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Even History Has History
Trying to unwrap the grand tapestry of time…is staggering.
History is like a spellbinding novel, especially when Ferdinand Addis writes it.
I’ve been diving into “Rome,” and it’s a masterpiece that transports you right into the heart of the ancient city. You can almost smell the streets through the vivid, colorful narrative that spans from Romulus to Mussolini. It’s magic.
What struck me most, though, is the profound way history unfolds. I used to view time in three segments: history, present, and future. History felt compact, as if all events were simultaneous. But that’s far from the truth. Even history has its own history. To Nero, Julius Caesar was a figure from the past, a story told just like we share tales today. Yet, we often lump all historical events together as if they occurred in one fell swoop.
This layered retelling of history – seeing it from a historical perspective – reveals several truths. It highlights the fleeting nature of our existence against the vast backdrop of time. It reminds us that as humans, we often repeat the same mistakes and savor the same joys, cycle after cycle, without ever catching on. Most importantly, it underscores the crucial role of context in fully grasping our past to vividly shape our future.