Thursday, November 02, 2023

Some things don't change much

From Description of Greece, by Pausanias (approximately 110-180 AD):
The popular belief has prevailed almost universally that Theseus played into the hands of the people, and that from his time they remined under a democratical government, till Pisistratus rose up and became tyrant. There are other untrue traditions current among the mass of mankind, who have no research and take for gospel all they heard as children in the choruses and tragedies.

1 comment:

Assistant Village Idiot said...

As in, Richard III did not kill the princes in the tower, but everyone still believes it because of Shakespeare.

I wonder what myths of ours will survive, even as people try to kill them with real research now.