Cradle-Land of Arts and Creeds: Or nothing New Under the Sun

This book discusses the influence of ancient Italian romantic poetry on Lord Byron and highlights the presence of scientific knowledge during the Middle Ages. It mentions that before Columbus discovered the New World and the Copernican system was established, there were hints of astronomical and geographical understanding in Mediterranean civilizations. A quote from the fifteenth-century Italian poet Morgante Maggiore is provided, suggesting that the water is level and the Earth has a globe-like form. The author also mentions Ugo Foscolo's hypothesis that ancient civilizations possessed knowledge that was later lost or destroyed. The passage further explores the idea of civilizations existing in the polar regions and the submersion of landmasses in the Indian Ocean. It concludes by emphasizing the significance of fire as a pivotal discovery that propelled human civilization forward, upon mythological references such as Prometheus stealing fire and the reverence for fire in various ancient scriptures.