I have always believed that great cities are the ones which have stories to tell to its residents and visitors. Some cities don't have the luxury of telling a lot of stories either because they lack the history or they are simply managed poorly. London, I guarantee you that, has both of the good worlds.
London, a city founded by the Roman some two thousands years ago, not only have a rich history but also managed extremely well where stories are being told in every street, plaza and park.
A good example of an interesting story can be found inside Holland park which is located in west London. The story is about Milo of Croton which is engraved on a stone and placed inside the rose garden of Holland Park. The story goes like:
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| The figure of Milo of Croton inside the Rose Garden of Holland Park, London |
"...on seeing an Oak tree partly split open with a wedge, he tried to wrench it apart, but only succeeded in causing the wedge to fall out, thereby trapping his hands. He was left helpless prey to the wild beasts, which soon devoured him."
Milo is considered a legend when athletics and wrestling are talked about to the extent that his name is nowadays synonym for strength. He was an Olympic champion who won 32 different wrestling competitions. Milo used to train daily by lifting a calf until it is a full-grown ox. The beasts that devoured him according to the legend are believed to be wolves. Exact date of his birth and death are not known, but it is believed that he has lived and died in Croton, now Crotone, Calabria, Italy in the 6th century BC.
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| Milo of Croton's figure trying to tear the tree apart |
The bronze figure inside Holland Park, depicts Milo of Croton trying to tear the tree apart, is dated back the 19th century, although I was not able to identify its maker. The engraved stone below Milo's figure is donated by the friends of Holland Park on 28 July 2003. The complete text on the stone reads as:
"This 19th century bronze figure is of MILO OF CROTON, a legendary Olympic athlete renowned for his great strength, who lived at Croton, a Greek settlement in southern Italy, in the 6th century BC. The story goes that on seeing an Oak tree partly split open with a wedge, he tried to wrench it apart, but only succeeded in causing the wedge to fall out, thereby trapping his hands. He was left helpless prey to the wild beasts, which soon devoured him."
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| The text engraved on a stone beneath the figure of Milo of Croton |
References:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Milo-of-Croton
https://agileleanlife.com/the-milo-of-croton-story/
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