Hugh Jackman as Cyrus the Great

[Tre]

See this link:http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/05/ ... 85781.html

[marcus]

Thanks, Tre. Sounds interesting.I'd be prepared to put money on their not giving Hugh a full-on Persian beard although he does look pretty good with Wolverine's huge sideburns.Could be quite a good film (and, as I don't really know much about Cyrus, I'm far less likely to pick holes in it!).All the bestMarcus

[jan]

I always think it interesting that Alexander paid such homage to the tomb of Cyrus the Great. Frankly, I believe that Cyrus should be compared and contrasted to Confucius. They remind me of one another in many respects. I like to compare, Confucius, Cyrus, and Alexander. It is almost full circle complete in that ancient world to see the progress of these three most important characters to the formation of civilization in the ancient world.

[marcus]

Have you ever read "Creation" by Gore Vidal? In it he creates one of these 'circles' that encompasses Herodotus (I think), Confucius and Zoroaster.It was quite an interesting idea... but unfortunately a rubbish book and I couldn't finish it, which is rare for me. (Why is Vidal such a feted writer? I've never read anything of his that I thought was remotely good! He's like a pretentious Harold Robbins...)All the bestMarcus

[jan]

Hi Marcus,No, I have not read Creation. We are in serious thought today about the relationship of the terrorist bombings and Alexander on the latest post as something has really occurred to me. Man, I can hardly believe this. I have only perused Vidal's books, and have not yet sat down to read one all the way through. He is a prolific writer but I had no idea that he could be compared to Harold Robbins. I always liked Harold Robbins books. I have watched Vidal more in his t.v. appearances and I happen to enjoy his sardonic wit, but as of yet I have not even read Hollywood or Lincoln.But on the matter of the circle from ATG to Cyrus to Confucius, it is because of my meeting up with an infamous personality that I realized how like Confucius he is, and my feet took me to a book on Confucius as well. It struck me that the extreme modesty and lack of desire for grandeur is obvious in both Confucius and Cyrus. Cyrus's tomb bears proof of that as a burial tomb is a very important aspect of the Confucius line of stories.I wonder what in kind of tomb bin Laden will be buried. I don't believe it will be under the prophet Daniel at all.

[Tre]

Hello Marcus:Try 'Burr'by Vidal - if I recall correctly, that was a good one.

[marcus]

Hi Tre,"Burr" - well, certainly sounds interesting!The only other one of his I read was "A Search for the King", which was billed as an "allegorical novel" but, actually, it was just plain crap.I'll think about whether life is long enough to try any more Vidal... All the bestMarcus