History lesson for the Greeks and more nails for their coffin of LIES about Macedonia - Plutarch
Zhivko Apostolovski
Macedonians are NOT "Grecians" and at the same time we will continue to nail
the greek coffin-with-LIES about ancient Macedonia. :-)
Happy learning now, my dear Greeks and grkomani :-)
Zhivko
Excerpts (self explanatory) from "Alexander" by Plutarch:
"Alexander was born the sixth of HECATOMBAEON, which MONTH the
MACEDONIANS call LOUS, the same day that the temple of Diana at
Ephesus was burnt..."
"The statues that gave the best representation of ALEXANDER's person were
those of Lysippus (by whom alone he would suffer his image to be made),
those peculiarities which many of his successors afterwards and his friends
used to affect to imitate, the inclination of his head a little on one side
towards his left shoulder, and his melting eye, having been expressed by
this artist with great exactness. But Apelles, who drew him with
thunderbolts in his hand, made his complexion browner and darker than it was
naturally; for he WAS FAIR and of a LIGHT COLOUR, passing into ruddiness in
his face and upon his breast..."
[Hands up all Afro-Asiats (Greeks) with fair skin and blond hair :-)]
"... Philip and his friends looked on at first in silence and anxiety for
the result, till seeing him turn at the end of his career, and come back
rejoicing and triumphing for what he had performed, they all burst out into
acclamations of applause; and his father shedding tears, it is said, for
joy, kissed him as he came down from his horse, and in his transport said,
"O my son, look thee out a KINGDOM equal to and worthy of
thyself, for MACEDONIA is too little for thee.""
"While Philip went on his expedition against the Byzantines, he left
Alexander, then sixteen years old, his lieutenant in MACEDONIA, committing
the charge of his seal to him; who, not to sit idle, reduced the rebellious
Maedi, and having taken their chief town by storm, drove out the barbarous
inhabitants, and planting a colony of several nations in their room, called
the place after his own name, Alexandropolis. At the battle of Chaeronea,
which his father fought against the GRECIANS, he is said to have been the
first man that charged the Thebans' sacred band....
About this time, Demaratus the Corinthian, an old friend of the family, who
had the freedom to say anything among them without offence, coming to visit
Philip, after the first compliments and embraces were over, PHILIP asked him
whether the GRECIANS were at amity with one another. "It ill becomes you,"
replied Demaratus, "to be solicitous about GREECE, when youhave involved
your own country in so many dissensions and calamities."
ALEXANDER was but twenty years old when his father was murdered, and
succeeded to a KINGDOM, BESET ON ALL SIDES WITH GREAT
DANGER AND RANCOROUS ENEMIES. For not only the barbarous
nations that bordered on Macedonia were impatient of being governed by any
but their own native princes, but PHILIP likewise, though HE HAD BEEN
VICTORIOUS OVER THE GRECIANS, yet, as the TIME HAD NOT
BEEN SUFFICIENT FOR HIM TO COMPLETE HIS CONQUEST AND
ACCUSTOM THEM TO HIS SWAY, had simply left all things in a general
disorder and confusion. IT SEEMED TO THE MACEDONIANS A VERY
CRITICAL TIME; and SOME WOULD HAVE PERSUADED ALEXANDER
to give up all thought of RETAINING THE GRECIANS IN SUBJECTION
BY FORCE OF ARMS, and rather to apply himself to win back by
gentle means the allegiance of the tribes who were designing revolt, and try
the effect of indulgence in arresting the first motions towards revolution.
BUT HE REJECTED THIS COUNSEL AS WEAK AND TIMOROUS,
and looked upon it to be more prudence to secure himself by resolution and
magnanimity, than, by seeming to truckle to any, to encourage all to trample
on him. In pursuit of this opinion, he reduced the barbarians to
tranquillity, and put an end to all fear of war from them, he gave rapid
expedition into their country as far as the river Danube, where he gave
Syrmus, King of the Triballians, an entire overthrow. And HEARING the
THEBANS were in REVOLT, and the ATHENIANS in correspondence
with them, he immediately marched through the pass of Thermopylae, saying
that to Demosthenes, who had called him a child while he was in Illyria and
in the country of the Triballians, and a youth when he was in Thessaly, he
would appear a man before the walls of ATHENS.
