<h1 class="pgc-h-arrow-right" > May 2011, "Pirates of the Caribbean 4" was released, although the reputation was not as good as before, but it was still sought after by many fans. Today we will use this movie to talk about the "fountain of immortality" in history. </h1>
Pirates of the Caribbean 4 promotional poster
In "Pirates of the Caribbean 4", King George II of the United Kingdom captures Jack and asks him to find the Fountain of Immortality, which seems to be a fanciful plot, but hides the true history of the Age of Discovery.
Immortal Spring refers to the spring water that can regain youth and grow old after drinking. Like the ancient Chinese elixir, this quest for immortality is the ultimate dream of all human beings. In fact, the European description of the "fountain of immortality" can be traced back to the ancient Greek era.
The Greek historian Herodotus in the 3rd century BC said that there was a magical spring on the land of Ethiopia that could make the locals live an unusually long life, which may be the earliest record of the spring of immortality in Europe. In the Roman era of the 3rd century AD, the Legend of Alexander the Great records the story of Alexander crossing the Dark Continent in search of the Fountain of Life.
However, in the Middle Ages, after the Church controlled people's minds, it became taboo to find a way to "live forever". Therefore, the folk legend about the immortal spring has disappeared for a long time. At this time, another thing called "divine water" was quietly circulating. If "divine water" is found in medieval literature, it is not necessary to think that it has any connection with the fountain of immortality, because divine water refers only to a special solution that alchemists need.
In a sense, the alchemists who acted low-key in the Middle Ages no longer believed in the existence of an immortal spring, but hoped to find a substance that could make people immortal through their own refining and transformation—the immortal spring became a mythical story forgotten by Europeans for a long time.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > but by the late Middle Ages, as the church's status was shaken, stories of merchants and adventurers increased. </h1>
The Age of Geographical Discoveries
The 14th-century British writer John Mandeville wrote the fantasy novel Sir John Mandeville's Voyages and Travels, which described the situation in the Middle East, Central Asia, India and other places. The book is clearly influenced by Marco Polo's Travels, and there are some whimsical descriptions, such as the mention of the fountain of immortality.
After this, secular monarchs and adventurers began to slowly believe that the fountain of immortality really existed.
Before Europeans began to explore the oceans on a large scale, the legend of the Fountain of Immortality was enriched. Adventurers generally believe that in a place called Bimini, there is an immortal spring. The so-called Bimini belongs to the Bahamas. Legend has it that there was an indigenous chief here who once led his people out to sea in search of the Fountain of Immortality, but never returned, and the local natives believed that he had found the Fountain of Immortality and a large amount of wealth.
This legend was widespread among early navigators, and even the Spanish historian Peter Matt mentioned the legend of the Fountain of Immortality in a letter to the Pope in 1513. He described: "[Immortal Springs] have magical effects of flowing springs, both directly drinkable and supplemented with diet, so that the elderly can regain their youth." ”
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > here is a very important figure, Juan Ponce de León. </h1>
Juan Ponce de León
In the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean 4", Captain Jack and Barbosa find Juan Ponce de León's ship, and find a map and a holy grail in it, which is one of the more wonderful passages in the film.
In real history, this Juan Ponce de León is indeed inextricably linked to the Fountain of Immortality. The explorer was born in 1474 and was a Spaniard. In 1493, Ponce de León followed Columbus on a voyage to the Americas. From then on, he began his career in sea adventures.
When Ponce de Leon heard the legend of the Fountain of Immortality, he desperately wanted to find it. King Ferdinand II was so interested in the fountain of Bulore that he asked Ponce de León to lead a fleet to bring the island of Bimini into Spanish territory. As a result, the Spanish adventurer sailed all the way to Discover Florida.
Although Ponce de Leon searched for a long time in the Bahamas and Puerto Rico and tried many springs, no trace of the fountain of immortality was found. However, at this time, the European continent was full of the passion of seafaring adventures, and people began to invent the story of Ponce de León's discovery of the Fountain of Immortality with only a few words.
Although Ponce de León died in Florida in 1521 from an attack by natives, many subsequent Spanish historians began to mention in their writings the story of his search for the Fountain of Immortality. In the mouths of these historians, a Florida shipwreck survivor named Fontaneda said in his memoirs that Ponce de Leon had found the Fountain of Immortality, located somewhere in Florida. Slowly, with the mutual quotations of historians and the addition of other authors, Ponce de Leon truly became a European who had found the fountain of immortality.
<h1 class= "pgc-h-arrow-right" > Of course, the immortal spring is just a legend and cannot exist. But many European adventurers were very keen to spread the story. </h1>
Stills from Pirates of the Caribbean 4
In the movie, the British king orders Captain Jack to find the fountain of immortality, but in reality, it is actually the adventurers who use the story of the fountain of immortality to evoke the unrealistic dreams of the kings for longevity, and then give themselves funding.
That is to say, not all the captains of the Age of Discovery, especially the adventurers who were keen to explore the new world, believed in the existence of the Fountain of Immortality—an unfounded legend that could be used to sponsor their adventures.
Of course, not everyone is keen on immortal springs, such as the Catholic Church. In the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean 4", in addition to Captain Jack, there is also a group of Spaniards who are also looking for the fountain of immortality. But in the end, these Spaniards deliberately destroyed the fountain of immortality, why? The Spaniard in the film explains that eternal life can only be given by the Lord, not this pagan spring.
At that time, Catholic Spaniards did not allow other ways of "eternal life" to exist. Although the film is fictional, the contradiction between the church and the secular is real. As we mentioned earlier, throughout the Middle Ages, when the Church could control Europe ideologically, the legend of the Fountain of Immortality disappeared. Even the alchemists' "divine water" was studied under cover, and did not dare to speak out.
The Age of Discovery, the Age of Geographical Discoveries, coincided with the fierce Reformation. Navigators had to face not only the unknown world, but also the ideological turmoil and social turmoil brought about by the Reformation. Looking back at the legend of the Fountain of Immortality, the search for Ponce de León, and the hype of adventurers, it was also the era of Martin Luther's Reformation.
The Fountain of Immortality, the Land of Gold, and spice legends, symbols of wealth and desire, together shaped that special age of adventure. It is also relying on the illusory goal of immortal springs that countless Europeans would rather sacrifice their lives than explore the new world...