A man is used to take everything for granted.
Some think that there’s no need to check the existence of a famous person because it is much easier to believe that he or she really lived at one time or another.
Joy-pup editorial team decided to conduct our own investigation to find out whether Sherlock Holmes, William Shakespeare, King Arthur, Pythagoras, and other historical figures were real people or just a beautiful legend.
Sherlock Holmes
Who doesn’t remember this legendary phrase, said by Sherlock Holmes to his friend: «Elementary my dear Watson».
And, of course, each of us dreamed of meeting a brilliant detective who with only a few clicks solves even the most complicated crimes!
We have two news: one is good and the other is bad. The good news is that the world’s most sharp-eyed detective didn’t die. But there is a bad one – he never existed at all. Sherlock Holmes is Conan Doyle’s fiction.
“But what about Baker Street?” – you’ll ask.
When Arthur wrote his masterpiece, the house in which Sherlock Holmes lived did not really exist. Did you really think that Sherlock Holmes existed?
Robin Hood
In our cruel world, many people continue to believe in the triumph of good over evil. After all, we want everything to be fine in the end.
Robin Hood became the embodiment of a good deed because he took the money from the rich and gave it to the poor. And it would be great if such a person really existed… but alas.
Like Sherlock Holmes, Robin Hood is just a legend. But this doesn’t mean that the supporters of light and goodness should lose faith and give up. After all, if you look around, in our life there are enough real heroes even without Robin Hood.
King Arthur
Masculinity, courage, valor, and honor – that is what King Arthur each of us associates with. With the help of his sword, he defeated many enemies, from time to time gathering the best knights at a round table.
It is a pity that neither the sword, nor the round table, nor King Arthur himself ever existed. At least it is not mentioned in official origins.
However, it doesn’t mean that King Arthur is nothing more than a fantasy. Rumor has it that the prototype of King Arthur was the ancient Roman commander Lucius Anthony Cast, whose existence is a proven fact.
Pythagoras
“Yes, of course … Say again that Pythagoras didn’t exist. Who then invented the theorem?” – you would ask.
No, the ancient Greek philosopher and legendary mathematician really lived from c. 570 to c. 490 BC, but the evidence that the Pythagorean theorem was actually proved by Pythagoras hasn’t been found yet.
Shakespeare
There is no doubt that Hamlet is just a character created by William Shakespeare. But as for Shakespeare himself, everything is not so clear.
It is rumored that Edward de Ver or Francis Bacon worked under this pseudonym. Others say that William Shakespeare actually lived, and his name is mentioned in the parochial book of the city of Stanford-upon-Avon.
The second version could be believed, but the problem is that when reading various Shakespeare’s works one can notice that each of them is written using completely different styles. Coincidence? We don’t think.
So, whether to believe in Shakespeare’s existence or not, is up to you.
Satoshi Nakamoto
If you are familiar with such concepts as cryptocurrency and Bitcoin, you probably know that the identity of Satoshi Nakamoto hasn’t been established yet.
Moreover, with a high degree of probability, several talented developers worked under this pseudonym at the same time. Given the decentralized nature of the cryptocurrency, as well as its main characteristic (anonymity), it would be at least strange if Satoshi Nakamoto walked along the street and shouted to everyone who he was.
The only person who is now trying to prove the Bitcoin inventorship is Craig Wright. However, the court has repeatedly recognized all the evidence presented by him as falsified.
Shinichi Mochizuki, Nick Szabo, Hal Finney, Dave Kleiman, and even Elon Musk were called the presumed creators of Bitcoin, but none of them admitted it. Sadly, but the personality of Satoshi Nakamoto will most likely remain a mystery to us.
You can also read about the most incredible historical facts that it’s past time to stop believing in.
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