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  engineer6 months, 1 week ago

  Armed with knowledge, three days before the eclipse, Columbus asked for a meeting with the natives Cacique ("chief") and announced to him that his Christian god was angry with his people for no longer supplying Columbus and his men with food. Therefore, he was about to provide a clear sign of his displeasure: Three nights hence, he would all but obliterate the rising full moon, making it appear "inflamed with wrath," which would signify the evils that would soon be inflicted upon all of them.

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  ameliog6 months, 1 week ago

  This is a very interesting story. Good information.

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  texangelwings6 months, 1 week ago

  That was a really good story! The article also mentioned Mark Twain, I just remembered my grandmothers copy of Mark Twain's, cc '1900', The Complete Short stories and Famous Essays. It is a wonderful book!

  Thanks engineer!

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  not2needy6 months, 1 week ago

  I watched several hours of a special on Columbus on the History Channel a few weeks ago.

  He was a strange little man. His health was bad, he was a Religious fanatic, and hard headed as the dickens.

  He invaded islands, and enslaved the natives and stole their resoruces.

  Columbus was a mess.

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    Mdiar6 months, 1 week ago

    He may have been a mess, but he was also really tall! So little isn't the right term, I believe! But yup... he was a real mess.

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    hyperbola6 months, 1 week ago

    Actually, the History Channel is not a good source for knowledge about "columbus". To start with, they don't even get his name right (Christobal Colon). Secondly, it is typical of american provincialism that has a long series of "myths" about the spanish in america.

    Fact is that Colon made only four voyages to the Caribbean, was in "america" for only a total of about 4 years (between 1492 and 1504) and died already in 1506. By the time he died a number of other spanish mariners had already made similar voyages and were more important in discovering the "continent".

    Already on his third voyage (1499) Bartolomé de Las Casas accompanied Colon. This is important because de las Casas was crucial in the spanish crown establishing strict codes for treatment of the natives and abolishing slavery already in 1508 (reinforced in 1542).

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  Mutainia6 months, 1 week ago

  Too bad Twain couldn't have used an actual date for an eclipse at that time for his story. It would have probably put him up their with the Hamlet author. Anyway, Cortez was taken for an Aztec god NOT out of Columbus like trickery, but, because of an astounding coincidence of arriving in a particular "reed year" that MADE him look like a god without his knowing. Trickery with Columbus, destiny with Cortez.

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    Mdiar6 months, 1 week ago

    Quite true. The civilizations of meso-America are some of the most interesting I think.

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  chevydog6 months, 1 week ago

  Can't fool Mother Nature.

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  triizine6 months, 1 week ago

  Great story. I will have to share this with my kids.

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  clichyzx2 months, 3 weeks ago

  Therefore, he was about to provide a clear sign of his displeasure: Three nights hence, he would all but obliterate the rising full moon, making it appear "inflamed with wrath," which would signify the evils that would soon be inflicted upon all of them.This is important because de las Casas was crucial in the spanish crown establishing strict codes for treatment of the natives and abolishing slavery already in 1508 (reinforced in 1542).

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