Talk:Themistocles

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I never learned how to tune a harp, or play upon a lute; but I know how to raise a small and inconsiderable city to glory and greatness.

I just reverted some changes which repeat a recent internet occurrence of a slight modification of some published translations of statements of Themistocles to which a few words of Thomas Carlyle, have been appended, from his Sartor Resartus: The Life and Opinions of Herr Teufelsdröckh:

O thou who art able to write a Book, which once in the two centuries or oftener there is a man gifted to do, envy not him whom they name City-builder, and inexpressibly pity him whom they name Conqueror or City-burner! Thou too art a Conqueror and Victor; but of the true sort, namely over the Devil: thou too hast built what will outlast all marble and metal, and be a wonder-bringing City of the Mind, a Temple and Seminary and Prophetic Mount, whereto all kindreds of the Earth will pilgrim.

This results in: I never learned how to tune a harp, or play upon a lute; but I know how to raise a small and obscure city to glory and greatness, whereto all kindreds of the Earth will pilgrim.

It seems an impressive statement, but though I have not done diligent searches for variants, I find no such occurence in published translations of Themistocles, and it appears to have only recently begun to appear on the internet attributed to him. If it becomes much more prominent, it might be appropriate to create a "Misattributed" section for it. ~ Kalki (talk · contributions) 17:58, 6 April 2011 (UTC)