive. But something interesting about the word "bust" in todays meaning." The man was curious, "What is it?" Calmly, the Lion described, "The phrase is definitely slang, but refers to something that ended in failure, with no chance of recovery." The man silenced.

A few moments later, they arrived at a garden, where a large statue appeared, a man sitting on a chair. The Lion examined, "Is it Lincoln's statue?" "Nope," said the man. The Lion reacted, "I know one of Lincoln's jokes, '"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens." The man was irritated, because the lion hasn't yet admitted. "Come on, let's go somewhere else, I'll show you an extra ordinary statue!"

They arrived at a monument, they saw a statue of a man riding a horse all four hooves were on the ground. The Lion analysed, "Statues of men and women mounted on horses are often associated with battle, valor, and conquest. These statues try to capture the powerful dynamism of a horse. The sculptors of these statues have posed them rearing on two legs, walking forward with one hoof raised, or arching upward with a single hoof planted on the ground.

A repeated story about these horses is that the number of legs raised indicates the fate of the rider. Believers of this story, say that if an equestrian statue’s horse has one hoof raised, the rider died of wounds received in battle. The rider died in battle if their horse is rearing up on its hind legs. And if the horse has all hooves on the ground, the rider died of natural causes. So, do you still declaring it, extraordinary?"

"O come on! Why don't you just admit it? Alright, let's see another statue!" the man responded. 

Later, they were in a garden where a statue of a man stood, standing tall and quite tall. "Well?" asked the man. The Lion observed and commented, "I'd prefer the Marine on the East coast, not cult, but reminiscent!"

At last, they reached a clearing in the forest and there stood a statue. It was a representation of Heracles in the act of tearing the jaws of the Nemean Lion. “See,” said the man, “That’s how strong we are! The King of Beasts is like wax in our hands!” declared the man. “Ho!” laughed the Lion, “That proves nothing at all,” the Lion remarked, “If a Lion had been the carver, he would have made the Lion striding over the Man.”

"Come on Buddy!" said the Lion, "Instead of arguing and wasting my vacation off regarding all about this, please, take me to a more pleasant place!" The Man smiled, "Okay! Follow me!"

Thus, in a horse-drawn carriage, they rode toward the East Coast, chanting,

I look at the world

And I notice it's turning

While my guitar gently weeps

With every mistake

We must surely be learning

Still, my guitar gently weeps *)

The Moon wrapped up, "One story is good, till another is told. A beast cannot sculpture a stone if he tries, otherwise, dead men, tell no tales. And Allah know best."

Citations & References:
- Fran S. Dobbins, False Gods; or the Idol Worship of the World, Hubbard Bros
- Colonel J. Garnier, The Worship of the Dead, Chapman and Hall
- James Northcote, RA, One Hundred Fables, Originals and Selected, J. Johnson
- Samuel Croxall, D.D., Fables of Aesop and Others, Simon Probasco
*) "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" written by John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul James Mccartney
[Part 1]

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Dead Men, Tell No Tales (1)

"First of all, I'm going to tell you, an illustration about Opportunity. It was started when a Traveller, met a Statue of man," the Moon mentioned. "And a discussion ensued, between the Traveller and the statue, about how it got there.

The Traveller enquired, "The ancient Greeks's stories, are jumble, nevertheless, this dissaray, makes them interesting. Tell me, O image, what statue are you?" The statue narrated, "The religious system of the Greeks, is the embodiment of beauty. No other worship that has ever existed so encouraged the taste for art as this. Its literature, its mythological stories, its idols and its temples, still control and to a great extent, shape the art ideas of the world. Its devotees, have above all other people possessed a perception of beauty of form and a fondness for representing it.

The people of Greece, appear to have originally come from the North-western part of Asia Minor. They were called the Hellenes. The Worship which they brought from Asia, was the worship of the "Heaven-Father," the unseenpone who dwells in ether, whose temple is the sky, and whose altar is properly placed upon the mountaintop. The Hindus called the same being Dyaus-pitar; the Romans, Diovis-pater or Jupiter; the Greeks, Zeuspater. One can readily see the resemblance between these names, and the evidence they bear to the fact that, these nations, all came originally from one common stock.