When he came to THEBES, to show how willing he was to accept of their
repentance for what was past, he only demanded of them Phoenix and
Prothytes, the authors of the rebellion, and proclaimed a general pardon to
those who would come over to him. But when the Thebans merely retorted by
demanding Philotas and Antipater to be delivered into their hands, and by a
proclamation on their part invited all who would assert the liberty of
Greece to come over to them, he presently applied himself to make them feel
the last extremities of war. The Thebans indeed defended themselves with a
zeal and courage beyond their strength, being much outnumbered by their
enemies. But when the Macedonian garrison sallied out upon them from the
citadel, they were so hemmed in on all sides that the greater part of them
fell in the battle; the city itself being taken by storm, was sacked and
razed. ALEXANDER's hope being that so severe an example might terrify
THE REST OF GREECE INTO OBEDIENCE, and also in order to
gratify the hostility of his confederates, the Phocians and Plataeans. So
that,
except the priests, and some few who had heretofore been the friends and
connections of the Macedonians, the family of the poet Pindar, and those
who were known to have opposed the public vote for the war, all the rest,
to the number of thirty thousand, were publicly sold for slaves; and it is
computed that upwards of six thousand were put to the sword."
"...a (THEBAN) matron of high character and repute, named Timoclea. ...
After which, when the soldiers led her away bound to Alexander, her very
mien and gait showed her to be a woman of dignity, and of a mind no less
elevated, not betraying the least sign of fear or astonishment. And when the
king asked her who she was, "I am," said she, "the sister of THEAGENES,
who fought the BATTLE OF CHAERONEA with your father Philip, and fell
there in command for the LIBERTY OF GREECE."
"After this he received the ATHENIANS into favour, although they had shown
themselves so much concerned at the calamity of Thebes that out of sorrow
they omitted the celebration of the Mysteries, and entertained those who
escaped with all possible humanity. Whether it were, like the lion, that his
passion was now satisfied, or that, after an example of extreme cruelty, he
had a mind to appear merciful, it happened well for the ATHENIANS; for he
not only forgave them all past offences, but bade them look to their affairs
with vigilance, remembering that if he should miscarry, they were likely to
be the arbiters of GREECE. Certain it is, too, that in aftertime he often
repented of his severity to the Thebans, and his remorse had such influence
on his temper as to make him ever after less rigorous to all others. He
imputed also the murder of Clitus, which he committed in his wine, and the
unwillingness of the MACEDONIANS to follow him against the Indians, by
which his enterprise and glory was left imperfect, to the wrath and
vengeance of Bacchus, the protector of Thebes. And it was observed that
whatsoever any Theban, who had the good fortune to survive this victory,
asked of him, he was sure to grant without the least difficulty."
"Soon after, the GRECIANS, being assembled at the Isthmus, DECLARED
THEIR RESOLUTION OF JOINING WITH ALEXANDER (the
MACEDONIANS - Zh. A.) in the war against the Persians, and
proclaimed him their general...."
"... The depth of the river, with the unevenness and difficult ascent of the
opposite bank, which was to be gained by main force, was apprehended by
most, and some pronounced it an improper time to engage, because it was
unusual for the KINGS of MACEDONIA to march with their forces in the month
called DAESIUS."
"... AND THAT THE GRECIANS MIGHT PARTICIPATE IN THE HONOUR
OF HIS (MACEDONIAN - Zh. A.) VICTORY he sent a portion of the spoils
home to them particularly to the ATHENIANS three hundred bucklers, and upon
all the rest he ordered this inscription to be set: "Alexander the son of
Philip, and
the GRECIANS, except the Lacedaemonians, won these from the
barbarians who inhabit Asia." All the plate and purple garments, and other
things of the same kind that he took from the Persians, except a very small
quantity which he reserved for himself, he sent as a present to his mother."
[The Greeks use the above in their propaganda to "show" that the Macedonians
were "Greeks". He, he, he, ...]
"... However in no long time, by Philip's (the Akarnanian - Zh. A.) means,
his (ALEXANDER's - Zh. A.) health and strength returned, and he showed
himself in public to the MACEDONIANS, who were in continual fear and
dejection until they saw him abroad again."
"There was at this time in Darius's army a MACEDONIAN REFUGEE, named
AMYNTAS, one who was pretty well acquainted with Alexander's character...."
