V-2 - Chapter 9 - The nine planets

[alice wellintown]

The "new planet" was Uranus, discovered in 1781 by Sir William
Herschel, Astronomer Royal to George III, the first planet unknown to
astronomers of Antiquity. It was a new world in the heavens. However,
it was Vasco Núñez de Balboa's expedition which were the first
Europeans to see the Pacific, not Hernán Cortés. Keats had been
reading William Robertson's History of America and apparently confused
two scenes there described: Balboa's finding of the Pacific and
Cortés's first view of the Valley of Mexico. The Balboa passage: "At
length the Indians assured them, that from the top of the next
mountain they should discover the ocean which was the object of their
wishes. When, with infinite toil, they had climbed up the greater part
of the steep ascent, Balboa commanded his men to halt, and advanced
alone to the summit, that he might be the first who should enjoy a
spectacle which he had so long desired. As soon as he beheld the South
Sea stretching in endless prospect below him, he fell on his knees,
and lifting up his hands to Heaven, returned thanks to God, who had
conducted him to a discovery so beneficial to his country, and so
honourable to himself. His followers, observing his transports of joy,
rushed forward to join in his wonder, exultation, and gratitude" (Vol.
III). John Keats simply remembered the image, rather than the actual
historical facts.

Clarke noticed the error immediately, but Keats chose to leave it in,
presumably because historical accuracy would have necessitated an
unwanted extra syllable in the line.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_First_Looking_into_Chapman's_Homer

On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 3:44 PM, Robin Landseadel
<robinlandseadel at comcast.net> wrote:
>        239/258 - the nine planets
>
>        J. Kerry Grant in his Companion to V. correctly
>        points out that a planetarium operating in 1922
>        would show only eight planets, as Pluto was
>        not discovered until 1930, but he misses the
>        point that the story "had become, as
>        Eigenvalue put it, Stencilized." (p. 228)
>
> http://v.pynchonwiki.com/wiki/index.php?title=Chapter_9
>