Facts About Legendary Pieces of Lost History
“History never really says goodbye. History says, 'See you later.'” —Eduardo Galeano
We lose things. That’s just how it goes. Sometimes the things we lose are trivial, and sometimes the things we lose were monumental, and forever shaped the course of history—even if we've since forgotten.
Lost History Facts
21. D’oh!
According to Aristotle, what the Iliad and Odyssey were to tragedy, Margites was to comedy. Homer’s first written work, Margites was a comedic epic poem, now lost to history. What do we know of it is from Plato and Aristotle: it followed the trials of a fool who “knew many things, but all badly.” Hm, sounds like another Homer we know.
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20. Plato’s Lost Tapes
Plato’s transcriptions Timaeus and Critias led to the golden age of Greek philosophical thought. However it is speculated that there was a third dialogue called Hermocrates. Whether or not he ever wrote this final dialogue is lost to history but was likely to further his ideas on the fundamental nature of the universe and human society.
19. Where’d My Books Go?!
Aristotle is responsible for the first-known writings on logic; he is also one the founders of Western philosophy, and helped keep the teachings of Plato and Socrates alive.
It is thus an understatement to say he is one of the world’s most influential figures—but he could have had an even greater impact: two-thirds of Aristotle's work is actually thought to have gone missing.
