who is your historic hero and why?

Seems like historic heroes are not important to me, because I can recall no one at the moment. I’m kinda sceptic about anything therefore I hardly fall in glorification of anyone/anything. And I’m interested in history as well, so maybe it is the point - I usually know both sides of “heroes”, good and bad.

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Augustus is mine. He was just 18 when his adopted father Julius Caesar was assassinated, and not only managed to reproduce Caesar’s achievement by becoming sole ruler of the Roman world, but stayed alive to consolidate it and pass the empire intact to his successor. He didn’t take snuff, though.

Charlie Mops - “The man who invented beer…beer…beer”

Charles Bukowski and Terence McKenna; not “historical” maybe, and maybe not typical “heroes” by most people’s standards, but by mine… very opposite ones at that, lol…

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Charles Darwin

David of Hermopolis (aka: David the Robber or David of Egypt.) David lived in the 6th century AD. Saint David of Egypt before his entry into a monastery was the leader of a band of bandits in Egypt, in the desert of Hermopolis. He had committed many murders and other wicked deeds. As he grew older, he contemplated his life and was filled with fear because of his past crimes. Leaving his gang of bandits, he went to the monastery intending to repent of his wickedness. He begged the igumen (abbot) to accept him as one of the brethren, but the abbot refused. He explained to David that their monastic life was very severe and would be beyond his strength. David persisted and finally, he revealed to the igumen, that he was the notorious robber David. He said that if they did not accept him, he would return to his former life, then come back and plunder the monastery and kill the monks. Then the igumen allowed him into the monastery, and to the surprise of all, David became an excellent monk. By his severe efforts David surpassed all the monks. After a certain time the Lord sent the Archangel Gabriel to David to say that the Lord had forgiven him. St David, in his great humility, could not believe that the Lord would forgive such a great sinner as he was, in such a short time. The Archangel then said to him, that because of his doubt David would become speechless. David asked that he should be permitted to say his prayers, monastic rule and share in the church services. This was granted him, but the rest of the time he remained speechless. Towards the end of his life, St David received from God the power to perform miracles. He healed many of the sick and cast out evil spirits. Having lived in such manner for many years, he fell asleep in the Lord.

Frank Zappa - Musician

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Boethius for being one of the greatest martyrs of philosophy, and for composing excellent poetry and prose while sitting in a barbarian prison likely being tortured. He was truly the last Roman.

I have always admired Theodore Roosevelt. A big man with many faults, but with an almost larger than life spirit. He was a tireless advocate for what I shall call ‘fairness in life for the average man’’ and always had an eye for the future.

Nelson, gawd bless him. Bumpers all round, and no heel-taps.

Augustus is mine.

My oldest cat is named after his mother, Atia.

Not a historic hero but a modern-day one. Edward Snowden.

William James Mark Twain Nagarjuna I can’t imagine having just one hero.

William Carlos Williams Lao Tzu Sri Ramana Maharshi John Lilly and Timothy Leary

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still no comment, though hundreds have shaped my worldview.

^ That was most likely pre Homo sapien

Sir Richard Burton, the Victorian explorer, not Liz Taylor’s ex-husband. He disguised himself as an Afghani and sneaked in to Mecca to write the first account of the place by a westerner. Great book! All the dirty bits are in footnotes in Latin so that children couldn’t get it. He did some other explorations in Ethiopia, West Africa and elsewhere, spoke about 30 languages, and was a brilliant swordsman as well.

John Rolfe. He may have had the single most tremendous impact in the existence of the United States and the British Empire, and even the shape of the modern world. How he acquired the Spanish tobacco seeds is a secret that he took to the grave, but it couldn’t have been anything short of spectacular considering the jealousy which Spain held in its monopoly. …I’ve got a screenplay to write!

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John “mad Jack” Churchill who stormed on to the Normandy beaches carrying a sword and a bow. Check it out there is even a picture of him doing this, mind you credit is also due to the photographer who took the picture!

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@Caudimordax    

In the 1970s  I bought a paper back book titled     Bowmen of England  By Donald Featherstone.

After detailing stories about wars, and battles with the Scots, French and other ne’er-do-well countries, the final chapter is the  Epilogue, devoted to Jack Churchill’s story.

On 31st December 1939, whilst out on patrol he took a couple of pot shots with his bow at the German lines.

The second arrow caused a bit of a stir from the Germans, he didn’t know if any one had been hit, but it must have caused a bit of consternation for the poor chaps in the trenches waiting for the next arrow.

His barbed arrows cost 10 shillings and 6 pence each in those days. Apparently he was miffed that the war office had no budget for such ammunition and he had to pay for his own arrows.

I remember reading his obituary in The Daily Telegraph, must have been in the 1990s sometime.

Those obituaries used to have some fantastic characters in them.  

Proper eccentrics that were one step away from being locked up for mental or almost criminal actions.  

We just don’t seem to breed eccentrics anymore.

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