Friday, August 13, 2021

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]