As the primal Greek race separated into various parts of Greece different forms, began to arise. As sailors from other lands arrived on their shores, they brought their own gods with them, and thus many new gods, were introduced into Greece.

The lively imagination of the Greeks and the out-door life of their primitive state, produced a number of tales and legends about the gods. Some of these were based on the tales with which their forefathers were familiar in their early home in Asia. The people lived in separate villages. Wandering minstrels and merchants, carried these tales of gods and heroes, from village to village. Poets then caught them up, and adorned them with the touches of a livelier fancy. Thus soon, a rich and luxuriant system of legendary lore, was in possession of the whole people.

Just as is the case with other nations, the beings called gods by the Greeks, are but the personifications of the powers and objects of nature, and the legends but represent the courses of nature and its operations. To these primitive notions imagination, afterwards added, and poetry clothed the whole with a warm glow. Thus was formed the popular Greek faith.

I was Caerus, the personification of opportunity, luck and favorable moments, the same as Kairos, an Ancient Greek word meaning the right, critical, or opportune moment. Kairos has a qualitative, permanent nature."

The Traveller was curioused, "Thus, why did you stand on tip-toe? Say, if the cause you may reveal!"

The statue disclosed, "I was represented as a young and beautiful god. Opportunity obviously never got old, and beauty was always opportune, flourishing in its own season. I stood on tiptoe, because I was always running."

"And why you had a pair of wings on your feet?" the Traveller wanted to know more, "I had wings in my feet, to fly with the wind. I was prone to soar, if neglected, I returned no more." the statue uncovered. "And why did you hold a razor in your right hand?" added the Traveller. "I hold a razor, or else scales balanced on a sharp edge—attributed illustrating the fleeting instant in which occasions appear and disappear. As a sign to men, that I am sharper than any sharp edge." the statue explained. 

"Why does your hair hang over your face?" the Traveller urged. "I was shown with only one lock of hair. I could easily be seized by the hair hanging over my face—creeping down over the eyebrows—when I was arriving."

"And why, was the back of your head, bald?" the Traveller investigated. "Once I had passed by, no one could grasp me, the back of my head, being bald. The moment of action was gone with my hair: a neglected occasion, couldn't be recovered." 

"Why did the artist fashion you?" the Traveller interrogated, "For your sake, O stranger, and he set me up in the porch as a lesson. Just as Hermes had been taken to be the protector of thieves, Opportunity had been called their maker. I had a bad influence in the matter of thefts, humans spent huge resources and efforts in perfecting locks and keys and passwords, and every kind of safety measures, with the help of which they hope to outwit Opportunity. But as they lock some doors, they inevitably leaved others open. And as expected, I went on flying as swiftly as ever, providing amazing surprises to everyone, and making not only thieves, but also lovers. In addition, I produced every kind of such humans as were nicknamed "opportunists," on account of their ability to quickly seize, whatever advantage, I, Caerus, the great seducer, appeared, to offer them.

On the other hand, a man or woman of judgment, usually thinks that things such as "opportunity" are not entities, or powers, let alone divinities, but the produce of diligent men. And being such their nature, they could be arranged or put under control." 

The statue notified, "Men of old invented this particular image, so that our efforts would not be undermined by laziness or hesitation.

Though often, other things happened. In history, there were righteous people who lived in the period between Adam and Noah, alayhimussalam, and who had followers, held them as models. After their death, their friends who used to emulate them said, 'If we make statues of them, it will be more pleasing to us in our worship and will remind us of them.' So, they built statues of them, and, after they had died and others came after them, something evil crept into their minds saying, 'Your forefathers used to worship them, and through that worshipping, they got rain.' So they worshipped them! In this manner, O stranger, careful and good judgment, was required if you were dealing with statues."

[Part 2]

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