08-07-2006, 09:51 AM
[quote="Jona Lendering
Do I prefer incompetence to heroism if I have to explain something? Certainly; that goes without saying. [/quote]
On the contrary, it very much requires saying. This is how I believed you thought, now you confirm it - and I still reject it. I fear you are suffering from the trained academic or scientific mind and have become so accustomed to doubting and testing that you are prepared to doubt on no evidence rather than suspend judgement. Yes, I noticed that you said (twice) that we just don't know, but it has always been clear what you prefered to believe and now you have stated it. It's your preference I can't understand.
You can explain the Charge of the Light Brigade as incompetence, but this does not detract from the courage of the cavalrymen involved, who went ahead though they "knew someone had blundered". Prince Bagratian, learning from captured troopers that they had had no alcoholic incentive to courage (as was quite common) and, indeed, had had no breakfast, told them, "You are noble fellows."
I see Leonidas in the same light. He knew the promised reinforcement wasn't coming, saw what an impossible situation he was in and made the best of it.
Finally, for whatever reason the final day went as it did, the battle most assuredly did set the course of history, changing the world in the sense that it set a limit to the imperial ambitions of Persia.
Do I prefer incompetence to heroism if I have to explain something? Certainly; that goes without saying. [/quote]
On the contrary, it very much requires saying. This is how I believed you thought, now you confirm it - and I still reject it. I fear you are suffering from the trained academic or scientific mind and have become so accustomed to doubting and testing that you are prepared to doubt on no evidence rather than suspend judgement. Yes, I noticed that you said (twice) that we just don't know, but it has always been clear what you prefered to believe and now you have stated it. It's your preference I can't understand.
You can explain the Charge of the Light Brigade as incompetence, but this does not detract from the courage of the cavalrymen involved, who went ahead though they "knew someone had blundered". Prince Bagratian, learning from captured troopers that they had had no alcoholic incentive to courage (as was quite common) and, indeed, had had no breakfast, told them, "You are noble fellows."
I see Leonidas in the same light. He knew the promised reinforcement wasn't coming, saw what an impossible situation he was in and made the best of it.
Finally, for whatever reason the final day went as it did, the battle most assuredly did set the course of history, changing the world in the sense that it set a limit to the imperial ambitions of Persia.