"And hearing that Damon and Timotheus, two of Parmenio's MACEDONIAN
soldiers, had abused the wives of some strangers who were in his pay, he
wrote to Parmenio, charging him strictly, if he found them guilty, to put
them to death, as wild beasts that were only made for the mischief of
mankind...."
"After the battle of ISSus, he sent to Damascus to seize upon the money and
baggage, the wives and children, of the Persians, of which spoil the
Thessalian horsemen had the greatest share; for he had taken particular
notice of their gallantry in the fight, and sent them thither on purpose to
make their reward suitable to their courage. Not but that the rest of the
army had so considerable a part of the booty as was sufficient to enrich
them all. This first gave the MACEDONIANS such a taste of the Persian wealth
and women and barbaric splendour of living, that they were ready to pursue
and follow upon it with all the eagerness of hounds upon a scent. But
Alexander, before he proceeded any further, thought it necessary to assure
himself of the sea-coast...."
"He made the longest address that day to the THESSALIANS and other
GREEKS, who answered him with loud shouts, desiring him to lead them
on against the barbarians, upon which he shifted his javelin into his left
hand,
and with his right lifted up towards heaven, besought the gods, as
Callisthenes tells us, that if he was of a truth the son of Jupiter, they
would
be pleased to assist and strengthen the GRECIANS...."
[Thessalians and other GREEKS, but NEVER Macedonians and other Greeks]
"From hence designing to march against Darius, before he set out he diverted
himself with his officers at an entertainment of drinking and other
pastimes, and indulged so far as to let every one's mistress sit by and
drink with them. The most celebrated of them was Thais, an Athenian,
mistress of Ptolemy, who was afterwards King of Egypt. She, partly as a sort
of well-turned compliment to Alexander, partly out of sport, as the drinking
went on, at last was carried so far as to utter a saying, not misbecoming
her native country's character, though somewhat too lofty for her own
condition. She said it was indeed some recompense for the toils she had
undergone in following the camp all over Asia, that she was that day treated
in, and could insult over, the stately palace of the Persian monarches. But,
she added, it would please her much better if, while the king looked on, she
might in sport, with her own hands, set fire to the court of that Xerxes who
reduced the city of ATHENS to ashes, that it might be recorded to posterity
that the women who followed Alexander had taken a severer revenge on the
Persians for the suffering, and affronts of GREECE, than all the famed
commanders had been able to do by sea or land. What she said was received
with such universal liking and murmurs of applause, and so seconded by the
encouragement and eagerness of the company, that the king himself, persuaded
to be of the party, started from his seat, and with a chaplet of flowers on
his head and a lighted torch in his hand, led them the way, while they went
after him in a riotous manner, dancing and making loud cries about the
place; which when the rest of the MACEDONIANS perceived, they also in great
delight ran thither with torches; for they hoped the burning and destruction
of the royal palace was an argument that he looked homeward, and had no
design to reside among the barbarians. Thus some writers give their account
of this action, while others say it was done deliberately; however, all
agree that he soon repented of it, and gave order to put out the fire."
marika
"Zhivko Apostolovski" <zap2...@bigpond.net.au> wrote in message
news:db1pug$3gv$1...@news-01.bur.connect.com.au...
> In this lessson we will continue to learn (from the excerps below) that
the
> Macedonians are NOT "Grecians" and at the same time we will continue to
nail
> the greek coffin-with-LIES about ancient Macedonia. :-)
do you know anything about the greek goddess drypoe
her name sounds like dry alpo
>
> Happy learning now, my dear Greeks and grkomani :-)
as long as you spell it right!!
mk5000
"Smoke rings and things in the air
Fire burn to learn what is there
What is it you do? Is too much for the brain?
Down down drown drown "--david mednikoff
Chloe
Masutatsu Oyama, believed that the origin of modern karate was to be
found in the most popular - and brutal- of Greek Olympic games:
pankration. Although pankration was a sport, introduced into the
Olympics in 648B.C., it was also a martial art like those of the Orient
in that it began as training and recreation for soldiers.
