THE GREATEST EVENT IN HUMAN HISTORY - THE BATTLE OF HALYS
If we were to google for "the greatest events of all time" and visit a few choice websites, we would come up with a list that looks something like this (not in any particular order):
1. Jesus' birth or death
2. The American Revolution
3. The invention of the printing press
4. Prophet Muhammad's death
5. The invention of gunpowder
6. World War 2
7. World War 1
8. Marco Polo's expedition to the far east
9. Pax Romana
10. Renaissance
11. The Reformation
12. Tearing down of the Berlin Wall
Much as I agree that these are important moments in history, I think, short of the Big Bang itself, the single most important human event is the Battle of Halys! Huh?? Never heard of it? Well, let me tell its story in my own verse and I'll explain later...
The Battle Of Halys
The Battle of Halys, you see,
Was a special event in 585 BC.
On May the 28th, by the Halys River,
To fight, the Medes and the Lydians gather.
No one foretold this final reckoning.
Would it be another blood-bath?
Or would it incur God's wrath?
Their rivalry in Anatolia the spark,
Of a conflict that turned stark.
Cyaxares from Medes bayed for blood,
His son's murder ignited a red flood.
The guilty Scythian hunters had fled
To the Lydians that Alyattes II led.
But Alyattes would not consider
Cyaxares' demand for their handover.
But, the hunters would not have killed,
Had not their ears been cruelly filled
With Cyaxares' taunts and insults
About their poor hunting results.
The Medes invaded on this day
But Alyattes would not consider
Cyaxares' demand for their handover.
But, the hunters would not have killed,
Had not their ears been cruelly filled
With Cyaxares' taunts and insults
About their poor hunting results.
The Medes invaded on this day
For they saw no other way.
But in the midst of the fight,
Abruptly, day became night!
An omen from the gods, they saw.
To stop the war, that's the law.
So a truce was hastily called
And the border at river Halys installed.
Aryenis, daughter of Alyattes,
And Astyages, son of Cyaxares,
Abruptly, day became night!
An omen from the gods, they saw.
To stop the war, that's the law.
So a truce was hastily called
And the border at river Halys installed.
Aryenis, daughter of Alyattes,
And Astyages, son of Cyaxares,
They marry for peace to be sealed.
And the quarrel permanently healed.
Little were they to realize
And the quarrel permanently healed.
Little were they to realize
It was already predicted to materialize
By *Thales who told the Ionians before -
By *Thales who told the Ionians before -
That this Eclipse of the Sun was no folklore.
For science, this was the first success
Arriving at facts few had access.
Yet, good had come from superstition,
Saving much bloodshed and attrition.
So, must we make a decision,
Between science and religion?
Is scientific truth our greatest deed?
For science, this was the first success
Arriving at facts few had access.
Yet, good had come from superstition,
Saving much bloodshed and attrition.
So, must we make a decision,
Between science and religion?
Is scientific truth our greatest deed?
Or is it our mission to serve human need?
*Thales was reputed to be the world's first philosopher. With this event, he is the first to demonstrate that it is possible to predict the occurrence of a natural event by using careful astronomical observations and meticulous mathematical calculations. In one stroke, way before the scientific and industrial revolutions, he launched Man's scientific quest for truth using only naturalistic explanations. This allowed Man to use his intellect and reason for harnessing the resources of this Earth to turn his dreams into the modern civilizations of today!
That's why I say this is the greatest event in human history. It's a pity that I'm the first and only one saying this!
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