> Larry Caldwell  wrote in message   
   > news:...   
   > >   
   > > Troy is still a myth.  Schliemann may have found a city located where   
   > > Troy was supposed to be, but further excavation showed that the Troy of   
   > > Homer never existed.   
      
      
      
   i think you've got that backwards. the romans knew where troy is. The   
   turks of schliemann's time knew where troy is. we know where troy is.   
      
   the only people who seriously believed that troy did not exist were   
   19th century western scholars. they had convinced themselves that   
   scientific analysis could prove or disprove anything. they spun epic   
   tales from their own imaginations, based entirely upon layers of   
   sediment and potsherds.   
      
   their enthusiasm wasn't entirely a bad thing. they were developing the   
   modern system of archeology and so perhaps they can be excused for a   
   little excess.   
      
   a 21st century perspective would have a little more temperence.   
   received texts, contemporary recovered texts and the testimony of the   
   spade all provide a fragmentary record.   
      
   it is pretty much impossible to say definitely whether or not the troy   
   depicted by homer existed. in fact, the question is sort of irrational.   
   does the new york of stan lee's marvel comics exist? there is a city   
   located where the new york of spiderman is supposed to be, BUT IS IT   
   THE SAME CITY?   
      
   why no, it's not the same city at all! therefore, new york does not   
   exist! WAKE UP, PEOPLE! all that time i spent living at E.2nd/Ave.A   
   must have been an illusion. i always thought there was something   
   surreal about that period of my life. thanks for clearing that up,   
   larry.   
      
   > > Lots of people think Odin and Thor existed too.   
      
   as long as we are discussing legendary fiction, sure they did.   
   according to the begining of the younger icelandic eddas, odin was a   
   citizen of troy.   
      
   yes i know it is legendary fiction, but i cannot say that there is or   
   isn't a kernal of historical truth to it. the icelandic writer of this   
   text was using a kind of symbolism that is not completely intelligible   
   to us. he was trying to fit the received traditions of his own culture   
   into the paradigm of classical/biblical history.   
      
   who knows. perhaps the migrations of 1200bc really did have some sort   
   of impact upon the later culture of the scandinavians.   
      
   his task was not unlike this thread. he was attempting to translate the   
   scholarship of one era into the scholarship of another. until someone   
   invents a time machine, the subject will not be one of scientific   
   certainties.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)