In fact, sports were initially encouraged in ancient Greece
precisely because the very safety and survival of the Greek city-state
depended on the athletic and military skills of the citizens. The
Spartans allowed every technique in their style of pankration because
they used it to prepare for war. In Olympic pankration, two men
competed in unarmed combat using all their powers until one gave up,
with surrender indicated by the raising of one hand as in the
gladiatorial combat of the later Roman arena. A man could kick, punch,
use locks and throws - anything, in fact, except bite or gouge the soft
parts of the body such as the eyes, throat and genitals. Also like the
later roman gladiatorial situation, a trainer would stand by with a club
or whip to ensure that those few rules were not violated. The Greeks
also prepared for this martial art by practicing blows against a large
skin filled with seeds, grain or sand, just as modern karate
practitioners use a heavy bag. Another similarity between Greek boxing
and modern martial arts is that the Greeks used the open hand, an almost
universal trait in the Oriental martial arts.
Additional similarities between the Greek and Oriental martial arts
can be noted in the dance-like movements used by practitioners. Around
500B.C. in Athens, the Greeks performed a gymnastic dance called
pyrrhic. It was regarded as an important means to develop agility and
prepare young men for actual combat. These dances were often done to
music, with the performers sometimes using weapons as part of their
dance. Oyama saw a moral and spiritual connection, as well as a
practical relationship of timing and rhythm, between music and karate.
This description matches exactly the modern karate and kung fu kata
- a dance like series of prearranged movements meant to demonstrate the
proper form used in a particular martial art defense and attack.. Just
as with pyrrhic, kata are intended to develop agility and prepare
practitioners for actual combat. In both pyrrhic and kata, weapons are
sometimes used and the dance is often done to music. finally, there
were frequent competitions among the dancers of pyrrhic, just as there
are among karate practitioners who perform kata.
The midpoint in tracing the mainline history of the martial arts
from Greece to the Orient to the United States is India. India serves
as the transition point that explains the transmission of Greek martial
sport to the East. This movement of the martial arts from Greece
through India to the Far East to America has some support from evidence
found in signs and symbols. The symbol for Okinawan karate, for
example, is the mirror image of a common sign used in ancient Greece: a
three-legged figure called the triskelion. The triskelion is also an
Indian symbol of the Hindu trinity as well as the Buddhist tongue of
Kumarajiva.
Besides this sketchy symbolic connection, there is historical
evidence that the mainstream of martial arts swung eastward from Greece
with the armies of Alexander the Great in the fourth century B.C.
Alexander's conquests brought Greek civilization as far east as northern
India in 327.
Like Napoleon in Egypt 2,000 years later, Alexander brought his
native culture with him and introduced it to the conquered peoples. As
a result, he carried Greek athletics, including pankration, to India.
In India, pankration may have combined with a native Indian form of
unarmed combat, called vajramushti, to form an early style of karate.
Evidence for an Indian form of karate comes only indirectly from the
statues of Japanese noi, or Bodhisattva, temple guardians that are
replicas of Indian Buddhist prototypes.
A link between Hellenistic culture and athletics, and the early
development of karate-like combat in India and China, may also be found
in Buddhism. The Indian king Asoka, an ally of Alexander the Great,
spread Buddhism throughout India - a Buddhism strongly influenced by
Greek culture. Asoka's Gandharan kingdom, in fact, acted as "a
Hellenic filter" that brought Greek influence not only to India but to
all of Asia on the wings of Buddhism. It was this Gandharan art that
created the human image of Buddha. Just as the Indian Buddhists
introduced Greek-style statuary, called Gandharan, into China, it was an
Indian Buddhist monk named Bodhidharma (Daruma) who introduced Zen
Buddhism and an early form of karate into China around 520A.D.
There are conflicting accounts in the form of legends as to why
Bodhidharma left India for China, but they all agree that he took with
him a knowledge of the martial arts. Although it is speculation, it is
not without reason to suspect that the Indian Buddhist monk was familiar
with Greek culture and athletics, more particularly with the pankration
brought by Alexander to India. Bodhidharma was also an aristocrat and
was therefore almost certainly familiar with the Indian martial art
vajramushti.
At any rate, he took up residence in China at the Buddhist Shaolin
Temple at Sung Shan in Henan (Hunan) Province. Here, he taught the
monks his system of Zen Buddhism as well as his skill in empty-hand
fighting - a style that most likely contained elements of Greek
pankration and Indian vajramushti.