Astronomy for amateurs . ench painter Rochegrosse haspainted a striking picture of the scene (Fig. 75). In the year 413 b. c. the Athenian General Niciasprepared to return to Greece after an expedition toSicily. But, terrified by an eclipse of the Moon, andfearing the malign influence of the phenomenon, he putoff his departure, and lost the chance of retreat. Thissuperstition cost him his life. The Greek army wasdestroyed, and this event marks the commencement ofthe decadence of Athens. In 331 B. c. an eclipse of the Moon disorganized thetroops of Alexander, near Arbela, and the great Mace-don
Astronomy for amateurs . ench painter Rochegrosse haspainted a striking picture of the scene (Fig. 75). In the year 413 b. c. the Athenian General Niciasprepared to return to Greece after an expedition toSicily. But, terrified by an eclipse of the Moon, andfearing the malign influence of the phenomenon, he putoff his departure, and lost the chance of retreat. Thissuperstition cost him his life. The Greek army wasdestroyed, and this event marks the commencement ofthe decadence of Athens. In 331 B. c. an eclipse of the Moon disorganized thetroops of Alexander, near Arbela, and the great Mace-donian Captain had need of all his address to reassurehis panic-stricken soldiers. Agathocles, King of Syracuse, blocked by the Car-thaginians in the port of this city, had the good fortuneto escape, but was disturbed on the second day of hisflight by the arrival of a total eclipse of the Sun which 265 ASTRONOMY FOR AMATEURS alarmed his companions. What are you afraid of?said he, spreading his cloak in front of the Sun. Are. Fig. 75.âBattle between the Medes and Lydians arrestedby an Eclipse of the Sun. 266 THE ECLIPSES you alarmed at a shadow? (This eclipse seems to bethat of August 15, 309, rather than that of March 2, 310-) On June 29, 1033, an epoch at which the approaching end of the world struck terror into all hearts, an annulareclipse of the Sun occurring about midday frustratedthe designs of a band of conspirators who intended tostrangle the Pope at the altar. This Pope was Bene-dict IX, a youth of less than twenty, whose conductis said to have been anything but exemplary. Theassassins, terrified at the darkening of the Sun, darednot touch the Pontiff, and he reigned till 1044.* On March i, 1504, a lunar eclipse saved the life ofChristopher Columbus. He was threatened with deathby starvation in Jamaica, where the contumacioussavages refused to give him provisions. Forewarned ofthe arrival of this eclipse by the astronomical almanacs,he threatened to deprive the Caribs of
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectastronomy, bookyear19
